It was a busy week for the Turtle Patrol. In addition to adding 8 new nests, we inventoried 5 nests and several more nests hatched. It keeps us all busy when we’re still adding new nests while the earlier nests are hatching.
July 11 – Nests 59, 60 and 61
We were very, very busy on the beach this morning.
We got a call last night from beach goers on their bikes watching a mama coming in to the rack, starting to dig and then going back out to sea. Before Bill and Linda Nelson could investigate that crawl, they and Mary Zamara with her grandsons found another crawl and the mama leaving the beach. They helped keep the other people on the beach away from the turtle. Judy Morr then responded and found nest 59. Linda, Mary Zamora and her grandsons moved the nest of 119 eggs.
Vicky & Bob Becker, Jane Magioncalda & Joe Ficarra reported that nest 8 had boiled. They also found some shell fragments and a dead hatchling in front of the yellow house north of the club. They nosed around and found a wild nest! It was nest 60 which Bill Nelson marked and screened.
We then got a call about 9:45 informing us of yet another crawl at the Beach Club Villas. Jane and Joe went back to the beach to check it out and Judy Morr came back out to help. Jane Magioncalda, prober in training, found nest 61! There were 90 eggs.
We worked hard and long to get those nests. Judy and Jane and Joe were still at it on the beach at noon. That’s dedication for you!
July 12 – Nests 62 and 63
Judy Morr, Jim and Jo Eisenhauer and Richard Glasgow found a crawl north of boardwalk 3. Tim Morawski, Terry Fansler and Sandy MacCoss responded and Terry found nest 62. The 135 eggs were moved to higher ground.
Sue Scully later reported another crawl in front of the Beach Club Villas. Tim and Terry went back out at 10:00 AM and Terry found nest 63. They moved the nest of 101 eggs around the Club to the nest area 20 yards south of boardwalk 6.
July 13 – Nest 64
Deb Wein and Norm Powers made the morning’s first call with a crawl between boardwalk 2 and 3 near the buried tree. Bill and Eileen Middleton responded and Bill found nest 64. The 85 eggs were moved north of boardwalk 6 about 100 yards beyond the house under construction.
July 14 – Nests 65 and 66
It was another busy day on the beach.
Anne Snelgrove, Bunny Rogers, Lauren Helmer & Gayle Evans reported a crawl about 70 yards south of boardwalk 9. Bill Greubel responded and found nest 65. They relocated the nest to higher ground 150 yards south of the American flag at the Camp.
Pat Backstrom, Nancy Shenton & Judy Morr reported a crawl just north of the Club. Judy probed and found nest 66.They relocated the nest about 200 yards north of the Club.
July 16 – Nest 67
Karen Sewell reported four crawls: three false crawls into the rocks at the steps from the Beach Club and one good one that yielded nest 67 with 102 eggs. Jen Gibson probed and probed and probed some more. Then Karen and Jen dug and dug, then used the shovel to remove sand and then probed again and Jen finally found the sweet spot. The nest was moved further up the beach and higher. The bugs were of no help at all!
Eight more nests and we’ll tie the all-time record for Seabrook Island!
-Submitted by Gary Fansler