Scott Benson, in Indonesia. Leatherback turtles that forage off the coast of North America are part of a western Pacific group of turtles that nests in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Papua Barat, Indonesia. These turtles nest year-round and disperse to many areas of the Pacific and Indo-Pacific following nesting. But leatherbacks that nest at Jamursba-Medi in Papua Barat, Indonesia from April to September head to foraging grounds off Washington, Oregon, and California. This migration between Papua Barat and the US west coast is among the longest migrations of any marine animal.

For a human, getting to Jamursba-Medi from California is also a marathon journey...several days of planes, ending with a five- to six-hour ride on a boat with four 40-horsepower outboard motors that generate a big wake. In the process, I'm transported from 21st Century commotion to a western Pacific subsistence culture. Here's a large map of Indonesia, followed by a close-up of the island that I'm traveling to.

Among the things attracts many wildlife biologists to this profession is the opportunity to visit remote corners of the planet. Jamursba-Medi is one the most remote corners that one could ever find. It's a beautiful and nearly pristine location of vast forests, unspoiled beaches, exotic species, friendly people, torrential rain, and billions of biting insects. The setting is idyllic and challenging at the same time. This is my sixth visit since July 2003, and my last visit was in January. (You can see the turtles we tagged on TOPP's live maps that we use to compare their tracks with the ocean environment such as the temperature of the sea surface and the abundance of chlorophyll, which indicates the presence of plankton, the grass of the oceans.) There are no roads or landing strips near Jamursba-Medi and the nearest humble village is more than seven miles (12 kilometers) away by foot. (The photos included here are from one of my previous trips. On the left, that's me, entering data on a computer. Below is a shot of our morning walk to look for turtles. The other is an aerial view of the amazing pristine beach. They were taken by N.J.Tangkepayung of World Wildlife Fund, Indonesia.)

I’m traveling with about 330 pounds (150 kilograms) of equipment. Our Indonesian colleagues that conduct the monitoring and conservation activities at the beaches will join me. Together, we hope to deploy 14 satellite tags to nesting leatherbacks so that we can learn more about the turtles' migratory routes.

The population of nesting leatherbacks along the north coast of the Bird’s Head Peninsula is the largest that remains within the Pacific basin. Not long ago, leatherback eggs and adults were harvested by the subsistence cultures that inhabit the Bird’s Head coastline. Jamursba-Medi and nearby Wermon beaches are now protected areas and the local people are engaged in leatherback conservation and monitoring. It’s critically important that we help them achieve their goals.

Protection of leatherback nesting sites in the western Pacific received international attention this week during a meeting of scientists, conservationists, and economists in Malaysia this week. This is the front line of the battle for the future of the Pacific leatherback. Because Jamursba-Medi is beyond the reach of the Internet, real-time updates to this blog will be impractical. So, I'll provide updates whenever the opportunity avails itself through a random boat transport to Sorong, a 5- to 6-hour ride to the west. I look forward to introducing you to the local heroes of leatherback conservation in Papua Barat and sharing my experiences. From Jakarta, waiting for a plane.