Turtle Patrol Weekly Summary 6/12/16

Another week started out slow and ended slow, but again, the middle of the week was great.  Let this upcoming week break the cycle!


Monday, June 6 –  No activity today,  but all nests remained above the high tide lines.

Hopefully they’ll like today’s storm better than the last one.

 

Tuesday, June 7 – All the action was on zone 3 today.  Two false crawls near the vehicle entrance. Linda Nelson found another crawl on the way back which her neighbor told her about.nest #17 6-16
The mama came up between walkways 5 and 6 over the rack and the first and second dune and into a nice place for in situ nest # 17.  Judy Morr was the first responder.

Good work ladies.  It is good to be back getting nests.

More tomorrow? I vote for that!

 

Wednesday, June 8 – Zones 2 and 3 had no activity.

Jim Lawrence called in with a diamondback terrapin crawl in the bird area on zone 4.  The crawl was 1 foot wide.  Our girls aren’t that little.

Nest #18 moving the nest 6-16But on zone 1, Lucy and Ray Hoover and Tracy Thorne saved the day calling in with a crawl at the danger sign. Tim Morawski, Terry Fansler and Sandy MacCoss went to see ifNest #18 6-16 it was a nest.  Tim found the eggs and the nest was moved to zone 2, 100 yards south of the big yellow house.

We have nest #18 with 147 eggs. Super job everybody! It starts the day so well when we have a nest!

 

Thursday, June 9 – It was a busy morning on the beach with all four zones reporting crawls.

Zone 1: First to call with a crawl all the way down by Privateer Creek.  Bill and Eileen Middleton responded but unfortunately it was a false crawl.

Zone 2: Terry Fansler, Gloria Reynolds and Sarah Quinn called with another crawl in front of Beach Club Villas.Nest #20 6-16

The crawl was almost invisible and just above the high tideline.

Bill Middleton found the nest with 106 eggs.  Nest #20 was moved to 100 yards south of the yellow house

Zone 3: Deb Wiehn, Christine Miniman and Christine’s granddaughter Katrina called with a crawl between the vehicle entrance and boardwalk 1.  They then called again with a likely false crawl in and out of the myrtles. Judy Morr responded Nest #19 6-16 (1), confirmed the false crawl and found Nest #19 with 86 eggs.  The nest was moved to about 20 yards south of the vehicle entrance.

 

Zone 4: The walkers long walk to the inlet was rewarded with 2 crawls in the protected bird area. Mimi Montague reported the first was a likely false crawl which was confirmed by Tim Morawski. While Mimi was still on the phone, Pixie Hider found a crawl a little further down.  That one had 4 body pits.  Tim responded and probed for two hours but couldn’t locate a nest.

What a day!

 

Friday, June 10 – The activity today was on the even zones.

Zone 2 walkers Anne Hess, Pat Backstrom, Pat’s granddaughter Ava Nelson, Judy Morr, and visitors Brad Halleron and son Peter encountered a false crawl at the Nest #21 6-16Danger sign just north of the club.  The mama ran into the rocks and went back out. Then they found a crawl immediately in front of the 3 relocated nests south of the yellow house.  It looked like the same mama from the false crawl.  Judy Morr probed and found Nest #21.  Bill Nelson brought the equipment.  The 104 eggs were moved back about 10 feet to higher ground with the primary effort being done by Peter and Ava.

Zone 4 walkers Sandy MacCoss and Dean Morr found a crawl totally above the highNest #22 6-16 tide line all the way around the bend at the inlet.  Great find by Sandy and Dean as the crawl started in the weeds! Bill Greubel responded and found Nest #22.  The nest had 96 eggs and was relocated near the second dog sign.

Another great day for turtles and turtlers!

 

Saturday, June 11 –  the girls came up the beach today on zone 4 and 2.

Zone 4 had a long in and out crawl and a short in and out.  The girls never got to the soft sand.

Zone 2 had a nice crawl, Sarah Quinn spotted it.  Mama tried three areas to leave a nest but didn’t find a suitable spot.

Zones 1 and 3 had nice walks with nothing to report.

 

Sunday, June 12 – Today was the day of false crawls with zone 1 being the winner or loser with 3 false crawls. Bob and Jan McBride found them and Harvey and Jen Gibson probed them but in the end there were no eggs.

