Wednesday, July 23, 2025 - Nest #08 - Long crawl for this lady sea turtle

 Well, ten degrees really made a difference walking the beach today.  The rain we got yesterday did bring some cooler temps for this morning walk on the beach.  Along with the Wednesday Volunteers, we had a volunteer bring out herself and ten of her friends.  They were very lucky to be visiting with us, since we had a very long crawl and a nest - Nest #08.

Dawn over the marsh

 

Volunteers and friends heading toward the jetty

There were four of us walking toward Hog Inlet and YES we have a crawl, a really long crawl.  She came in and crawled around clumps of sea oats, other obstacles and finally decided on a nice area at the base of the dune.  Very neat body pit, and we found the egg chamber very quickly.  This lady's crawl is 36 inches wide, and she is dragging possibly a barnacle on her plastron.  She took the long way in, but did take a much shorter path back to the ocean.

The beginning and the end

Nice neat body pit

Kate checking out her crawl - see how far the ocean is

She crawled around and over sea oats

She made a right turn here to her nesting area, incoming track

Outgoing track

We had guests, so we try to get them involved in the process, as we do this we explain what we are doing, so it becomes educational for those who have never experienced working a sea turtle nest.  We also like to have younger guests to help with the manual labor   

The egg used for DNA

The two young men, Dot and T-Ray, digging to install the cage

Getting the nest area ready for the cage

Job well done by everyone

 

 

 

 

Nest 08

Our visitors also have inquiring minds and wanted to know about this small crab they were seeing on the beach.   Per Lens this is a "Purse Crab" also known as a "Pink Purse Crab".  These crabs molt so that may address seeing so many of them on the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text and pictures by Leslie

All sea turtle monitoring by Waties Island Sea Turtle Patrol is permitted and authorized by SCDNR MARINE Turtle Conservation Program under Permit MTP 500.