May 8, 2019
No turtle tracks today but it was an interesting day.
Walkers reported with pictures of a “camp” at the end of boardwalk 9 which was also reported yesterday. The Beach Patrol agreed to remove it. It was reported later that it was gone so the process works! Chairs were left on the beach between boardwalks 5 and 6. Beach Patrol was notified. Nest 1 looks happy but lonely.
Walkers saw armadillo tracks on the way to the inlet. On the return walk, they saw a strange set of tracks they hadn’t seen on the way out. Terry Fansler responded and confirmed horseshoe crab tracks so spawning must be beginning, as evidenced by this tiny critter.
May 9, 2019
Neither rain nor bugs nor tricky turtles will keep the Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol from completing their appointed rounds as walkers were surprised by pelting rain.
Pixie Hider, Karen Preston and Mimi Montague found a promising crawl into the myrtles. The in and out tracks were different enough that the mama must have been up in the myrtles for a long time. She bounced off the myrtles a couple of times and left one very promising body pit with thrown sand. Bill and Eileen Middleton responded. Jim Lawrence and Judy Morr also assisted. They probed, they dug (probably down three feet), After more than two hours, all had to declare it a false crawl.
May 10, 2019
It was a good day on the beach.
Walkers met a nice young man near Camp St. Christopher who looked a little overdressed for a walk on the beach. (See photo.) Turns out it was his birthday and he was graduating from College of Charleston.
There was an obvious false crawl into the rocks just North of boardwalk 8.
Chris Palmer and Mark Horn encountered a promising crawl between boardwalks 4 and 5. Bill Greubel responded and found Nest #2. It was determined to be as high as relocated Nest #1 so it was left in situ. Chris then went to check yesterday’s false crawl in case crabs had helped locate the nest. Bill joined him and found a promising small body pit between two of yesterday’s pits. Bill probed and found Nest #3.
May 11, 2019
We had two crawls but unfortunately, no nest.
There was a promising crawl just south of boardwalk 3. Bill Greubel responded and unfortunately had to declare it a false crawl. Walkers found another crawl almost to the Kiawah River. Terry Fansler responded with Jane Magioncalda and Bill Greubel came later. Again, bad news …. it was another false crawl.
May 12, 2019
The mama turtles must not have gotten the email that it was Mother’s Day. All zones reported in with no turtle activity. There were armadillo tracks near the end of the dog zone.
May 13, 2019
The first call reported a turtle shell with yolk remains at the high tide line in front of the Pelican Watch Villas. Bill Nelson responded and determined it was a yolk stain and the egg was from a prior year
Walkers Kim Neath and Melissa Andrews called with a crawl all the way to the spit. Bill and Linda Nelson then picked up the truck and headed to North Beach. Unfortunately, there was no body pit, no thrown sand and after probing all possible locations, it had to be declared a false crawl.
-Submitted by Gary Fansler
(Image credit: Chris Palmer)