Zone 2 with Karen Sewell and  Benko had an in an out at the Danger Sign. The rocks again. Bill and Eileen Middleton checked it out as well as the crawl on zone 3

Zone 3 Mark & Valerie Doane had an in and out in the myrtles

Zone 4 Joe Ficarra, Jane Magioncalda, and Joshua & Amanda Shilko had an in and out 75 yards past the first dog sign. They sent my a photo. They also saw joy ride tire tracks at the dunes and the end of the walk. I reported that to security..

What a bummer. All that work by the mamas and the walkers and the first responders and we have no eggs. Monday I call for eggs on the beach in nests!

Submitted by Gary Fansler, Beautsie Zahrn and Judy Morr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abridged Environmental Committee Minutes for June, 1, 2016

Beach Restoration Award

Steve Hirsch shared the news that Seabrook has received the Best Restored Beach Award from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA). It is a very prestigious national award.

The Greenery

There are new plantings at the gatehouse, Lake House and in other areas. The Hidden Oaks Trail and The Lake House Trail have new mulch.

Alligator Activity

Two alligators were removed from the Lake House lake because of aggressive actions. Residents and visitors were warned that this time of year alligators are very active.

Wildlife Mapping

Lots of turkey sightings continue. Bobcats and rabbits are being reported as well.

Nature Trails

New signs with pictures are being made for Hidden Oaks and Six Ladies Trails.

Turtle Patrol

Lucy Hoover reported that the 13th nest was found today. A Leatherback was rescued from the Jenkins Point marsh recently and released on North Beach in good shape.

Communications

The EC plans to continue publishing articles educating our residents about recycling and waste management.

There were 28 letters sent to illegal dumping violators this month, although more residents are utilizing the monthly brown/white pickup.

The Adopt a Highway program needs a new leader who will need to be in place before the next pickup in September.

Wild Things

The Seabrooker article will be about Painted Buntings for July and Alligators for August. The Alkali Bees are returning.

SI Birders

June 22 is the next meeting. A Fish and Wildlife Service representative will be the speaker.

The birders are working with the Town to educate beach walkers about birds on North Beach. The Town is looking into additional signage.

Patrol officers will be working 12 hour shifts on that part of the beach and citations will be issued with fines.

Audubon International

Barry Shedrow reported that Jim Bannwart and Carl Voelker are currently reviewing the input provided by the various focus area ‘champions’. Barry is responsible for addressing the environmental and agricultural focus areas.

– Submitted by Jane Marvin

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Spoleto Festival Finale – June 12th

SpoletoFinaleDue to strong advance sales, tickets for tomorrow’s Wells Fargo Festival Finale featuring Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats will only be available through 11:59pm tonight (Saturday, June 11). Tickets will not be available for purchase at Middleton Place on Sunday.

Below is how you can purchase tickets today!

– ONLINE (until 11:59pm)  click here
– PHONE 843.579.3100 (until 6:00pm)
– IN PERSON at one of our box office locations

Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting Street (until 5:00pm)
Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun Street (until 8:00pm)

Ticket availability at in-person box office locations on Sunday will be extremely limited. Please call the box office at 843.579.3100 for availability.

(Photo credit:  SpoletoUSA website)

-Submitted by Tidelines Editor

Letters to the Editor

As previously announced, Tidelines is introducing a new feature, Letters to the Editor. This is our first set of letters.  You can generally expect to see this feature on a weekly basis, probably in the Friday edition of Tidelines.

We look forward to hearing from you.

For Safety Use Crosswalks
There are two crosswalks between the traffic circle and the Seabrook gate.  They are well marked with signs.  Motorists should honor these and allow bikers and walkers to cross safely.  Several times when walking our dogs in one of these designated crosswalks, we have been frightened by motorists driving aggressively and disregarding the signs.  Tragedy and liability can be avoided if motorists act responsibly.
Gail Azain, Seabrook Island

The Dreary Economy and Creek Watch Dreary Gray Villas
In an editorial, Mortimer Zuckerman asked who would get the dreary economy going (WSJ, 8/20/2015).  The past year remains grim for millions in spite of trillions in quantitative easing and near-zero interest rates.  The housing recovery is short of where it could be, consumer spending is shaky, and the economy is still sending mixed signals.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the selling price of our (gray) villas over the past 32 years peaked in 2006 and then decreased.  Some have attributed this decrease in value to the dreary gray paint of our villas. Our community is exploring changing the color, but all choices may represent much higher costs.

