The world according to me....

This is Masonboro Island, a barrier island located just southeast of Wilmington, NC. It is also the only nesting beach in North Carolina that I hadn't been able to visit since first arriving in NC in 2002 (actually, that is not strictly true: I haven't visited Brown's Island off of Camp Lejeune as nobody is allowed there due to unexploded ordinance from test bombing runs - yet turtles do nest successfully on Brown's Island). We made the trip to Masonboro on a gorgeous November day:

from left to right are Anthony Snider (Southern Sites Manager for the NC National Estuarine Research Reserve of which Masonboro is a part); Doug Piatkowski (biologist with the Army Corps of Engineers in Wilmington), Amanda Southwood (professor at UNC-Wilmington) and Sue Cameron (NC Waterbird Biologist).
We walked from southern to northern end of the ocean side of the island, checking its suitability as turtle and bird reproductive habitat. We also discussed erosion and nourishment issues, human use, pollution, and the island's suitability as a surfing area (Doug's speciality). The island itself is beautiful and we counted ourselves lucky to be able to be on an undeveloped beach in NC. This was made all the more palpable when we drew close to the northern end of the island, and could see Wrightsville beach just across the inlet.

I look forward to going back again soon.