The Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol has scheduled three nest inventories for Saturday, August 24. The first two – nests 41 and 42 – will begin at 8:00 am. The nests are next to one another about 50-60 yards south of boardwalk 3 which is the nearest beach access,
The inventory of nest 39 is scheduled for 5:30 pm. This nest is located about ten yards south of the Danger Sign at Camp St. Christopher near the beginning of the dead trees. The nearest beach access is boardwalk 9 and it is a long walk to the nest area.
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.
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 Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol