First Nest for Isle of Palms

At last the IOP is on the map for its first loggerhead nest of 2026. We suspect that the same turtle who came ashore three times recently in the same area of Wild Dunes finally found a spot to her liking and laid 128 eggs. Kristen Ness Ayers found the tracks which were the same size and had the same missing right flipper claw mark at Ocean Point in Wild Dunes after Kristen had to climb over sandbags at the condos where the tide was covering the beach to get to Ocean Point. One of the eggs was oval like a chicken egg instead of round like a sea turtle egg. The whole clutch was relocated out of this dangerous location for nests and taken to a good safe dune at 28th Avenue.

Congratulations Kristen and Island Turtle Team for a great find and a great save!