The onset of the summer season at Caswell Beach, NC always brings great anticipation for the arrival of mama sea turtles. The tranquil 4-mile stretch of pristine, sandy shoreline on the east end of Oak Island is a popular nesting spot for Loggerhead sea turtles, with occasional but rare visits from Leatherback and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles as well.
May 1st marks the beginning of sea turtle nesting season for the east coast, and it’s always a guess as to when the first mama will arrive. Caswell Beach’s historical data for its first sea turtle nest goes back to 1994, with the earliest nest on record being April 27. The latest sea turtle nest recorded since this time was in 2004, with a date of June 10.
There seems to be no rhyme or reason for early or late dates, as the weather and temps vary, so it is not truly understood what drives the arrival of a first mama.
Our tracking chart shows how varied our first nests are, and also shows variability in total uncubation days. Earlier nest do take longer to incubate as temparatures are still cooler earlier in the season. With later nests and warmer temps, the nests do tend to incubate faster.
Caswell Beach Turtle Watch looks forward to a healthy and successful sea turtle season. Look for our official, badged volunteers on the beach during morning patrols and nest sitting.
And as always, please help us by reporting any sea turtle acitivity or observed interference with sea turtles or nests. We count on your eyes and ears to help us perform our duties to protect sea turtles and educate the public.
**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 25ST03).
Please consider donating to our efforts as we build up our necessary resources for the season.
You can donate at Caswell Beach Turtle Watch Donations.