The cost of this and other projects may have a disparate impact on owners who are on ever decreasing fixed incomes, who are economically fragile, and who seemingly have no advocate in the decision making on Seabrook Island.  Financial fragility can be defined as the inability to cover a $2,000 unexpected expense in the next month (e.g., a major home repair or a large medical copayment).  Signs of economic fragility may include frequent late payments, liens placed on villas, and perhaps bankruptcy.

The financial fragility of our owners is unclear as is their desire to spend larger sums of money on specific beautification projects.  Planners need to be sensitive to this issue.  Many civil, collegial conversations about finances need to occur as we move forward with projects on the Island.
Ryan Cook, Seabrook Island

https://seabrookislandblog.wordpress.com

Submitted by: Tidelines Writers

A Healthy Local Environment

This is the third in a series of articles sharing information about the Audubon International Sustainable Communities program. Last month Jim Bannwart introduced the program’s “three pillars” and elaborated on the pillar called “Quality of Life”. This month we focus on a “Healthy Local Environment”. Not surprisingly, there are overlaps between these two categories.

The Natural Environment

A view of Seabrook’s local environment must begin with an appreciation of its uncommonly rich physical attributes. Its tidal creeks serve as nurseries for a huge diversity of aquatic life. Views of these creeks and their marshes provide visual tranquility. Over this calm pallet of beautiful vegetation and land forms we frequently see the images of native wildlife – from bobcats to dolphin, plovers to eagles, crabs to alligators. At night, we have a clear sky for stargazing and an ambiance of quiet interrupted only by the call of an owl or whippoorwill.

The Learning Environment

Knowledge enhances appreciation, in almost any endeavor and this is where our community really shines. We offer an exceptional number of opportunities to gain knowledge about the world around us. Scores of organizations, committees and individuals are devoted to careful stewardship of our natural environment. They invite us to join them. In doing so, we may gain knowledge to enhance our enjoyment. For many, it is more gratifying to observe a bird, a tree, a fish or a flower when you know its name and something about it – more pleasing to say “there’s an ibis” than “look at that big bird” or “that’s a beautiful bald cypress” rather than “that’s a beautiful tree”. To see a list of thirty-two clubs and organizations inviting participation, go to the SIPOA website, select “Contacts and Forms” then “Special Interest Contacts” from the drop down menu.

While many of our volunteer organizations and committees provide education about our natural environment, educational outreach on Seabrook is by no means limited to that niche. The SI Natural History Group aims to also increase our awareness of local history, culture and institutions. Retired physicians like Jerry Reves and Roy Sessions give us insight into matters of personal health through their articles and talks. Instructors at the SI Club help us learn golf, tennis or pickleball. Fitness classes at the Lake House teach us how to keep our bodies more toned and efficient.

The Physical Environment

A beach walk to see stranding dolphins at the inlet can be fun. It can also be beneficial to your heart and muscles. The same holds true for a trail walk, a game of tennis or golf, a kayak paddle or a bike ride. Our amenities on Seabrook are incredibly accessible, most requiring no advanced planning. No long drives in traffic to reach a gym, a beach, a creek or a golf course. Have you hiked the Six Ladies trail? Taken a trail ride? Talked to a personal trainer at the Lake House?

The Future

The Audubon International program requires us to take stock of what we are providing and ask ourselves the questions “what are we missing?” and “what else could we provide?” It also allows us to compare ourselves to similar communities, in search of new ideas. Do you have suggestions? If so, please pass them along to Jim Bannwart or Carl Voelker.

Submitted By: Carl Voelker

Cancellation of Council of Villa Associations and Regimes (COVAR) June 11 Meeting

The COVAR Meeting originally scheduled for June 11th has been cancelled in order to allow the COVAR Board the opportunity to prepare for a substantial roundtable for the next meeting–September (Emergency Preparedness on Seabrook Island). We ask that you attend, instead, the joint Town of Seabrook Island/Town of Kiawah Island Disaster Awareness Day, June 16th, 10 AM-2:30 PM at the Seabrook Island Club. Call 843-768-9121 for further details.

