Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol will inventory two nests on Monday, July 18 beginning at 6:00 pm.
The first is Nest #7 located 80 yds north of Boardwalk 6. After the completion of that nest, the team will move to Nest #68, which is a wild nest that was just recently discovered. This nest is located 100 yds north of Boardwalk 3. Click here to see a map showing the location of the boardwalks.
The timing of this inventory may be modified without notice in the event of inclement weather.
Turtle hatchlings typically emerge from the nest during the night to avoid exposure to daytime predators such as seagulls. This is called a boil because it really does look like a boiling event when the baby turtles emerge all at once from the nest which is a hole in the sand.
About three days after the boil, the Turtle Patrol team performs an inventory. They count the empty shells as well as the eggs that have not hatched for a report to DNR. Sometimes, some of the hatchlings are still at the bottom of the nest and haven’t made it out yet. The inventory team helps these hatchlings down to the water’s edge where they can gather strength for their journey across the ocean. We can’t always promise there will be hatchlings to see, but when there are, it is very exciting!
-Submitted by Jane Magioncalda for SI Turtle Patrol