Georgia Sea Turtle Center » Ride-Along Programs

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a sea turtle biologist? Ever wonder what it’s like to drive up and down the beach all night long, in search of nesting sea turtles? Do you want to see what’s left inside of a sea turtle nest after it hatches? Well now you can! Introducing two exciting new programs offered by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center: Egg-sperience Dawn Patrol and Ride with Night Patrol!

Morning Program

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s Egg-sperience Dawn Patrol program offers guests the unique opportunity to assist sea turtle biologists with nest monitoring efforts on Jekyll Island. Participants meet biologists at dawn at Great Dunes Park where they help prepare for the day’s work. From there, participants accompany biologists to the beach in one of our all-terrain vehicles. On the beach, guests provide assistance and gain hands-on experience while covering and locating nests, checking for signs of depredation, and conducting nest excavations. During the experience, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s biologists are ready and willing to answer any questions that the guest might have. The opportunity to work alongside a seasoned sea turtle biologist and your efforts to protect the sea turtle population on Jekyll Island make this a worthwhile experience you will never forget. Learn more.

*Egg-sperience Dawn Patrol will resume in July 2013.*

2012 patrol intern, Rebekah Lindborg, and a hatchling

GSTC researcher, Rachel Sommer, helps two participants help count egg shells during a nest inventory

Participants help relocate a nest

Egg-sperience dawn patrol participant, Cari, prepares to release a loggerhead hatchling

Night Program

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s Ride with Night Patrol offers guests the unique opportunity to be a sea turtle biologist for a night by participating in Jekyll Island’s sea turtle monitoring project alongside experienced sea turtle biologists. Guests meet biologists at Great Dunes Park at dusk where they will accompany biologists to the beach in one of our all-terrain vehicles. The evening is spent patrolling Jekyll Island’s beaches in search of nesting loggerhead sea turtles. If and when a turtle is encountered, guests have the chance to assist with research efforts making for a truly inspiring and hands-on experience. Learn more.

*Ride with Night Patrol will resume in June 2013.*

Call (912) 635-4043 to make a reservation!