Submitted BY:  Allan Keener, President, COVAR

Johns Island Farmers Market’s Summer Hours

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Johns Island Farmers Market will now operate from 9AM – 1PM so patrons and vendors can enjoy the cooler part of Saturdays, rain or shine, in order to “Beet the Heat.”. The market is located at 3546 Maybank Highway.

The market meets the needs of a weekly shopping list. With over 50 local farmers and vendors every week, the market is a one-stop shop for all things local.

Summer at the market is in full swing with fresh fruits and vegetables, including the infamous Johns Island tomatoes!

The market features a bounce house for kids, a game zone complete with corn hole, local live musicians, and a variety of food trucks every week. “We want this to be a place to enjoy every Saturday relaxing in the field, eating good food, listening to live music, and meeting new people, says founders Frasier Block & Blue Laughters.

To accommodate the growing number of shoppers, additional free convenient parking is available in an expanded field adjacent to the market.

Please be sure to update your postings about the Johns Island Farmers Market to operating hours of 9:00am – 1:00pm through the summer.

For more information regarding Homegrown Johns Island Farmers Market, please visit http://www.johnsislandfarmersmarket.com, on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/HomeGrownFarmersMarket or Instagram and Twitter @HomegrownJIFM.

 

 

SIPOA Legal Committee Minutes 5/31/16

Seabrook Island Property Owners Association
Legal Committee Minutes May 31, 2016

A regular monthly meeting of the SIPOA Legal Committee was held on Tuesday, May 31, 2016, at the SIPOA Administrative Offices on Landfall Way.
Committee Members Present: Ed Houff (Chair), Guy Gimson (Vice-Chair), Brad Reynolds, Susan Colatsky, Sam Reed, Allan Keener, Ellen Coughlin
Committee Members Absent/Excused: Marsha Papanek
Staff Members Absent/Excused: Heather Paton
Others Present: Phil Squire (Director)
Proceedings:
1. The meeting was called to order at 4 p.m. A quorum was present.
2. The Committee members and others present discussed the current status of the following issues that the Legal Committee was asked to address or was otherwise following:
a. The Memorandum of Understanding between SIPOA and The Club regarding the status of certain drainage system repairs on property owned by the Club.
b. The Pelican Watch easement dispute with a Seabrook Property Owner.
c. The proposed enhancements to certain beach access points for disabled persons and legal issues relating thereto.
d. Status of the collection process and potential foreclosure on six lots owned by a single Property Owner in Seabrook Village
e. Ongoing legal proceedings in the property dispute between to Property Owners on Baywood Drive.
f. A review of the rules, regulations and historical progression of convenants and bylaws relating to dogs on leashes on Seabrook Island as a result of contentions raised at an appeal heard and decided by the Board at the Board meeting on 5/17/16.
g. Discussion of possible approaches to a review of the Bylaws and Covenants.
3. The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.
4. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. at the SIPOA Admin offices on Landfall Way.

Submitted by:Ed Houff, Chair, Legal Committee
June 9, 2016

Enforcement of Seabrook Island Traffic Laws

We are fortunate to live in a very safe community.

Let’s keep Seabrook Island a safe place to live and visit.

Traffic laws, including speed limits, stop signs and bicycle rules on Seabrook Island are strictly enforced, within our manpower capabilities.

29 traffic citations were issued in May, including the following:
• 8 speeding violations
• 7 stop sign violations
• 1 no pass displayed
• 5 parking violations
• 1 commercial access violation
• 2 failure to stop at gatehouse
• 1 driving on wrong side of road

Drive safely and enjoy your island.

Submitted By: Bill Bryant, Secretary, Safety & Security, Dennis Nagy

Freshfields Village Starlight Cinema – Tomorrowland – June 15th

Starlight Cinema on the Village Green at Freshfields Village
06/15/2016, 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM

tomorrowlandJoin us Wednesday night at 8:30 pm for a free movie under the stars featuring Tomorrowland. Guests are encouraged to bring a beach chair or blanket for the event. Click here for the full summer movie schedule.

Tomorrowland (PG, 130 minutes)

When a scientifically minded teenager discovers a technologically advanced trinket that provides an astounding glimpse of the future, she enlists the help of a reclusive inventor (George Clooney) to make “Tomorrowland” a reality today.

(Photo credit – Freshfields Village website)

-Submitted by Tidelines Editor