Tag along with the sea turtle patrol

Longboat Key Turtle Watch is inviting the public to tag along on its turtle patrols again. During COVID-19 shutdowns, the walks were limited to small, private groups. This year, all are welcome as long as you can get up early and walk a mile in sand.

The walks start at 6:45 a.m. every Saturday in June and July, rain or shine. Lightning is the only weather condition to stop a turtle patrol. 

“Volunteers will walk in pouring down rain, but we don’t expect them to,” said Connie Schindewolf, who patrols regularly. “We’ve had as few as zero people on a rainy day and as many as 105.”

There’s no guarantee, but this is an active time of year for sea turtles. Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31 each year, but the most nests are laid in the first few months. 

“It’s likely they’ll get to see what we do with a nest until mid-July before they start tapering off,” Schindewolf said. “But then you might see what we do with a hatch.”

There’s also a chance to see an excavation. Excavations take place three days after a hatch. Volunteers dig down to find the egg shells, but sometimes they find whole eggs and live turtles that didn’t make it out of the nest.

If a live turtle is found, timing is key. If it’s after 9 a.m. they have to keep the babies because the birds are too active and hungry. They’ll be released at a better time. 

Volunteers bring props and pictures with them, but they cannot and will not promise you’ll see anything. They promise you’ll learn more about sea turtles.  

Longboat Key Turtle Watch operates under Mote Marine’s turtle permit. Volunteers are trained extensively before the start of the season. There will be five guides leading groups and answering questions. 

There is no registration or fee for the walks. Show up at 6:45 a.m. to the public beach access at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive, and you’re on turtle patrol.