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Topsail Island has 26 miles of coastline.
Each mile is surveyed every morning to identify sea turtle tracks and nests from May through August.
SEA TURTLES  DIG THE DARK
Please keep oceanfront lighting to a minimum.  Lights disorient nesting mothers and lead hatchlings away from the sea, a trip they cannot survive.
In North Carolina the nesting season is mid-May through August.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle comes ashore to nest 3 to 5 times during a nesting year.
She deposits an average of 120 eggs per nest.
The eggs will incubate in the sand for about 60 days.

After all the hatchlings have pipped out of their eggs, 
they emerge from the nest together and race to the sea.
Weighing in at about two ounces, their first challenge on our beach
is escaping the deadly grasp of the ghost crabs.
Once in the water they must hide from both bird and fish predators, 
and the swim to sea weed rafts and the Sargasso Sea begins.

It is a long swim to maturity.
It is estimated that 1 in 1000 survives the first year,
and as few as 1 in 5,000 - 10,000 survive to adulthood.
No one has the answer to this.
In 20 to 30 years the surviving hatchlings will reach adulthood.
The females will return to their natal beaches to lay their eggs and the cycle begins again.

5 sec video clip 1
  Surprise daylight visitor
 This sea turtle came to nest about 5 PM.
  

5 sec video clip 2
  She left behind nest 125 eggs.

 
Beach Patrol 2011
The storms diminsished our numbers this day, but not our enthusiasm!

Covering 26 miles, rain and shine, every morning,
the many, the proud, (some of) the beach patrol 2011

TB = Topsail Beach    SC = Surf City (north/south of bridge)   NTB = North Topsail Beach ( north/south of bridge)
Activity  
Date        
Nest #     
False Crawl # Location   
Hatch Date #Eggs/#Hatch
1
 5-19
1
 NTB-n

2
 5-20
2
 NTB-n

3
 5-20
 1
NTB-n
 July 25
 144 / 102
4
 5-21
3
 NTB-n

5
 5-22
 2
NTB-n
st regis
 July 19
 184 / 136
6
 5-25
 3
TB
427 n anderson
 July 21
 148 / 139
7 5-27
 88
 4
 NTB-s July 29
 183 / 135
8
 5-28
5
 NTB-n

9
 5-29
 4
NTB-s
3880 island dr
 July 28
 123 / 89
10
 5-29
 5
NTB-n
1753 nri
 July 26
 147 / 140
11
 5-30
6
 SC-s

12
 5-31
7
 NTB-n

13
 5-31
 6
NTB-s
150 ocean view
 July 31
 163 / 141
14
 5-31
8
 NTB-s

15
 5-31
 7
NTB-s
7th ave & top rd
 Aug 2
 69 / 66
16
 5-31
9
 NTB-s

17
 6-1
 8
NTB-s
mrytle grove
 July 28
 155 / 150
18
 6-1
 9
SC-s
2004 s shore
 July 31
 107 / 90
19
 6-1
10
 NTB-n

20
 6-1
11
 NTB-s

21
 6-1
12
 NTB-s

22
 6-1
13
 NTB-s

23
 6-2
 10
TB
1125 n anderson
 Aug 6
 103 / 43
24
 6-2
14
 SC-n

25
 6-2
15
 SC-n

26
 6-3
 11
SC-s
1604 s shore 		July 29

 135 / 120
27
 6-3
 12
SC-ntb-s
216 portofino
 July 29
 114 / 125
28
 6-3
16
 NTB-n

29
 6-4
17
 SC-s

30
 6-4
 13
TB
505 s anderson
 7-26
 87 / 71
31
 6-4
 14
NTB-n
bay court
 7-30
 107 / 90
32
 6-4
18
 NTB-n

33
 6-4
 15
NTB-s
314 topsail rd
 7-31
 123 / 80
34
 6-4
19
 NTB-s

35
 6-5
 16
SC-s
1420 s shore
 8-2
 117 / 110
36
 6-5
20
 SC-s

37
 6-5
21
 NTB-n

38
 6-5
22
 TB

39
 6-7
 17
TB
203 s anderson
 7-30
 132 / 104
40
 6-7
 18
TB
sea vista
 Aug 10
 124 / 109
41
 6-7
 19
SC-n
scotch bonnet
 8-2
 113 / 92
42
 6-7
 20
NTB-n
1156 nri
 Aug 9
 168 / 143
43
 6-9
23


44
 6-11
24


45
 6-12
25


46
 6-12 21
NTB-n
1259 nri
 Aug 8
 169 / 156
47
 6-12
26


48
 6-12 22
NTB-n
marina way
 Aug 6
 127 / 123
49
 6-12 23
NTB-s
3612 island
 Aug 8
 104 / 84
50
 6-13
27


51
 6-15
28


52
 6-15
29


53
 6-15
 24
NTB-n
2978 island
 Aug 13
  80 / 53
54
 6-15
 25
TB
Serenity Point
 Aug 26
Fox/Hurricane 		Nest Lost
55
 6-15
 26
NTB-n
bay ct s
 Aug 10
 146 / 94
56
 6-15
30


