Long time local resident and classical musician, Peter Goodman discovered this dead turtle recently on his morning walk along the 3 km naturist beach. He guessed that it may have returned to the beach to lay its eggs but, unfortunately, for reasons unknown, died on the beach. Two years ago there was intense public and media interest when a similar turtle (could it have been this one?) successfully laid its eggs on the naturist beach. It had been hoped that the young turtles would return to the beach upon which they had hatched when, in due course, they were mature and ready to lay eggs themselves. Hopefully this may still happen and these magnificent creatures may - like many naturists - call Vera Playa "home". Of course, this large adult turtle might be the one which laid its eggs two years ago. Actually it seems to be not so uncommon for dead turtles to be found on the beach (See our News page for 2003). The turtles are known as "tortuga boba" or "silly/foolish turtles" and the Vera Playa naturist association has been named after them as has the road which comes down to the beach at the point Peter found this turtle (Avenida Tortuga Boba).

Peter Goodman is well known in the Almeria Levante region, not for finding turtles, but as a classical musician (pianist and organist) of great accomplishment who has been prodigious in bringing live classical music to this part of Spain, accompanying and conducting choirs, playing both solo and with fellow musicians in many concerts and events and organising many classical music concerts and events. Impossible though it is to believe, Peter is an octogenarian who retired to Vera Playa with various ailments including arthritis and a heart/breathing problem - such has been the effect of living in the beneficial warm and dry climate of this corner of south-east Spain that today Peter is more spry and active than many a 50 year-old and shows absolutely no signs of slowing up or taking things easy