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The mother Sea Turtles start to come ashore in May and lay there eggs by the dunes. Volunteers with the Sea Turtle Watch Program then tour the beach night and day to look for the nests, mark them, and then they wait.
After about 50 to 60 days the hatching begins and it is a glorious sight!
Volunteers come back when they know it is getting close so they can be there to guide the baby sea turtles to the water. When the eggs are ready to hatch it is called a boil because they flow out of the nest like boiling water. There can be as many as 160 eggs so you can imagine how much help they need to make it to the water safely.( If you are vacationing they ask that you take up all beach equipment and fill in holes and knock down sand castles near the nest and trenches so they can have a smooth trail to the water.)
Sunset Beach has 19 nests this year. Holden Beach is ready to break the there record from 1999 with 69 nests, and Ocean Isle has marked quite a few as well. And the mother Turtles are still coming ashore to lay eggs. August through October is a great time to visit our area so you can be here to witness this amazing and once in a lifetime event. For more information about the Nests you can visit the Sunset Beach turtle patrol website at www.sunsetbeachturtles.org or visit www.hbturtlewatch.org
Holden Beach also hosts a turtle talk every Wednesday night by the foot of the bridge at 7:00 p.m. until Labor Day.If you can't make it to the talk then don't hesitate to approach a volunteer on the beach because they love to answer any questions you have and can tell you the best chance of seeing a nest boil over with these cute and tiny sea creatures.
Call and make your reservation with us at The Sunset Inn today so you can be one of the lucky vacationers and have stories to tell your friends for years to come. Beautiful Sunset Beach is here and calling your name!
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