Lots of beachgoers enjoy an early morning walk, but when the South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts (SCUTE) head out at dawn, they are on a mission. From May until the last nest hatches in the Fall, SCUTE volunteers monitor the beach daily for signs of sea turtle activity: crawling onto the beach, laying a new nest, or hatching overnight.
Under a permit from the SC DNR, SCUTE members protect the turtles’ nesting habitat and educate people who show an interest in learning more about our turtles. You can identify these volunteers with their distinctive white T-shirts, and they are happy to answer your questions.
Most turtles that nest on Pawleys Island are loggerheads. Adult loggerheads are approximately 3 x 4 feet in size and weigh 300 pounds. Every second or third year, female loggerheads lay four or five nests per season. Each nest contains an average of 120 eggs, each roughly the size of a ping-pong ball. Nests laid in the inter-tidal zone or in areas at risk for foot traffic are carefully relocated by SCUTE volunteers.
SCUTE leader Rick Scott, stated, “Our biggest issue is late night beach activity such as flashlights, which cause ‘false crawls’ … a term we use when a turtle crawls up on the beach and then turns around without leaving a nest. Loggerheads are finicky and require dark, quiet beaches to lay eggs.”
Are you interested in updates on hatchlings? Public inventories on Pawleys Island are announced on SCUTE’s Facebook page and on the Town of Pawleys Island website.
If you are staying on the Island, Pawleys Island Realty needs your help to protect the sea turtles. Please follow these rules and be aware that no Items are allowed on the beach overnight:
- Remove all trash, toys, and other items from the beach at the end of the day
- Remove all beach chairs and umbrellas at the end of the day
- Please fill in any of your digs in the sand
- Lights Out! Please turn all the beach facing lights out at 10:00pm
- Do not disturb the sea turtles or any sea turtle nests
What an amazing experience to be a part of. If you are interested in booking a week or so on Pawleys Island in hopes of seeing the loggerheads in action, please call our office today at 843-237-2000 or book online at Pawleys Island Realty – All Vacation Rentals.
