The world according to me....

Summertime in North Carolina means sea turtle nesting season, and that in turn means that there is a chance for me to see a nesting female somewhere along this state's 330+ miles of nesting beaches. In fact, since 2002 I have been lucky to have seen nesting female loggerheads on Bogue Banks, Bear Island, Onslow Beach and Bald Head Island (not to mention a nesting leatherback in Pine Knoll Shores in 2005). Even more exciting has been that all of these experiences were shared with others, which makes things more fun. Such is the case with last night, when I saw a large nesting loggerhead on Bald Head Island that we subsequently attached a satellite tag to. Michael Coyne and Amanda Southwood were there, as was Melissa Hedges, Nicole Saladin and many of the interns from Bald Head Island Conservancy. Even though it was late and the no-see-ums were out in full force, the shared experience was extremely positive. After we watched the turtle swim away in the water, we had a 20 minute brisk walk back to our carts and then a quick ten minute drive back to the house, with a setting moon that looked like a boat on fire over the water. Despite her 3:00am "dip" (see photo below), Amanda was electric during our post-deployment debriefing. Amanda suggested (and we all agreed) that turtle fieldwork on a beautiful island during the summer is something that should not be taken for granted.