Original site of Nest #23
Fourteen days after Nest 13 was laid, Nest 23 arrived in almost exactly the same place and position on the beach. Same turtle? Could be!
This time, folks visiting from the Lexington area had the unforgetable experience of actually seeing the turtle as she emerged from the ocean on a low tide Wednesday night. She crawled over one wrack line and stopped short of a second to lay her nest. Some Crew members were on hand (thanks to a call from the visitors to Public Safety) to see the turtle return to the ocean. They reported that it took her about an hour to crawl from nest to ocean at the low tide.
Because her site selection was too low
Family from Lexington -- Thank you!
to avoid the next new moon high tides, Sunnie and Betty moved the clutch of 91 eggs to a higher location nearby.
Two nests are a great way to start July!
For Nest #21, “River Girl” visited the West end of the island again, and Linda (again) did the honors of finding and then carrying the clutch of 111 eggs around to the oceanside for safe-keeping in a new nest. Whew.
Nest #22, on the other hand, was probably the quickest probe-dig-mark-it of the season. Momma Turtle had crawled over an escarpment, over two wrack lines and nested within a few feet of the dune near 1546 East Ashley (the covered walkover in the last block of The Washout). Sunnie probed ONE TIME. Cindy dug about 7″ down. Eggs. The nest was taped off where this “Surfer Girl” loggerhead laid it.
Nest #11 near 1607 East Ashley was “disturbed” some time between 7 a.m. Monday (June 29) and 7 a.m. Tuesday (June 30).
CC found that 51 eggs, one broken, had been removed from the nest chamber and placed on the sand behind the nest.
This was not the “work” of 
animals or waves. It was done by a person.
If you have any information regarding this situation, please contact us via the email address at the bottom of the page, or Folly Beach Public Safety at 843-588-2433.
Thanks for your help.
Original site of Nest #6
Original nest site of #13
Whata neglected mess! What’s going on? Don’t those nest protection volunteers care any more?!
We do! We do! We should have anticipated that these poor, wet, wrack-covered nest sites would cause concern and questions among those who “follow” turtle nesting on Folly.
We’re participating in a SC/DNR-sponsored study of what happens to an original nest site after a nest is relocated. The decision to relocate a nest is based on the probability of the nest’s total loss if it remains in situ (where the turtle laid it) and is usually related to the expectation of tidal inundation. The original nest sites of relocated nests are being monitored and measured for overwash events.
So … not to worry. Those neglected-looking, low-lying, washed-out nest sites are the original nest sites of relocated nests. In other words, there no eggs there. The left stake is marked “O” for “original” and the off-set right stake is specially marked to indicate how much sand has been lost (or gained). You may also see a “no eggs here” note on one of the stakes.
That said, we do have a few “real” in situ nests (with eggs) that are “on the edge” of Folly’s erosion-prone dunes. The sites looked to be in a good situation when the nest was laid; that is, they met SC/DNR’s protocol of being above the Spring tide line. Then the stormy days of late May or the extreme high tides of June’s new moon changed the landscape. Some of those sites have been overwashed and have wrack surrounding them. BUT … they don’t have “o” or “no eggs” on their stakes — just the usual nest # and date. If in doubt, take a look at the nest locations and numbers here on the website, or ask us on the beach. We do appreciate your concern and questions — we know you care.
CC had the pleasure of finding a new nest near 1595 East Ashley this morning. Unfortunately, the turtle had laid the nest just a few inches above the wrack line. Thinking of more extreme new moon high tides to come in late July and August, CC and Sunnie relocated the 111 eggs to a new site just above Momma Turtle’s choice.
“Linda and Erin discovered tracks going to the County Park parking lot this morning. Well, not completely into the parking lot, but at the top side of the wrack line along the scarp in the middle of the walkover from the parking lot. It was a ‘move or don’t move?’ nest, but Linda decided to relocate it since it was right at the tide line. So, 122 eggs were relocated a short distance away on a nicely sloped dune above the tide line.”
And … Charlotte reported a false crawl in & out loop in front of the Oceanview Condos.
Thanks to Judi for both reports.
#17 at 607 East Ashley.
Miranda found this nicely placed nest. She and Shannon decided to leave it where the Momma Turtle laid it — above that extreme (new moon) high tide line.
#18 relocated from Lighthouse Inlet to the oceanside.
Another visit from the Lighthouse Inlet Loggerhead? Betty knew it was a couple of days early, but she suspected it was the third nest from the inlet-loving momma. Highly likely.
This time she choose a site about 3/4s of the way to where the creeks converge. Betty and Bob probed the site at the very edge of the wrack line and found the clutch of 127 eggs. The long haul relocation around to the oceanside was eased by wheels — a small green “egg” wagon. We were thrilled to find Diane, long-time Folly visitor and turtle woman from Social Circle, GA when we got to the new site.
Tracks in soggy sand.
Betty carefully moves eggs.
Diane, Nancy, Betty at new site. Thanks, Bob!
Two confirmed nests, two false crawls, and one “unconfirmed” nest. What a great turtle night it must have been on the West side!
Nest #15’s original location was at 1031 West Ashley, just a couple of sand fences down from the original location of Nest #6 (laid sixteen days ago). Same turtle? Certainly is same attraction to escarpment and sand-fencing.
Judi reported “Long tracks in and longer out. Nested behind the sand fence, between the fence and escarpment.”
The clutch of 121 eggs was relocated to the County Park, just past the first entrance from the parking lot.
In the meantime, Mike was confirming Nest #16 at 1001 West Ashley. “Again, long tracks in and out. This turtle plopped her eggs right on top of the dune. Mike probed the nest 3 times and found the eggs, which were left in situ.”
Elsewhere in the West, “Linda found another set of tracks leading into the dunes directly in front of Jamie’s Nest #9.” Linda probed and probed. Judi probed and probed. No eggs found. They staked off a large area and “will watch for crab activity or baby flipper tracks.”
Two false crawls were also found in the County Park: an in & out loop near the last building, and an in & out loop just before the first bird enclosure.
It’s mighty nice to have some turtle business to attend to after a week long dry spell.
Photos to follow.
Nest 11 Monday night high tide (June 22)
Nest 11 Tuesday night high tide (June 23)
The new moon high tides this week have overwashed several nests and caused the emergency relocation of Nest #3 as waves were pouring into the egg chamber.
Thanks to a very still ocean, Nest 10 and 11 stayed dry on Monday night, but were splashed by several waves on Tuesday night. The nests are intact, but they are in danger of erosion if high tides reach them again.
This nest was tough to find all the way ’round.
There was a report of a turtle nesting at the far west end of the island on Thursday evening, but dark got ahead of the Crew and the tracks weren’t found until early Friday morning at the last bit of sand along the inlet.
Then the egg chamber played hide and seek. Lots of probing left the Crew wondering if the turtle had really nested after all. If they eggs were there, they had to be found — the nest was at the high tide line and they would surely be overwashed.
Linda at original nest site.
So a fourth search party (of one) was made to the site. This trip Linda found the egg chamber! Horray!! She then carried the very heavy bucket of 115 eggs around the bend to a safer location on the oceanside. A lot of effort, but the expected payoff in hatchlings will be worth it.
Linda at new nest site.
