The Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol has scheduled two inventories for Monday, July 22.
The first inventory will be of Nest 10 at 7:30 am. Nest 10 is located about 70 yards south of boardwalk 3 which is the nearest beach access.
There will be a second inventory at Nest 14 on Monday evening at 6 pm. Nest 14 is located about 125 yards north of the kayak shed at Camp St. Christopher. Boardwalk 9 is the nearest beach access.
Click here to see a map showing the location of the boardwalks.
Scheduled inventories can be accessed here.
The timing of this inventory may be modified without notice in the event of inclement weather.
Read more: Turtle Patrol Announces Nest Inventories on Monday, July 22
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