Friday, July 12. 2024 - FC # 21 and N # 15R

 Due to stormy conditions and safety concerns, our early morning walk with our Friday volunteers was called off. Anticipating a probable nest from yesterday’s FC momma and wanting to check on the status of our Nest #1 which has been incubating for 56 days, Leslie graciously agreed to meet for a “drive by” to check things out on the beach. Later in the morning, we headed to the beach through big road puddles, amid dark skies, light rain, periodic thunder and lightning, and very strong wind. 

                                                         Big puddles on the road to the beach          

                       

As we approached mid-island, we observed a very faint crawl that appeared to have a viable body pit just at/above the high tide line. The crawl was 32-33” and may have, indeed, been our returning momma. The previous night’s wind and rain made it difficult to map out the body pit and determine where to probe/dig. After some time probing, we believed we had found the chamber, but before we could dig for the eggs, the weather got even worse so we returned to the truck to complete our survey of the beach safely from the cab of the trusty 4 wheel drive. 

Faint crawl and body pit

We hadn’t travelled far when we came upon another crawl also almost obscured by the harsh conditions. This was an obvious false crawl. Momma crawled directly up to the face of the dune, turned around, falling into one of those crevasses that sometimes form at the base of the dune, then returned directly to the ocean. This was a different, larger turtle than our nester. 34”-35” crawl width.

False crawl

There was no evidence of any emergence activity at Nest #1, so we headed back to our first crawl.

 We dug in the area of soft sand identified during probing and found the eggs about 10 inches deep. 96 eggs laid, 95 relocated away from the high tide line. One egg, found broken in the nest was used for the DNA sample. The new nest cavity was dug, the eggs relocated and the nest marked - all in record time. 

With the rain and high humidity, we were happy to be wearing our new moisture-wicking material shirts with the modernized design. Thank you tee shirt committee! 

Pictures by Leslie and Kim. Narrative by Kim 

Waties island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance under SCDNR Permit Number

Thursday, 7/11 Finally Thursday gets a little action with FC#20

 July 11, 2024 

Arriving on the beach, it was hot and humid with very little breeze, and clouds along the horizon. The heat index was in the 90's bringing with it a lot of bugs. The rain and waves we've had along the shore brought in a lot of trash. To brighten our morning we had FC#20. 

This mama was 32" wide and had a familiar dragmark on her plastron. She came in at low tide and crawled straight up to the top of the dune turning around just shy of the steep drop on the other side. She slid back down the front and crawled straight out again crossing over her incoming crawl. It is guessed that we may have missed her by as little as 40 minutes with as far as her crawl came in at low tide. 

 

Sandy brought along one special guest today and we are crediting her with giving us the false crawl to see. It was also reported that we have a lot of ants crawling up the DNR pole at N1. 

Here are a few pictures of the drive out, shore birds, and a nice view from the short end with the low tide of House Creek meeting the ocean. 

The clouds were lining up along the horizon and starting to darken as we finished measuring the crawl and we returned to the shed shortly before the skies opened up. 

Except for the bugs and the trash, it was another beautiful morning on Waties Island and we never tire of the view and the privilege of monitoring for the sea turtles. 

Kim P

All sea turtle monitoring by Waties Island Sea Turtle Patrol is permitted and authorized by the SCDNR Marine Turtle Conservation Program under Marine Turtle Permit MT500

Wednesday, July 10th Waties Island Nest Summary

 Hi All - thought it would be a good time to update what has been happening out on Waties Island since May 1st.  We have 14 nests, all are Loggerhead Sea Turtle nests.  Of the 14 nests, we have relocated 8 of these nests - meaning we dug up the egg chamber, removed the eggs and created a new egg chamber, placing the eggs in a new home in a higher safer location on the island.  We have had 25 False Crawls.  We also have 6 "PNs".  A PN is a "Possible Nest" which means we had a crawl, and a body pit was discovered but were unable to find the egg chamber.  These areas are marked with just a DNR pole and indicates an area that our volunteers are to check carefully.

We still have a few weeks of the nesting season, and are fast approaching the time when our first laid nests will be hatching and emerging.  

Clouds moving toward land

 

 

This morning we had a number of shelf clouds around us on our morning walk, both over the ocean and ones we saw over the island.  We were so hoping for some much needed rain.

Here comes the sun

Saturday, July 6, 2024

 Hot and humid day with lots of trash.

Beautiful sunrise.

Nest 13R

Nest was close to where Barbara is standing.

Nest 14

Nest was next to the ghost crab hole.

Jackie Andrews

Waites Island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance with SCDNR Permit Number MTP500.

Friday, July 5, 2024 - PN #6

 Now that the celebrating of our nation’s independence is behind us, we hit the Island this morning hoping our mommas were ready to get back to business heading into the last month or so of the traditional nesting season. 80 plus degree temps reminded us we are, indeed, deep into a South Carolina summer. 

Happily, there was little evidence on the beach of debris from packed area beaches and last night’s firework displays. Instead, the wind blown sculpted sand was dotted with sargassum seaweed, shells, ghost crabs, various sea birds, and, about midway up the island (yeah), a loggerhead sea turtle crawl. 

The crawl is one that has become familiar to us this summer. This momma, who is dragging something on her plastron (belly) making a distinctive crawl, has made several visits this season resulting in both nests and false crawls. After carefully probing and digging in a wind blown area of a potential body pit,  we were unable to find an egg chamber. The crawl was recorded as PN (possible nest) #6. Hopefully, if she did not complete the nesting process, she will return tonight to finish the job. 

Special guests- Emma and Brady Fitzwater- enjoying a beautiful Waties sunrise at the edge of the high         tide line marked by surgassum seaweed.

                                         Crawl, thrown sand, and windblown potential body pit

                                                        Distinct drag pattern within the crawl

Pics by Melissa and Kim P. Narrative by Kim T.

Waties island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance under SCDNR Permit Number MTP500.

Nest #12/FC 19- June 30, 2024

 It was a hot mornieng out on the island and the Sunday team had a lot in store for them! Erin and Elissa walked the short end and Billie Jo Karen and Tammy walked the long end. The Sunday team walked for about 30 minutes before Erin recieved a call that there was a crawl. She instrtucted the long end group to keep walking and she would meet them once she was done looking at the crawl. Everyone kept walking, and about 20 minutes went by before Erin recieved the call about another crawl. Except this nest was at the very end of the long end, which is not a great area for nests due to the high tide line and little amount of beach at the end of the island. Erin worked the first crawl quickly when she realized that it was a false crawl and the mama turtle came in, turned around and left. There was no body pit at all. 

Leslie came and joined the Sunday team with her truck to assist with the nest at the jetty. The volunteers were very happy to see her when they realized the nest needed to be relocated and it was 90º outside. 

It was easy to find the nest and everyone was very excited to count 108 eggs! 

Once all the eggs were removed from the original nest, the team found a new, more suitable location and got to work digging and creating the new nest.

 It turned out to be a very eventul and educational morning and the Sunday team was very happy to finally have a nest on their day! 

Narrative by: Erin

Photos by: Erin, Leslie & Billie Jo

Waties Island performs research and management activities regarding sea turtle conservation in accordance with SCDNR permit number MTP500.