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Explore Beaufort SC
Morning Surprise: Sea turtle patrol team meets mother loggerhead on Lowcountry beach
2024-05-19
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Photo byFripp Island Loggerhead Patrol
Volunteers with the Fripp Island Loggerhead Patrol were met with a surprise on Friday morning when they walked up on a momma loggerhead sea turtle on her way back to the ocean after digging her nest on the beach.
What a truly beautiful sight as the sea turtles are certainly starting to enjoy our South Carolina beaches so far this spring.
Sea turtle season officially started on May 1st on South Carolina beaches and with a record year in 2019, and the 2nd best season ever recorded in 2022, hopes are very high for a good season along the S.C. coast.
A 300 pound loggerhead sea turtle emerging from the ocean and slogging its way through the sand to dig a hole to lay her eggs….what a sight to see.
Well trained volunteers on many of our South Carolina beaches patrol the shores every day from May through October performing a variety of tasks. They report the nests, the help protect them and they even move them if the momma turtle was having a bad night and picked a bad spot for her nest.
And, every so often, they get to see a turtle that just finished digging her nest and is making her way back to the ocean, like the lucky volunteers at Fripp Island did on Friday.
Photo byFripp Island Loggerhead Patrol
Whether or you live near areas where sea turtles are, or if you’re just visiting, there’s plenty you can do to help these wonderful creatures from the sea.
Sea turtle hatchlings will use lunar light to find their way to the water at night after they hatch. Artificial lighting confuses the babies and causes them to head inland instead of out to sea – putting them in dangerous, disoriented, situations which can lead to death. Artificial lights also discourage adult females from nesting on the beach.
Sea turtles can become tangled in plastic, debris and garbage both on the shore and in the water. And, we don’t like when trash meets a turtle in Beaufort. Discarded items including fishing line, balloons and plastic bags may also be confused for food and eaten by sea turtles, resulting in their injury or death.
How many of you want an audience when you’re giving birth? Honestly? Yes, sea turtles are cute, and therefore they’re tempting to touch and observe, but flashlights and people disturb turtles when they are nesting, or trying to nest. Make sure to give nesting areas plenty of space, and do not disturb females as they emerge from the ocean looking for a place to nest. Also be conscious of where nesting areas are so that you can avoid trampling the hatchlings as they head to the water later in the season.
If you encounter a turtle in Beaufort on the beach at night, remain quiet, still, and at a distance, otherwise she may become frightened and return to the ocean without nesting.
Remove recreational equipment, such as lounge chairs, cabanas, umbrellas, and boats, from the beach at night. These items can deter nesting attempts and prevent hatchlings from reaching the ocean.
Always level sandcastles at the beach after you’re done enjoying your visit. And, please, fill in those holes. A momma sea turtle doesn’t need to fall into a hole or come face to face with the fortress of Helm’s Deep while she’s struggling to find a nesting spot. This is their environment, no pitfalls or fancy castles are necessary. Don’t give the sea turtles in Beaufort a hard time.
Also, leave tracks left by turtles undisturbed. Researchers use the tracks to identify the species of turtle that nested and to find and mark the nests for protection.
When boating, stay alert and avoid sea turtles. Propeller and collision impacts from boats and ships can result in injury and death of sea turtles. Also, stay in channels and avoid running in seagrass beds to protect this important habitat from prop scarring and damage. Avoid anchoring boats in seagrass beds and coral reefs, which serve as important foraging and resting habitats for sea turtles.
Sea turtle nesting season is a very special time here in South Carolina, and one that is truly loved and appreciated. Help us keep it happening for generations to come.
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