The Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol will inventory
- 4 nests on Monday, August 8, 2022, beginning at 6:00 pm. The first inventories will be newly discovered Nests 75 and 76. The team will then move to Nest 25 and Nest 77. The nearest beach access for the first inventory is Boardwalk 6.
- Nest 78 on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at 8:00 am.
Nests 75 and 76 are located approximately 125 yards north of Boardwalk 6.
Nest 25 is 150 yards north of Boardwalk 3.
Nest 77 is 200 yards north of Boardwalk 3.
Nest 78 is located on North Beach near the bird sanctuary area. Boardwalk 1 is the nearest beach access.
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