Our Seabrook Island Trip: So Many Adorable Baby Sea Turtles

Recently we returned from a trip to Seabrook Island in South Carolina. We were there on a gigantic family reunion of 30 people from all over the country. It was a fantastic and memorable trip and we all loved it so much that we can’t wait to go back again sometime soon! I’m planning a series of posts about Seabrook Island to share with you why we’ve picked this destination twice over the last four years for our extended family reunion. There are many wonderful reasons, but today I am starting with baby sea turtles!

Loggerhead turtles lay their nests on Seabrook Island in early summer and about 60 days later the baby turtles hatch. We were there the 3rd week of August and it was the perfect time to watch the Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol volunteers help out any little stragglers as they made their way to the ocean.

Here’s a video of one little guy, it’s quite a long ways for these tiny turtles and when they finally get to the water, the waves can be a bit rough, but he just keeps charging ahead, determined to make it – so inspiring!

Hover Over The Turtle Photo & Then Press Play

Baby Loggerhead Sea Turtle making its way to the ocean on Seabrook Islamd in South Carolina. We had the chance to go out with the Turtle Patrol volunteers and watch as they helped the newly hatched stragglers make their way to the water. What an amazing and unforgettable experience!

A video posted by Tesa Nicolanti (@2wired2tired) on Aug 23, 2016 at 8:41am PDT

The Turtle Patrol volunteers all wear brightly colored shirts to easily identify each other and it makes it simple for visitors to find them to ask questions. They were all very informative and I can’t believe how much we learned from them!

Once they find that a mama turtle has laid a nest they will move it to a safer location if necessary. They want to keep the eggs safe from predators, the elements, etc. to give the babies their best chance at survival.

They patrol the beaches and check the nests every day. After 50 days when they see a depression at the top of the nest they’ll know that the turtles have hatched and are making their way out. It can take up to 3 days for the turtles to emerge. Once they the nest has “boiled over” meaning the massive group of turtles (80-100) all came out at once, they will give the stragglers 3 days to get out on their own. Then they dig the nests up and help out any little guys who might still be stuck down there.

They will move them closer to the ocean, but still give them lots of room to practice using their flippers on the sand and to get a bit stronger.

They’ll keep them cool with water if it’s a hot day and they are lollygagging a bit. But they mostly stay out of their way and instruct everyone else to do the same. It’s important the baby turtles make it into the water on their own.

And it’s an amazing site to see!

We took so many photos and videos that I haven’t had a chance to go through them all, but these are a few that stood out. I was so excited about the baby turtles that I just couldn’t wait to share. They are so cute, so little, and they are so determined!

See the baby sea turtles at Seabrook make their way to the ocean is amazing and if you do get to travel there, be sure to put it on your to do list. It’s incredible and is something you’ll never forget.

Stay tuned for my upcoming posts about Seabrook Island. If you have any questions, or anything in particular you’d like to know about the destination, leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to include it in one of the posts.