We have babies!

posted: July 17, 2017, 7:52 AM

The day we've all been waiting for is here! Saturday (July 17) night after midnight (really Sunday morning) nest #2 boiled and 21 hatchlings went into the ocean. This is the first nest to hatch on our beach this summer. It was laid on May 18 and this was day 58 of incubation. We're still waiting for nest #1 to boil. It was laid on May 16--but it always seems to take more time for the first nest laid each year to boil---but any day now. Teams are out each night on the beach preparing for these hatching's. Neither of these nests were moved--they are exactly where the momma laid them---so we don't know how many babies to expect.

We know everyone wants to see a boil or a hatchling, but it is the policy of the HBTP to not publish the locations of nests on the beach. We suggest you walk the beach and look for patrol members in red shirts and ask them. If they know the locations they may be able to share them with you. This policy is for the safety of the hatchlings.

Another interesting note. A visitor running early Sunday morning found a baby turtle on the road--near where a nest had boiled. He alerted our morning ATV rider. Obviously this baby was confused and walked toward the road instead of the ocean. The hatchling may have been attracted to lights in homes near the beach. Now that hatching season is officially here it is more important than ever to keep ocean facing lights off and blinds and drapes shut.

The photos were taken from nest #2 during it's closing on Tuesday night (July 18).

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