With the a new beach lighting ordinance soon to be in effect (amended in August 2008, grace period ends May 1, 2010), many Jekyll Islands residents and beachfront business owners came out for the 2010 “Sea Turtles and Lights” workshop held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on March 17, 2010. Many approved turtle-friendly lighting distributors were in attendance to display their approved products and spread the word about wildlife-friendly lighting.

After Eric Garvey, Senior Director of Marketing, welcomed the participants, Dr. Terry Norton, GSTC Director and Veterinarian, kicked off the workshop with a presentation about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center; what it is, what we are all about, and what we’ve accomplished in 3 very short years. Next Mark Dodd, GADNR Sea Turtle Program Coordinator, brought us up to speed on sea turtle natural history and the research conducted on the Sidney Lanier Bridge’s turtle-friendly lighting.  To wrap up the program, GSTC Marine Field Programs Coordinator, Stefanie Ouellette, gave a educational presentation on understanding lights,how lights effect sea turtles and answered the question: What is a turtle-friendly light?

After the presentations wrapped up and all questions were answered, manufacturers/vendors from Wildlife Lighting LLC, Electro Elf, Acclaim Lighting, The Coppersmith, and Justice Design Group displayed their state-of-the-art, approved turtle-friendly products in eye-catching exhibits for the participants.

A few other manufacturers/vendors (Turtle Safe Lighting, Starry Night Lights, the Lighting Science Group and Eco Smart)  were unable to attend in person, but they did send us some sample products prior to the workshop to display.

You can find LINKS to these companies on our website, as well as many other links that might be helpful or interesting to you!  You can also visit our BEACH LIGHTING page on our website to learn and understand more about sea turtles and lights.

As successful as this workshop was, we are sure we can make the next one even better! Stay tuned for information regarding our next workshop coming up this summer…..

Sincerely,

The 2010 Sea Turtle Patrol Team

Here’s your update on Sea Turtle Nesting numbers for Jekyll Island as of 7/6/09:

Check out the new nesting database on www.seaturtle.org for updated nesting information on all of Georgia’s islands including Jekyll!

We are currently in the peak of nesting season and approaching hatching seas, so please remember to review and follow the ‘tips to being sea turtle friendly’, which you can find in previous BLOGs and on our website!

Happy Turtling!

Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

Sea turtle nesting season is well under way!  And while we are not getting the numbers we saw last year, they are still up from 2007 AND we have those 2 leatherback nests!  Take a look…

Want a chance to possibly see a nesting turtle?  Signed up for one of our Turtle Walks today!  Space is limit so don’t miss out…call for your reservation today: 912-635-4444!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

We are the 2009 Sea Turtle Patrol Interns!!!

(Back Row L-R: Amanda Noble, John Lyons; Front Row L-R: Simon Dilts, Stefanie Ouellette, Norah Stevens-Kittner, Ashley Hill)

Hello Turtle Enthusiasts!
We are the 2009 Patrol Interns, and we would like to introduce ourselves to you. Each of us has written a brief paragraph about ourselves. The introductions are in order based on the dates of our arrivals. We are hoping you will envision meeting us in the order that we met each other.

4/1/09 Simon Dilts
I am what I am I am…a turtle patrol intern man (well more of a big kid) I was first introduced to the sea turtle world in the summer of 2000 and fell in love with it. It helped orient me to college where I received a B.S. in Organismal Biology from Adams State College in 2008. After I was done, I knew I wanted to work with turtles again, and was fortunate enough to land one of the Sea Turtle Patrol Internships with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center last summer. I loved it so much that I came back for another round this year. Chances are if you don’t see me on the beach (most likely covered in sand with a big smile on my face) you will see me in the rehabilitation pavilion at the Center helping the vet staff take care of some of our sea turtle patients, that you are welcome to come see your self! Check out the Center’s wonderful website to find out more!

4/30/09 Amanda Noble
I received a B.S. in psychobiology from the University of New England in 2008. I’ve spent the last year writing and editing my young adult fiction book, Entrance into the Sands Forest. My book debuts this summer, while I’m at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center learning to protect the beautiful and endangered sea turtles of the Atlantic. I intend on blogging often; so I would love to know what you, My Audience, wants to know about interning at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

5/1/09 Ashley Hill
I graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in May 2008 with a B. S. in Marine Biology. While in school, I performed several research projects on the beaches of Brevard County and in the Indian River Lagoon. I also volunteered with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society in Indialantic, Fl and was involved in Beta Beta Beta, the biological honor society. After graduation, I interned at the Smithsonian Institute working on the United States Antarctic Program’s website. I am excited to be living on a beautiful island while working with amazing sea turtles!

5/2/09 John Lyons
I recently completed my B. S. in Biology at Northeastern University, where I did fieldwork in Tahiti and California. I love diving, and discovered that I also love sea turtles while interning in the New England Aquarium’s Giant Ocean Tank! Aside from aquarium animals, I’ve also done husbandry work caring for a pharmaceutical company’s zebra fish colony. I’m really happy to be here doing work that could help sea turtles, and I hope that I’ll get some inspiration this summer for work that I can do as a graduate student.

5/12/09 Norah Stevens-Kittner
I recently graduated in May 2009 from Guilford College with a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Spanish. I first “encountered” sea turtles while studying abroad in Mexico, working mainly on a project tagging Green sea turtles and has loved them ever since. I am really excited to be here at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center as a patrol intern and will definitely keep everyone posted on the crazy adventures here at Jekyll Island.

Thank you for spending some time with us today. Please, check the Georgia Sea Turtle Center website (http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org) for the blogs that we will be maintaining throughout the 2009 sea turtle nesting season.

Sincerely,
Flippin’ Awesome (the unofficial band name of the 2009 patrol interns)
THE 2009 PATROL INTERNS!

Please join me, Stefanie Ouellette, Marine Field Programs Coordinator and ‘leader of this pack’, in welcoming the 2009 Sea Turtle Patrol Interns!!

HAPPY TURTLING!!!!

Join us at the Brunswick Glynn County Library (208 Gloucester Street) for our May focus class from 7-8pm on Monday, May 18.  These educational classes are FREE and open to the public!

This month’s topic is Diamondback Terrapin Conservation!

Click here for more information on this class and upcoming classes.

I hope to see you at this turtle-rific lecture series.

~Sarah Eckert, Educator