MOVING RIGHT ALONG 2!

Moving right along!  We now have 23 documented nests (those recorded and marked by Environmental Associates, Inc.) and about 13 "possible" nests according to my record keeping, for a grand total of 36 nests along our section of beach. The photo map included in this blog post shows the approximate location of all 36 of those nests. The white star "pin markers" designate the nests officially documented and marked by EAI, while the red star "pin markers" designate the "turtle crawls" that I have recorded and which possible show where a turtle nest has been laid - even though not officially recorded by EAI.  As had been indicated in previous postings, EAI sometimes only officially marks 1 out of every 12 nests, or 1 out of every 24 nests, depending on what section of the beach they are surveying.  Their crew are out seven days a week during the "season" (usually March through November), but follow different procedures for recording sea turtle nests along the various coast areas that they check each day during the season.  And, yes - this is the second posting for today, because my original "draft" got lost in "cyberspace" when I tried to "preview" it.  It's been interesting trying to get these postings on line, because MS's IE apparently no longer supports this Google blog space and so I have to go online through Google Chrome to write and edit this blog!  I think that it can still be viewed through MS's IE, but their "incompatibility" makes things a bit more difficult!  I hope that you can still view this through whatever provider's Internet service you are using.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG!

The photo map of sea turtle nests in this posting shows the approximate location of 36 sea turtle nests along our stretch of beach.  The 23 nests designated with a white "pin" on the map show where the 23 documented nests are as identified by the Environmental Associates, Inc. (EAI) crew.  The remaining 13 nests identified by this writer as "possible" sea turtle nests are designated with a red "pin" on the map.  EAI personnel ride up and down the designated beaches every day during the "season" (usually March - November) and typically mark only one out of every 12 nests, or one out of every 24 nests, that they find.  This writer, on the other hand, not only includes the ones that EAI officially mark, but also includes all "possible" nests, as identified by the "turtle crawl" marks left in the sand as the sea turtle comes out of the ocean and seeks a place to lay her eggs - it's usually a "U" shaped crawl out of the water, up to a point on the beach where the nest is dug and the eggs are laid, and then another crawl down the other side of the "U" and back into the water.

NEW SEA TURTLE SEASON HAS BEGUN!

After ..........

Welcome back!  OK, so the sea turtle nesting season officially began on March 1st and this blog wasn't started up until today - a very special day indeed, since it's my birthday!  However, the real reason that this blogger is a little behind in starting up this blog again this season is because of a few other important factors.  One of those factors can be seen in the photos that are included with this entry.  They show a great improvement in the amount of beach that we now have along about 3/4 of a mile running south of the Jetty.  This big improvement was due to a month's worth of 24/7 beach renournishment activity by the Army Corps of Engineers that ended as of March 18.  Even though they did not go far enough south on our shore - it should have been at least a mile in order to replenish some of the serious beach erosion that was noted in earlier entries to this blog, the renourishment that did take place can be seen in the photos.  A good comparison would be with the photos in this new entry and one of the previous entries back in October and November.  Quite a contrast!  The new "beach" up by the Jetty is approximately 330 ft. if depth from the sea grass line (dune line) to the water!  The depth of the beach down about 3/4 of a mile from the Jetty is about 150 feet. As such, the renourishment along this stretch of beach should improve the chances of sea turtles nesting along that section and enhance the possibility of seeing some hatchlings approximately 45- 60 days after the eggs in those new nests are laid.  That's the main reason that the "turtle nesting season" actually only began a few days ago for this stretch of beach.  In fact, one of the researchers from the EAI (Environmental Associates, Inc.) that patrol our beaches to record the sea turtle nesting, indicated to me today that they have found only about three Leatherback nests so far this season, and all three are much farther down the beach from us - beyond the mile or so of  beach that I cover when doing my "Turtle Dads" project each season. 

Before...........

I hope that you will continue to read this blog as we go through "the season".  I'll try to keep you posted on the happenings along our beach - at least as far as sea turtle nesting and hatchings go.