57
 6-16
 27
NTB-s
3900 island
 Aug 8
 162 / 146
58
 6-16
31


59
 6-16
 105
 32
 NTB-s
274 seashore
 Aug 11
 133 / 5
60
 6-17
33


61
 6-17
 28
NTB-n
1156 nri
 Aug 15
 131 / 122
62
 6-17
 29
SC-s
2430 s shore
 Aug 12
 128 / 92
63
 6-17
34


64
 6-17
 30
NTB-s
3670 island
 Aug 11
 118 /  96
65
 6-18
 31
NTB-s
4230 island
 Aug 14
 110 / 90
66
 6-18
35


67
 6-18
 32
TB
607 n anderson
 Aug 17
 96 / 79
68
 6-18
 106
 36
 NTB-s
Earnest Drive
 Aug 15
 95 / 91
69
 6-18
37


70
 6-19
 33
NTB-n
bay ct
 Aug 12
  90 / 75
71
 6-19
38


72
 6-19
39


73
 6-20
 34
SC-s
2514 s shore
 Aug 20
 105 / 100
74
 6-20
40


75
 6-20
41


76
 6-20
42


77
 6-20
43


78
 6-20 35
SC-n
918 n shore
 Aug 15
 103 / 99
79
 6-20
44


80
 6-21
45


81
 6-21
46


82
 6-21 36
SC-n
1601 n shore
 Aug 15
 97 / 77
83
 6-21 37
TB
Queens grant
 Aug 22
 116 / 110
84
 6-21
47


85
 6-21
48


86
 6-22
49


87
 6-22
50


88
 6-22 38
NTB-s
448 oocean
 Aug 14
 109 / 63
89
 6-22 39
TB
803 n anderson
 Aug 21
 117 / 110
90
 6-22
51


91
 6-22
52


92
 6-22
53


93
 6-22
54


94
 6-23
55


95
 6-23
 40
SC-s
2714 s shore
 Aug 14
 110 / 103
96
 6-24
 109
 56
 NTB-s
8th ave
 Aug 19
 112 / 106
97
 6-25
57


98
 6-25
58


99
 6-26
59


100
 6-26
60


101
 6-26
 41
ntb-s
3044 island
 Aug 18
 94 / 69
102
 6-27
 42
ntb-s
559 ocean
 Aug 22
 101 / 83
103
 6-27
 43
ntb-n
bay ct
 Aug 19
 155 / 145
104
 6-27
61


105
 6-27
 44
ntb-n
bay ct
 Aug 19
 93 / 86
106
 6-28
62
 sc-s

107
 6-28
 45
ntb-n
bay cit
 Aug 18
 62 / 58
108
 6-29
63


109
 6-29
 46
ntb-s
4338 island
 Aug 18
 165 / 151
110
 6-30
 47
ntb-s
3670 island
 Aug 26
 87 / 73
111
 7-1
 48
tb
211 s anderson
 Aug 20
 101 / 92
112
 7-1
64
 sc-n

113
 7-1
65
 ntb-s

114
 7-1
66
 ntb-s

115
 7-1
 49
ntb-n
jeffreys
 Aug 25
 144 / 139
116
 7-1 pm
 50
sc-s
marshelle-1914 s shore
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
117
 7-2
67
 sc-n

118
 7-3
 51
ntb-n
pinellas
 Aug 24
 113 / 111
119
 7-3 52
ntb-s
14th ave
 Aug 22
 124 / 99
120
 7-3
68


121
 7-3 53
ntb-s
4306 island
 Aug 25
 119 / 110
122
 7-3
69


123
 7-3 54
tb
217 s anderson
 Aug 23
 99 / 90
124
 7-4
 55
tb
463 n anderson
 Aug 26
 121 / 89
125
 7-5
 56
sc-s
1604 s shore
 Aug 30
 90 / 88
126
 7-5
 57
sc-n
334 n shore
 Aug 26
 90 / 68
127
 7-5
70


128
 7-5
71


129
 7-6
 58
sc-s - 920 s shore
olivia & jordan
 Aug 25
 145 / 120
130
 7-6
72


131
 7-7
 59
sc-s
916  s shore
 Sept 1
 83 / 56
132
 7-7
 60
ntb-n
Pinellas
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene
 Nest lost
133
 7-8
73


134
 7-8
 61
ntb-n
Pinellas
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
135
 7-9
 62
ntb-n
Pinellas
 Aug 28
 141 / 116
136
 7-10
 63
sc-s
1916 s shore
 Sept 2
 139 / 132
137
 7-10
74


138
 7-10
75


139
 7-10
 64
ntb-s
4346 island dr
 Aug 28
Hurricane Irene
 127 / 1
140
 7-11
 65
tb
1103 ocean
 Sept 3
 88 / 67
141
 7-11
 66
ntb-n
Marina way
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
142
 7-13
76
 ntb-n

