Hobcaw: Bob B. had the only activity this morning and sent photos of the crawls of a familiar turtle we call “Gimpy”. This turtle visits Hobcaw about every 2-3 years and we have a love/frustration relationship with her. She is missing her left rear flipper and has a distinctive “stump” impression up the center/left of her crawl. Her pattern is she tries numerous times, leaving open chambers because she has difficulty digging a chamber with one flipper. She will finally lay a nest and then return 2 weeks later. We all feel better for her when she finally lays her eggs!
At #16 mm. Bob found another crawl where the turtle went over the dune and found her way out again. He felt there was no obvious nest. Kathi A. took an afternoon bike ride and, with only her hands and no probe, was able to locate eggs on the low back side of the dune! This turtle got her eggs out of harm’s way but her hatchlings will have an uphill struggle making it to the ocean! We will surround the back of the nest with black landscape material near hatch time so the turtles are directed toward the ocean. Good job, Kathi!
DEB 1 HOB 2 SCUTE 8 SC 281
