Stranding on May 11, 2018

The Friday walkers found a dead juvenile Kemp's Ridley near
Marker 6 washed up overnight. We documented the find for
DNR. The turtle had no signs of trauma, injury or disease. It
was about 20 pounds and measured 18.5 inches across the shell.
Always hard to find a dead sea turtle-and the Kemps is the one that
is commonly found this time of year in our area. They like to hang out
near the piers and eat the fishermen's bait. Hopefully, this will be the
only one for us!!

Turtle on Waties!!

Well, maybe it's not a SEA turtle, but it is a turtle: a diamondback terrapin! They are sometimes found in the marsh behind the island but this one was found out on the beach. It was still alive too. Thank you Flossie for sharing your photo.

South Carolina had two nests reported as of yesterday with many more to come soon!

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COOL START TO THE SEA TURTLE SEASON

We had a cool and uneventful walk this morning.  At first glance the beach looked clean.  But as usual we always find trash and something interesting.

Like the very large jelly fish above next to Hunter's size 5.5 shoe

We also noted the white boat that is above MM7 has almost been totally buried.  

Some of the "Mile Markers" were turned to the East as a result of the heavy winds we have been having lately.  MM7 was blown over completely.

And we found a dock above MM 9.  As you can see in the picture the tide goes very close to the dune on the upper side of the island.

Robert, Leslie, Hunter, Dave and Valerie

Beach Sweep on October 21

Yesterday, in conjunction with the SC Sea Grant Consortium and SC DNR, we had a final beach cleanup out on Waties. Thank all of you who came out to help! Many hands made the job a little easier. Again, THANK YOU! And a very special thanks to Bob, Leslie and Bill who volunteered their trucks to haul away an amazing amount of "stuff."

Trash in the cabana

And in those nasty barrels

Don found the toilet seat lid

Wonder what was in that barrel?

The end...

Three trucks of trash and out great volunteers

Bob dug out the mid-island barrel

 Still tallying up the data on what we collected and will share that with you when it is complete.

Barb and Steve

Sunday October 1 Inventory of Nest 13 additional pictures

Here are more pictures from our inventory today.
Thanks, Abby for the picture of the hatchling.
Hope he makes it!!
Paulette

This nest was shallow when laid, but very deep when inventoried

Sam and Todd  helped by Sharon and Kim

One live hatchling marches to the sea!!

THANK YOU!

☺JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BARB AND STEVE FOR TAKING THOSE FIRST STEPS ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.  IF NOT FOR THE TWO OF YOU, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A WATIES ISLAND TURTLE MONITORING PROGRAM.  I AM IN AWE OF YOUR QUIET DEDICATION, THE HOURS YOU HAVE PUT IN AND YOUR PATIENCE IN TEACHING US ALL.  I'VE GONE FROM NOT KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GHOST CRAB TRACK AND A HATCHLING TRACK TO UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT WE DO EFFECTS OUR ENVIRONMENT.  YOU HAVE ENRICHED MY LIFE! 
VALERIE

The Last Inventory - Nest 13

This morning we set out to inventory our last nest of the season and it was a strange one!  (And also a cool one; it was 57 degrees this morning!)

Sam and Todd did the digging and it was one of those nests where we felt we were "digging to China" again.  Lots of sand got moved before anything happened. Then a live hatchling was found on the side of the hole. But still more and more digging before the first egg was found. Finally!

Sam and Todd digging and digging

After it was all said and done, there were only 4 hatched eggs and 13 unhatched. Those, plus the 4 lost to DNA and ghost crabs, makes this the smallest nest we have ever had.

In the end, almost 30 inches deep

The whole nest contents

Burying the nest contents

There were four eggs that were possibly viable, so we reburied them closer to the surface.

Maybe they will hatch

Heading home

We'll check those last 4 eggs over the next several days to see if anything happens.

Barb and Steve