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!!!
Please keep us updated on her.
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