Sea turtles return to shore, starting nesting season

Sea turtle nesting season starts Wednesday, May 1. (Credit: Amanda Kinseth/WPDE)

(WPDE) — Sea turtle nesting season starts Wednesday, May 1!

A mama loggerhead got an early jumpstart on the season – she laid her eggs a few days ago in Garden City, claiming the first turtle nest in South Carolina this year.

The South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts (SCUTE) is a group of nearly 250 volunteers who walk the beach daily at sunrise to look for turtle tracks and potential nests.

They started their early morning walks on Wednesday.

To help sea turtles, pick up trash when you go to the beach and fill in your holes in the sand.

If you’re lucky enough to have an oceanfront house or business, S.C.U.T.E. asks that you avoid using white lights on the beach. They scare the mama turtles and disorient the hatchlings.

If you’re walking the beach at night, you’re asked to use a red flashlight instead of a white one.