It’s one of the most magical times of year along the Georgetown County coastline — sea turtle season. From May through October, our beaches host some of nature’s most awe-inspiring visitors: nesting female sea turtles and the hatchlings that later emerge from their nests.

While the peak nesting months of June and July are behind us, the season is far from over. Late-season nests are still being laid, including a rare green sea turtle nest laid just last weekend. Green sea turtle nests are uncommon in South Carolina — most nests here belong to loggerheads — making this an especially exciting and important find for conservationists.

At the same time, the earliest nests of the summer are hatching, sending tiny hatchlings on their first and most dangerous journey: the crawl from their nest to the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these nests will soon be the focus of public “inventories,” conducted by certified volunteers with S.C. United Turtle Enthusiasts (SCUTE). These inventories, held about three days after a nest hatches, involve counting hatched shells, assessing unhatched eggs, and sometimes helping “straggler” hatchlings reach the ocean. They also offer a unique opportunity for the public to learn about sea turtle conservation firsthand.

What to Look For

Nesting female turtles usually arrive in the dark, leaving behind distinctive tracks in the sand. 

“It looks as though a tractor came out of the ocean. Once you’ve seen it, you won’t forget it,” the late Jeff McClary, SCUTE cofounder, always said.

Loggerhead tracks are about a yard wide, with flipper marks moving in opposite directions. Green sea turtles, which are larger, move both flippers in the same direction — like a butterfly stroke — and tend to toss more sand while digging deeper nests.

Hatchling tracks are much smaller and lead (hopefully) from a nest toward the water, often in a delicate zigzag pattern. Hatchlings naturally crawl toward the light of the moon reflected on the ocean, but can be led astray by artificial lights, such as those from beach houses. That’s why it’s against the law in Georgetown County to leave on lights visible from the beach at night from May 1 through Oct. 31. It’s also against county ordinance to leave items on the beach overnight, including chairs, tents, umbrellas and coolers.

How You Can Help Sea Turtles

Whether you live here year-round or are just visiting, you can make a big difference in the survival of our local sea turtles by following these guidelines:

• Turn off beachfront lights and close curtains at night from May through October. Artificial light can disorient hatchlings, leading them away from the water.
• Remove beach gear each night, including cabanas, tents, chairs, and umbrellas. These can block or trap nesting turtles and hatchlings.
• Fill in sand holes and flatten sandcastles before leaving the beach — both can trap hatchlings.
• Pick up litter and avoid leaving plastic on the beach. Sea turtles can mistake plastic bags washed into the ocean for jellyfish, with often fatal results.
• Stay back and keep your distance from nesting turtles and hatchlings. Never touch or handle them.
• Observe only with red lights — bright white flashlights and camera flashes can frighten turtles and disorient hatchlings.

Learn More and Get Involved

If you’d like to attend a public nest inventory, keep an eye on SCUTE’s Facebook page for announcements. 

Sea turtle season is a reminder of the incredible natural treasures we share here in Georgetown County — and of the role each of us can play in protecting them. Whether you’re here for a week or a lifetime, your actions on the beach can help ensure these ancient mariners return to our shores for generations to come.