Thursday Morning Stranding

Lisa was finishing up her early morning walk on Segment B when she noticed something floating in the receding water as the tide went out.  NMB Sanitation noticed the same thing and stopped to help.  They pulled a good size,  juvenile loggerhead out of the water.  At first it appeared to be alive,  but it was soon determined that any movement was from the water.

Lisa helped move the turtle further up the beach into the dry sand.

An emaciated debilitated turtle covered with epibota (barnacles, ghost shrimp, etc), not only on it's carapace but on soft tissue as well.

Plastron is sunken

Poor guy, been sick a while.

Rob arrives on the new four wheeler donated to the turtle cause by the City of NMB.

Makes working strandings a lot easier, especially with the bigger turtles.

Pictures are taken

Measurements taken....carapace 29 inches from notch to notch

Data is recorded

Mike from the City of NMB arrives on the scene and offers to help dispose of the turtle.  

A big thanks to him, sure beats carrying it.

A big thanks to Lisa for calling in the turtle.  

Thanks Lisa, Melanie and Tede for the pictures.

Thanks to the employees of the City of NMB who are always anxious to help us.

Monday Morning-Another Live Loggerhead Sea Turtle Stranding

I got the call from SC DNR around 7:25 AM, Monday.  A visitor staying in Lands End Condo Complex called in a live stranded turtle.  The turtle was found on the beach at the Myrtle Beach Travel Park, 10108 Kings Road,  MB.  Located in the unincorporated section of Myrtle Beach between the northern city limits of Myrtle Beach and the Meher Baba Spiritual Retreat  (Briarcliffe Beach.)

About 20 by-standers, including Brett were surrounding the turtle when I arrived. It was a big turtle, carapace was over 34 inches long, either young adult or sub-adult.  I was told that the turtle was first spotted before 7AM and some people put it back into the water.  It beached again and struggled to crawl up the sand. How far or how long it stayed in the water is unknown. Not long or far, I'm thinking.  When I talked with Brett on the phone, I asked him to move further up the beach, not far but out of the surf which he did.

With the help of the by-standers, we got the turtle loaded in my car.  I drove to just south of Georgetown where I transferred the turtle to Jenna from SC DNR who took it the rest of the way to the hospital. Weather was very stormy with pockets of heavy rain, the worst being during the transfer.  We both got soaked.   Before I got home, Jenna called to tell me the turtle was still alive and admitted to the hospital.  Heart rate was low, blood sugar was low, but the turtle was still alive.  Turtle weighed 100-150 pounds.  Lets keep our fingers crossed.   This turtle was in a little better shape than the one on Friday, not much but it's eyes were not sunken and were clear.  She reacted to things around her such as a barking dog.

Big girl, lets hope she can be helped.

This turtle was thin, notice the space between her neck and carapace

Sea Turtles have such beautiful eyes.  This turtles were clear, she was following movement,

 maybe wondering what we were going to do to her

Transferred to DNR, ready for the final leg of this journey

A huge thanks to Brett for calling SC DNR and staying with the turtle.  And a big thanks to all

who were surrounding her and anxious to help.  This turtle was much to big for me to handle by myself.  Wish I could have stayed longer to talk and answer questions,

  but the rush was on to get her to the hospital.

To check on this turtle as well as other current and former patients:  

http://scaquarium.org/STR/hospital/default.aspx

The saying "it takes a village"  so applies to the rescue of sea turtles.  THANK YOU ALL!!!

Leatherback Sea Turtles

At least four Leatherback Sea Turtles have been reported swimming close to the Garden City Pier for the last few days. 

NMB STP Volunteers, John and Betty spent Sunday at the Pier and were treated to a rare show. 

Per Betty: " .......on the Garden City pier watching these amazing creatures.  We believe we saw 4 different turtles.  They seemed perfectly at home and gave us all quite a show.  When we first got there around 11, they were coming up around every 10 minutes.  They would poke their heads up about 4 times, then dive.  One came right towards the pier and disappeared under the pier.  Unfortunately, one of them has a bad wound on the crown of his head.  I imagine its a boat strike.  He was swimming around okay though.  We spent a lot of time talking to folks in their amazement.  Most had no idea what they were seeing.  Such a delightful day.  I am thinking they are going to be there for a little while... "

For many Sea Turtle Patrol Volunteers in South Carolina this is a dream come true.  Thank you John and Betty for sharing.

