Sunday September 17th- Inventory of Nest 6R

 The Sunday team started the morning early to stay cool during their walk and was welcomed by a beautiful sunrise, that never disappoints. 

Dani brought her daughter, Lucy, along this morning and she was very curious about everything she came across on the beach. She found a horseshoe crab molt and enjoyed looking at all of the nests. On the way back to nest 6 for the inventory, we found what we think is a Lions Mane Jellyfish on the edge of the water, starting to float back out to the ocean. 

When we got to the nest, Leslie had the students and volunteers ready to inventory the nest and everyone had their jobs. The Sunday team jumped in where they could. Mario, Lucy and some Coastal Sea Turtle Club members dug, while other members helped move sand and carry eggs, and Kim and Dani helped the last bit of members with sorting. 

CCU Sea Turtle Club eager to help whatever jobs they are given.

Leslie assigning jobs and handing out gloves to everyone that wants to help.

Mario, Lucy and CCU students starting to dig into the nest. 

Dani and CCU students patiently waiting for eggs to sort into the correct categories. 

The results of the inventory weren't as good as we hoped for but there was 1 live hatchling. The students and Lucy were very excited and eager to help its journey to the ocean. Volunteers never saw the textbook spread of hatchling tracks with this emergence, just a single track from a straggler, and a dead hatchling on the beach. The results were as follows: 75 Unhatched Eggs; 27 Hatched Eggs, 1 Live Hatchling. Hatch success: 25.4%; Emergence success: 24.5%. 

We draw circles around groups of 10 eggs to help count and organize the groups. 

The nest after the eggs were all removed, it was not a very wide hole. 

After we were finished counting eggs, we all walked the hatchling down towards the water and made sure it made it into the ocean safely. Lucy watched the hatchling until she could no longer see it. Overall, it was a great turnout of volunteers, students and guests.

Saying Goodbye and Good Luck to the single hatchling we found.

Photos taken by Erin & Leslie, Narrative by Erin. 

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