Just after 9PM on Wednesday night the calls started coming in. There's a turtle on the beach. She's is trying to nest but people won't leave her alone. What can we do?
The turtle crawled halfway up the wide beach before she stopped and started digging. People surrounded her to take pictures, flashes going off all around her. Bright flashlights were aimed at her. She started getting agitated, stopped digging and then crawled further up the beach.
Chandler knew what to do, took charge and started to ask people to turn off the lights, be quiet and leave her alone.
The urge to lay her eggs must have won out and the giant mother stopped and completed the nesting progress. A small crowd which included the Mayor of NMB, several NMB Sea Turtle Patrol volunteers, 2 NMB Police Officers, as well as several NMB visitors, including Chandler, stood quietly in the dark as she laid her eggs and then covered them back up. Sand thrown in the air signaled that she was finishing. She soon turned and headed back to the water, stopping a couple of times to rest, her nights work safely completed. Before leaving for the night, Rob and Chandler roped the body pit off to alert any late beach night traffic. Both were back on the beach before 6AM. The eggs were quickly found, Chandler dug a new nest further back on the beach, out of the way of the daily activity on this active beach.
Rob's grandson, Kaiser also helped on Wednesday night and was back as well early Thursday morning. He was put in charge of the DNA egg.
Friday NMB Volunteers Gary and Donna came to help after completing their walk of the beach. Donna's friend, Elcy witnessed this event and asked to hold that precious DNA egg.
NMB visitor Chrystal from Madison Indiana.
Kaminer from Lexington, SC watched the turtle nest and was back early the next morning to see how the nest was moved and protected.
Melissa had called the Patrol a couple of times while the turtle was being harassed and was relieved when things quieted down and the turtle was finally left in peace.
Melissa, Angela, Julie, Dana, Nadine and Scott all came back early in the morning to watch. They will have a great story to tell their friends in Pa.
North Myrtle Beach volunteer Myra finally got to see a nest and those eggs.
Kaiser was a great help preparing the DNA Egg and placing in the vial for transport to the U of Georgia!
Chandler helped relocate the eggs. 92 Eggs.
It's hard, hot work but that didn't stop Mayor Hatley from getting down on her knees to help.
Eggs safely in new nest, time to move the poles and rope to protect the area.
A big thanks to Chandler for stepping up and helping the turtle and then staying to help with the nest.
And a big thanks to Melissa who called in about the turtle and was so very concerned about the welfare of this majestic mother.
Thank you Kaiser for making sure the DNA egg was processed correctly.
Thanks to all the NMB Volunteers who came to help. Donna and Gary had double duty, walking their assigned area as well as working on the nest.
This was the third nest in as many days. Busy time but so rewarding!
NEST 10!
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