Live stranded Loggerhead Sea Turtle-Snapping turtle hatchling

Friday afternoon, just after 3PM, the call came in.  We have a live loggerhead sea turtle in trouble, 2nd Ave S.  NMB Beach had already been called, Jerry from Animal Control, Mark from Beach Services and Donny from Beach Patrol were first on the scene.  Donny pulled the turtle from the water as it bobbed in the surf.

Rob and Linda were called in and the decision was quickly made to transport to the SC Sea Turtle Hospital. At one point while waiting to be transported, the turtle got very active, waving it's front flippers and opening it's mouth very wide.  Linda drove the turtle to Georgetown where she met up with Jenna from SC DNR who transported it the rest of the way to Charleston.  But sadly, the turtle did not make it despite the best efforts from hospital staff  It was very emaciated, covered with barnacles and other matter.  Such a shame that this beautiful juvenile sea turtle had to die such a painful death.

Hand over to SC DNR.  Sam the turtle man watches to make sure everything goes smoothly

Snapping turtle hatchling found on the beach 

Two NMB Students found this adorable snapping turtle hatchling on the beach on Saturday morning. Covered with sand, but very active. The hatchling was taken to a local park with fresh water ponds and released. THANK KIDS!

Still covered with sand from the beach.

Look at that long tail and long claws

Stout Eel

North Myrtle BEach Sea Turtle Patrol Volunteers, April and David came across a Stout Eel, Muraena robusta laying on the beach.   http://www.fishbase.us/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=7549

Per  Wikipedia:

Muraena robusta is a moray eel found in the eastern and central Atlantic ocean. It reaches a maximum length of 150 centimeters, or roughly 6 feet. It is commonly known as the stout moray.

Osprey

North Myrtle Beach Sea Turtle Patrol volunteer, Joe watched as an Osprey brought a fish to a tree and started eating it.  This happened about 4 blocks from the ocean, in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by tall pine trees and many small, fresh water ponds.

Incredible

Thank you Joe for sharing!!

MayFest On Main Street

Saturday, May 11th...MayFest on Main Street.  Great way to start the Summer Season in North Myrtle Beach and a GREAT way to start the 2013 Sea Turtle Nesting Season.  North Myrtle Beach Sea turtle Patrol Volunteers had a booth with pictures of sea turtles, information about sea turtles, what to do, who to call and how everyone can help.  Crafts made by the NMB STP Volunteers were also on display.

Caretta came to see what the fuss was about

Betty and Donna

"Janice,  Whats in the pail?"

"Trash pick up this morning during our 2 mile walk along the Ocean Drive Beach"

"WOW, but is that a Jelly Fish?"

"No, Oh No,  it's a balloon!  Don't eat it!"

Everything looking good

John showing some pictures from previous years

Great time.  Lots of fun!!

A HUGE thanks to Betty for organizing the booth.  Lots of work, she did a great job!

A big thanks to Donna for bringing Caretta.  The response from children when she does the turtle dance is precious!

And a HUGE THANKS to all the volunteers who gave up part of their Saturday to help get the word out about the Sea Turtles!

Leatherback Stranding

Around 1PM Thursday afternoon, a call from SC DNR about a to a bturtle in trouble in the water off 21st Ave N.  Rob and Linda responded to the call.  A turtle was wrapped up inuoy put out by Bob's Watersport Company located around 22nd Ave N.  Vacationers from Wilmington were watching several dolphins near the buoy from their 8th floor balcony and then saw something that appeared to be playing with the buoy.   They soon realized it was a turtle...a really big turtle...caught in the rope holding the buoy.  Several of the employees of the Watersport Company responded, quickly took a jet ski out to see what was going on, sure enough the turtle's head and flipper were wrapped in the rope.  The jet ski driver helped get the turtle free, once clear of the rope, just dove into the water and took off swimming.  It was a leatherback, bigger than the jet ski.  Didn't appear to be seriously injured.  

A huge thanks to Bob's Water Sports  and a huge thanks to vacationers Jeff and Linda for calling for help and for giving us the pictures you took from the balcony.