Sea turtles need your help

Beach Fanatic

Jun 22, '08 · 10:56 AM5,257

Sea turtles need your help. A few of the things that have happened so far this nesting season:
A false crawl (turtle comes ashore to nest but returns to sea without depositing her eggs) that happened when the turtle tried to nest among stuff left on the beach.
Another false crawl that happened when people saw the turtle come ashore and got too close and took flash pictures.
A man called the Turtle Watch one evening and reported his dog barked and scared a turtle back into the water. More calls later in the evening about a turtle in the water looking to come onshore. Callers were asked to turn off their flashlights and leave the area, but no nest was found.
An early morning call from a tourist reporting a turtle on the beach the night before. The walker for that area missed the tracks, because there were almost none left that had not been trampled. The area supposed to be the nest was trampled also; no eggs were found by volunteers who dug looking for them. This one will not make it if there are eggs there, it is too close to the water. Probably too many people or too much stuff on the beach deterred her from coming farther up onto the beach and a safer location for a nest.
A turtle headed for the dune line fell into a hole and nested there; again probably too close to the water.
Another nest was missed by another walker, because it had been trampled beyond recognition. This one was found when someone on the beach told the walker about it. Volunteers were able to find those eggs.
A turtle came ashore and crossed the beach to the base of a partially covered sea wall, where the loose sand falling off the wall collapsed on her. It appears to be a nest, but the eggs were not found.
Few turtles are nesting here anymore, but the ones that do come have to fight for the only nesting habitat they have, which are our beaches at night. We have lights, noise, holes, loose dogs, flashlights, lots of people, lots of stuff, fireworks, seawalls, even portable dance floors down on the beach at night, and of course the ongoing dispute over who ?owns? what. But all of this is sea turtle nesting habitat, and that is the message that needs to be conveyed to everyone who uses the beaches.
For over a decade, the South Walton Turtle Watch has made numerous educational presentations, been the subject of countless newspaper articles, worked with the TDC and the county, and over that time the problems have gotten worse and the turtles have gotten fewer. The Turtle Watch is asking for help from the community to reach all these people on the beach at night so they know what to do, who to call if they see a turtle, how to behave to preserve nesting habitat, etc.
South Walton Turtle Watch wants help with brainstorming ideas to solve these problems and get the message out to everyone that the beaches at night are the only sea turtle nesting habitat there is and must be respected. The very same issues that make the beach a clean, pleasant experience for people are the issues that conserve nesting habitat.
If you have ideas or want to work on this, contact the Turtle Watch director, Sharon Maxwell, at swturtlewh@cox.net.

Replies

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 7:27 PM#27

Maybe everyone who uses keys for their rentals could attach a turtle flashlight on the key chain.

I agree though all the "gimmicks"in including a flashlight on a keychain, will get the attention of the people who really don't know what to do, and will do it when they are educated.

None of them will do a thing for the people who would dig a hole such as in today's paper--we need deputies who will enforce the law for these folks!

What are they thinking?:??

SoWal Insider

Jun 25, '08 · 7:28 PM#28

Oh, pgurney...welcome to my sad little world. As much as I love looking at the BMB webcam, right now it has my blood boiling hotter than this Texas heat. That cr*p will be there tonight and then again when I look in the early am.

Yes it is! I look at the cam at least 3x a day and you're right. Stuff left on the beach when I can barely see the beach in late evening and then first thing in the a.m., it's all still there! :angry:
.

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 7:32 PM#29

It's really quite sad isn't it? Customary and ancient (don't quote me on exact verbage) should by far go to the turtles, even before our native americans and the now private owners. Anyone claiming they should be allowed to leave crap on the beach because they own it, or "we're only here for one week", whatever. It just makes me think of one word that my father taught me at a pretty young age....gaia... I kind of think of it as nature's karma.

It gives me a huge lump in my stomach to see such arrogance regarding the earth's beings. Many years ago I was treated with being in the right place at the right time to see some newly hatched turtles making their way to the water. It was quite a sight and seeing all the crap on the beach makes me genuinely sad.

