Floating in the waters off Daniel's Head, surrounded by scientists and researchers, I couldn't help feeling a flash of pity for everyone in the world who wasn't out there in the water with us.

All of a sudden, about ten feet below us, a dark shape struggling in the net. In a flash, Dr. Peter Meyland was beside it, while I put my hand in the air and waved, trying to get the attention of the catch boat.

Seconds later, Dr. Meyland surfaced. Treading water, he held his prize up by the flippers for me to see: a young, green turtle, staring solemnly at me - the third catch of the day! The catch boat appeared as we were examining it, and Aquarium workers Chris Flook and Leeanne Hinton hauled it in to join the two already sunning themselves on their backs on the deck of the boat.

Meanwhile Dr. Meyland and I resumed our laps around the net with the other Bermuda Turtle Project interns, looking down, peering, searching through the water for the dark struggling shapes, for more turtles.

As early as 1594, mariners were stopping off at Bermuda to take advantage of the plentiful turtle population and stock up on turtle meat and oil. In fact, by 1620 the Government was so concerned about the "wanton exploitation" of the turtles that they passed an 'Act Agaynst the Killing of Ouer Young Tortoyses'.

Despite the Government's efforts, however, by the 1920's nesting by green turtles had virtually ceased in Bermuda's waters.

Now, only immature turtles inhabit Bermuda's shallow habitats and they are the focus of the Bermuda Turtle Project, a tagging study begun in 1968 by Dr. H. C. Frick II, a trustee of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC).

The project is one of the first scientific explorations of green turtles on their foraging grounds, and is continued today as a joint effort by the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), and the CCC. The project is headed by two of the top scientists in the field, Drs. Anne and Peter Meyland, and co-ordinated by BAMZ head aquarist Jennifer Gray.

The goal of the project is to "further understanding of the biology of endangered marine turtles in order to preserve their conservation in Bermuda and world-wide.

Volunteers from all walks of life can sign up to help out for the two, one-week sampling sessions, or one, two-week sampling session held annually in Bermuda.

Tagging along - no pun intended - for the final day of this year's two-week session, I was so swayed by the excitement of the scientists and volunteers that a career in marine biology did not seem like such an other-worldly prospect.

Leaving from the Division of Fisheries dock at Coney Island at around 8. 30 one Friday morning in the RV Calamus, a vessel bought and designed especially for research by the BAMZ, we headed out to the Crescent, off North Shore, in the hope of catching two "big ones", big enough to attach a satellite transmitter to.

The nine volunteers on board that day included three Bermudians as well as researchers from the US, Belize, Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada.

"There's been a lot of really good information sharing," explained Dr. Gray.

"We say we'll teach the course but in actual fact they have a lot to offer as well."

Gathering around for the daily morning class discussion of research and papers, the interns listened in horror as Dr. Peter Meyland spoke of the man-made threat that turtles now face. In Panama, for example, hunters are so eager and competitive to get to the eggs of leatherback turtles that they often slice the turtles' bellies open as they crawl their way from the water up the beach to nest.

Reaching the Crescent, the volunteers excitedly geared up, and we all piled into the catch boat. Behind us we dragged the net boat containing, of course, the net. Two thousand feet long, 18 feet deep, with four-inch mesh, once a site is reached, the net is released in a large circle - a process which is called a set.

As the net was let out, volunteers disappeared over the side of the boat, two at a time.

"Have you ever done this before?" asked Tracey Mueller, a researcher from Mote Marine in Sarasota, who was to be my buddy snorkeller.

"Nope," I replied. She looked a little doubtful. But then it was our turn, and over we went.

When the net is set, snorkellers swim around the perimeter, searching for turtles caught in the mesh. Then, when a turtle is spotted, one person dives for it, while the other raises an arm in the air to signal the catch boat, where Chris Flook and Leeanne Hinton are keeping an eye on everything and everyone.

"It's serious business, we're not just here to have a good time," Dr. Annie Meyland told me. "We've never drowned a turtle." It is important to get to the turtles quickly and bring them to the surface so that they can breathe.

It's also important not to get caught in the net yourself. "Dump your gear if you have to, give the turtle to your partner," Dr. Meyland said.

With no luck catching turtles on the Crescent and a torrential downpour approaching, the Meylands and Dr. Gray decided to reel in the net and make for Daniel's Head, where some better luck was had - though not much.

Only one more turtle was caught that day, bringing the total from Daniel's Head to four. "They caught 19 yesterday, and 20 the day before," Leeanne told me. Once, she added, they got 31 in one day - in one set. "They've never topped that, I don't think."

The four turtles were taken back to the Calamus, where the volunteers tagged, measured and weighed them, and took blood samples. The blood is used to determine testosterone levels, and therefore the sex of the turtle, as well as to monitor genetics, possibly pinpointing the turtle's beach of origin.The four lay on their backs patiently, sighing and gulping as they waited their turn.

One of the turtles, it was discovered, had been tagged in March 1997, in the exact same spot.

Then, after a brief photo session with the turtles, the volunteers released them back into the water. "That's the best part," commented Dr. Gray.

And finally, celebrating with rum cupcakes and more photos, the RV Calamus turned and headed back to port, bringing its tired but happy volunteers home.

"Exhilarating, exhausting, worthwhile," was how one volunteer described the two-week experience.

"It's definitely been a success," agreed Dr. Gray.

"It was successful just getting so many students from different parts of the world . . . then it was really successful getting turtles."