Great news for our Friday volunteers who discovered their first crawl and nest of the season. The crawl was discovered soon after arriving on the beach near an area where a similar false crawl had been located earlier in the week. The crawl was identical in width - 33” - with a similar barnacle impression within the crawl. At first blush, we thought it might be the remains of that previous crawl, but upon further inspection, we determined it was, indeed, a new crawl from over night.
The short incoming crawl was barely visible then disappeared completely in the soft blown sand. The outgoing crawl was also obliterated at a not very promising looking body pit, but then became very clear and long going into the ocean. Based on these tracks and the movement of the tides last night, it would appear our mamma was on the beach for a very long time, and we may have just missed her returning to the ocean. Perhaps a new mamma?
Faint incoming crawl entering the beach at high tide
Long out going crawl at low tide
The disturbed area/possible body was about midway up the beach toward the dune just at or below the high spring tide line. Despite the rather disorganized look of the body pit, a nest was located rather quickly at about 20” deep. Because of it’s vulnerable location, the nest was relocated to a position high up toward the dune.
WinWind blown body pit. Could there be a nest in there?
Excavating the eggs
Our over-the-moon new volunteers (and just as excited seasoned veterans) helped move 120 eggs to their new home. One egg was used for DNA research. No one minded the hot and humid conditions on the beach this morning! A great morning indeed!
Happy Campers!! Great job by all!!
Text by Kim T. Pics by Kim P.
All sea turtle monitoring by Waties Island Sea Turtle Patrol is permitted and authorized by SCDNR MARINE Turtle Conservation Program under Permit MTP 500.
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