143
 7-14
 67
sc-s
1606 s shore
 Sept 7
 154 / 148
144
 7-14
77
 sc-s

145
 7-14
 68
ntb-s
107 n permuda
 Sept 28
 97/81
146
 7-14
78
 ntb-s

147
 7-14
79
 ntb-s

148
 7-15
 69
ntb-s
408 island
 ??
 111 / 89
149
 7-15
 70
ntb-s
2976 island
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
150
 7-15
80


151
 7-16
 71
tb
1005 n. anderson
 Sept 9
 70 / 63
152
 7-16
81


153
 7-16
 72
sc-n
1409 n shore
 Sept 9
 124 / 111
154
 7-17
 73
tb
1001 n anderson
 Sept 13
 94 / 51
155
 7-17
82


156
 7-18
 74
tb
308 n and
 Sept 7
 116 / 73
157
 7-18
 75
tb
501 s anderson
 Sept 10
 144 / 142
158
 7-18
83


159
 surprise
 76
ntb-St regis
 7-19
 139 / 128
160
 7-19
 77
tb
1339 ocean
 Sept 14
 81 / 64
161
 7-19
 78
tb
victoria- 308n anderson
 Sept 11
 91 / 57
162
 7-19
84
 tb

163
 7-19
 79
ntb-s
3962 island drive
 Sept 10
 116 / 111
164
 7-20
 80
ntb-s
st moritz
 Sept 12
 97 / 87
165
 7-21
85
 ntb-n

166
 7-21
 81
ntb-n
1430 nri
 Sept 12
 117 / 108
167
 7-21
 82
ntb-s
st moritz
 Sept 17
 150 / 135
168
 7-22
 83
ntb-s
3960 island dr
 Sept 16
169
 7-22
 84
ntb-n
1419 nri
 Sept 12
 108/74
170
 7-22
86
 ntb-n

171
 7-24
 85
ntb-n
Bay Ct
 Sept 12
 116/77
172
 7-24
 86
ntb-s
Hampton colony
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
173
 7-25
 87
ntb-s
2950 island
 Sept 17
 95 / 73
174
 7-26
87


175
 7-26
88


176
 7-27
89


177
 7-27
90


178
 7-27
91


179
 7-28
92


180
 7-28
 89
ntb-s
3592 island dr
 Oct 1
 115 / 17
181
 7-29
 90
SC-n
502 s shore
 Sept 28
 112 / 106
182
 7-29
92


183
 7-29
93


184
 7-29
94


185
 7-29
95


186
 7-30
96


187
 7-31
97


188
 7-31
 91
SC-s
1508 s shore
 Sept 23
 58 / 55
189
 7-31
98


190
 7-31
99


191
 8-1
 92
ntb-s
18th ave
 Aug 26
Hurrican Irene
 Nest Lost
192
 8-2
 93
ntb-s
3008 island dr
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
193
 8-2
 94
sc-s
1024 s shore
Sept 30
 94 / 59
194
 8-2
100


195
 8-2
 95
tb
315 s anderson
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
196
 8-3
 96
ntb-s
portofino
 Sept 30
 97 / 90
197
 8-3
101


198
 8-4
 97
ntb-n
bay ct
 Sept 28
 96 / 89
199
 8-4
 98
ntb-s
jeffrey's
Oct 3
 68 / 64
200
 8-5*
 99
ntb-n
1078 nri
 Aug 18
 172 / 120
201
 8-6
 100
ntb-s
Hampton Colony
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
202
 8-6
 101
ntb-n
Marina Way
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
203
 8-9
 102
ntb-n
1128 NRI
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene 		Nest Lost
204
 8-10
 103
SC-s
1020  s shore
 Oct 11
 117 / 83
205
 8-10
102
 Sc-s

206
 8-12
 104
SC-s

207
 8-12
103
 SC-s

208
 8-15
104
 NTB-n

209
 8-16
 107
NTB-s

210
 8-17
 108
SC-s

211
 8-21
102


212
 8-21
 110
NTB-s
 Aug 26
Hurricane Irene
 Nest Lost



YEAR
TOTAL #
Crawls
 # Nests
# False Crawls
# Eggs
# Live Hatchlings
# Unhatched Eggs
# Dead Hatchlings
2010
 188
 104
 83



2009
 105
 59
 46
 7315
 5804
 1450
 39
2008
 152
 89
 63
 10,112*
 8212
 1102
318
* data incomplete
6 nests lost
354+ lost eggs
2007
 111
 61
 50
 7,146
 5,152
 1,832
 162
2006
 166
 94
 72
 9,838*
 7,750
 1.179
289
* date incomplete, 20 nests lost hurricane ernesto
2005 105
 72
 43
 7,460*
 5,107
 1,244
208
*901 missing eggs, hurricane ophelia
2004
98
55
43
6,783
5,349
1,219
215
2003
134
80
54
9,882
8,260
1,531
91
2002
162
86
76
10,307
8,866
1,246
195
2001
130
79
51
  9,045
7,721
1,271
53
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by joining our  list!
Please go to -  http://topsailseaturtle.multiply.com
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