Edited Jun 25, '08 · 7:34 PM

Meow

Jun 25, '08 · 7:35 PM#30

I just sent an email to the BMB Villas email address. Yes, I was nice.

And, yes...I feel a little better. I do know that this is only one little piece of the beach and this bad behavior is going on elsewhere, but it is a start.

If anyone has any information about the beach at WC and what the beach looks like there in regards to cr*p being left out, let me know.

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 8:09 PM#31

I vote for a turtle "infomercial" preceding every free movie and a magnet on every rental unit fridge - preferably at eye level.

There are so many signs at the accesses already that I think a turtle specific sign will just get lost and add to the clutter and pamphlets get lost or stuck in a drawer.

I think the infomercial is a great idea! You gotta be creative -- and catch people quick. The target market (tourist) are usually only here for 4-7 days. They need to get the message early and frequently.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 31, '08 · 1:46 AM#32

Join SoWal Turtle Watch!

There are those of us that try every day during the nesting season to help sea turtles. You could be one of us, too. These little ones were dug up and escorted the the gulf just Tuesday night. Aren't they cute!

The South Walton Turtle Watch needs your assistance. The numbers to call for information on how you can play a part in saving these incredible, endangered reptiles are posted on every public beach walkover. Or use this URL:
http://www.seaturtlewatch.com/contact.html

Please help us help them.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 31, '08 · 1:02 PM#33

Analogman - I went to the website and hit email Sharon and it came back undeliverable. Is the email address wrong on the website?

Beach FanaticAuthor

Jul 31, '08 · 2:11 PM#34

Old email address on the website.
Correct address is swturtlewh@cox.net

Beach Fanatic

Jul 31, '08 · 2:53 PM#35

Beachlover2
You may end up waiting a day or two for a response as she is headed to Tallahassee to visit family at the hospital.
I know she will be back by Saturday.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 31, '08 · 4:24 PM#36

Thanks for the updates!!

Thanks for the updates NotDeadYet and ASH. I'll bet you're turtlers too, aren't you?

Edited Jul 31, '08 · 4:41 PM

Beach Fanatic

Jul 31, '08 · 5:02 PM#37

I get a little discouraged by the visitors who act like they've left all responsibility at home (walking out into traffic without looking, bad beach etiquette, ect.) as if its their right to do so. Not everyone acts this way, thank heavens, but those who do won't read or take note of our "rules"- they just don't care, its not their responsibility. I do think an infomercial is a good idea if BeachTV, the Rave, and the Grand, and local stations would volunteer to show it. America believes television almost without question, so it might work.
I like the idea of a beach patrol issuing citations and taking names of people who they suspect will leave debris and gear or leave big holes. But in regard to holes, it would be hard to prove in court. Someone could say they did fill in their hole and people after them redug it.
I can't think of any answers, but I would be glad to volunteer my design services to help if it would be helpful towards a solution.

Beach Fanatic

Aug 4, '08 · 8:12 AM#38

I was in Orlando Friday/Saturday and my wife went for a walk Saturday morning and found a baby Loggerhead washing in the surf near Stallworth. She scooped it up in some wet sand in a towel and covered it up and called Turtlewatch. They kept the turtle all day in a warm dark place and she got to release it into the ocean Saturday night after dark. She named it GB for Grand Babies in hopes that maybe 30 years from now, our grand babies might get to see turtles still returning to lay eggs. :wub:

SoWal Insider

Aug 4, '08 · 8:33 AM#39

I was in Orlando Friday/Saturday and my wife went for a walk Saturday morning and found a baby Loggerhead washing in the surf near Stallworth. She scooped it up in some wet sand in a towel and covered it up and called Turtlewatch. They kept the turtle all day in a warm dark place and she got to release it into the ocean Saturday night after dark. She named it GB for Grand Babies in hopes that maybe 30 years from now, our grand babies might get to see turtles still returning to lay eggs.

so cool!