The Seabrook Island turtle patrol has scheduled the inventory of nests 57, 58 and 65 for Wednesday, September 2 beginning at 7:30 am. Nest 57 will be first and is located about 300 yards north of boardwalk 1 which is the nearest beach access. The team will then move to each of the other two nests which are farther north of the first.
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!
Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol is acting under a permit issued by the SC Department of Natural Resources MTP# 543.
-Submitted by Jane Magioncalda for SI Turtle Patrol
(Image credit: Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol)