Hello, adventurers! Welcome back to the blog! Have you made it out to the beach recently? Either with us at Coastal Expeditions or on your own? If you go anytime soon, make sure to pay close attention to the topography of the beach, where you walk, and where you set up camp! Loggerhead sea turtles have started to make their yearly appearance and they have begun laying their eggs. It’s imperative that these nests remain undisturbed and left alone to ensure that as many little ones return to the ocean as possible. Mother nature already makes this extremely difficult, so please try and do your best to make life a little easier for these little turtles!

We are also accepting donations to adopt a loggerhead sea turtle nest! The Turtle Program in Cape Romain NWR started over 30 years ago and supplements the most significant nesting site of the loggerhead sea turtles north of Cape Canaveral, FL. With climate change, rising sea levels, and habitat loss, the wildlife refuge will become even more important to this endangered species in coming years. Every bit of your donation goes directly to the salaries of the wildlife technicians leading the program. You can adopt in honor of someone you love and we’ll send them a certificate and turtle team sticker. A donation of $20 or more allows nests to be moved above the King Tideline, have a DNA sample collected and analyzed, place cages around the nests to protect them from raccoons and coyotes, monitored and assisted hatching, and much more. As of right now, we have raised nearly 40% of our $40,000 goal! Help us get the rest of the way there by following the link below!

This is one of the greatest conservation stories and it’s happening just north of Charleston right in the Cape Romain NWR. This summer alone, about 2000 eggs will be laid on refuge beaches, which are truly becoming the safest havens for this endangered species on the east coast! If you follow us on social media (if you’re not, go do it now adventurers!) then you saw, just in time for Mother’s Day, that the very first loggerhead sea turtle nest appeared in the Cape Romain NWE. Remember that of the 140-150 eggs that are laid in each nest, only one will return to the same beach to lay its eggs. With rapid concern about this ongoing endangered species, we are trying to do everything we can to help support these nests, spread awareness, educate, and share some love for these amazing creatures. The goal of this $40,000 is a budgetary shortfall and we are reaching out to the community to help. Please donate if you can!

Want to participate with the loggerheads yourself and go on your own adventure with Coastal Expeditions? Of course, we are offering that too! Let us introduce you to our Beach Drop for Sea Turtles! We currently have three trips planned; Sunday, May 16th, Sunday, June 13th, and Sunday, June 17th! Join us on these special sea turtle beach drops to help benefit the sea turtle program in Cape Romain NWR. You will take the ferry out to the southeastern end of Bulls Island. Right there on the sandy wilderness of Bulls Island, hundreds of loggerhead nests are laid every summer. Along the way, the naturalist on board will share more information about Cape Romain NWR and about some of the endangered and threatened species it offers protection to. Once you arrive, you’ll get a glimpse into the sea turtle program as Captain Chris leads an interpretive walk down the shoreline. This will allow our adventurers to understand the responsibilities of the turtle volunteers who work from dawn to dusk to protect this endangered species. This fundraiser is a fun and family-friendly event on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. All of the ticket sales will go to the Sea Turtle Program in Cape Romain NWR! Every year the Coastal Expeditions Foundation commits to paying the seasonal salaries of the wildlife biologists in the Cape Romain NWR. In the almost thirty years that we’ve been running eco-tours to the island, we’ve seen the important work that sea turtle teams have done to protect the loggerhead sea turtles firsthand and watched the exceptional success of their efforts.

Let’s talk a little bit more about these amazing creatures and share some unique and interesting facts that you may or may not know. It’s important to know and understand these amazing creatures, and to spend time learning about them. This way you’ll have a better idea of why we are fighting to protect them as hard as we are.

If you’ve ever seen one of these amazing turtles in person, as a hatching, or a full-grown adult, their ancient ties to some of the oldest living species that walked the earth and their sheer sizes is enough to take your breath away. The fact that they are so important to the world’s ecosystem and many different species depend on them, makes them even more special. If you can please join us in our upcoming Sea Turtle Beach Drop, donate if you can, or find a way that you can give back with your time and support. These creatures need your help, and we need your support, adventurers! Let’s come together to help them live, thrive, and survive. Plus these baby sea turtles are so darn cute, it’s hard not to fight for them! Are you looking for nature tours, kayak rentals, paddleboard rentals, island tours, kid-friendly tours, and chances to explore all around you right here in the Lowcountry? We can help you with all of that and more! Until next time, get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!