TURTLE PROTECTION RULES
Remove all items from the beach each evening including toys, chairs and tents. Items left on the beach may cause problems for sea turtles trying to find a spot to nest.
Fill in any holes the may have been created in the sand.
Lights off on the beach&emdash;this includes flashlights and house lights. Light on the beach can deter a sea turtle from nesting and confuse the hatchlings.
Beaufort County’s lighting ordinance:
(Ord. No. 99-12, § 1 (05.230), 4-26-1999; Ord. No. 2001-15, 6-11-2001) requires no light be visible from barrier island beaches or dunes.
From May through August each year the Loggerhead Sea Turtle comes ashore to nest, their hatchlings emerge thru September. Since all of this activity happens at night, it is crucial that beachfront lighting be minimized. No flashlights, camera lighting, or house lights are allowed during this period as this interferes with the nesting and hatching process.
Resist the urge to approach a crawling or nesting sea turtle. Instead observe the activity from a safe distance off to one side. Never get between the turtle and the ocean. Nesting is a critical stage in the sea turtle’s life cycle. Please leave them undisturbed. Stay clear of marked sea turtle nests on the beach. Disturbing a Sea Turtle, the nest or their hatchlings is a violation of state and federal law.
Please call Fripp Security at 838-2334 to report any turtle harassment.
Information provided by: "The Fripp Island Audubon Club’s Turtle Nest Protection Program".
For more information:
http://www.islc.net/~fripplog