A long holiday weekend begins Sept. 5 and carries through Sept. 7, which is Labor Day.
This year, the holiday arrives a week past the start of meteorological fall and about two weeks before the fall equinox.
So, holiday crowds will be celebrating summer’s end. We might not see crowds as sizable as those that assembled for Memorial Day or Independence Day, but there will be lots of blankets, towels, chairs and canopies put out on the Gulf shore from Bean Point to Longboat Pass.
A reminder to find a beach spot that doesn’t crowd a sea turtle nest marked with stakes by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring.
A reminder to clear the beach of all belongings when the sun goes down.
And a reminder that the beaches need to be dark after sunset.
We share the shore.
We do so because it’s our desire.
And we do so because it’s the law — at the federal, state and local levels.
Our shoreline provides vital nesting habitat for threatened loggerhead sea turtles and endangered green sea turtles and we can have a significant impact on the success of the nesting season.
Some steps to help protect nesting and hatchling sea turtles:
Lights out: Lights on or near the beach can misdirect and disturb nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings, leading them away from the water and toward potential danger.
People living, working or visiting along the beaches can do their part by turning off lights, using turtle-friendly lighting and closing curtains after dark.
Admire from afar: Getting too close to sea turtles can cause them to leave the beach before they complete the nesting process. Remember, it is illegal to harm or disturb nesting sea turtles, their nests or eggs or to handle hatchlings.
Clear the way at the end of the day: Obstacles on the beach can entrap sea turtles from nesting. Trash, holes in the sand and other obstacles can also prevent sea turtle hatchlings from reaching the water once they emerge from their nest. Also, food scraps attract predators, such as raccoons and crows, that prey on sea turtle hatchlings.
What can you do to help? Stash or recycle all trash, fill in human-made holes in the sand and remove all beach toys, gear and furniture from the sand before sunset.
Lighting issues diminished after beachfront survey
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring reported a decrease in hatchling disorientations the week ending Aug. 31, with credit going to the team reaching out at beachfront properties where lighting issues were observed.
“Although hatchlings have been found in swimming pools and storm drains, no dead hatchlings have been found in the road,” AMITW executive director Kristen Mazzarella said.
As of Aug. 28, 21 properties responded to AMITW’s survey by turning off lights, closing blinds, installing turtle-friendly fixtures, bulbs or shields.
One of the nests with disorientations was made in late June on Coquina Beach by a loggerhead, nicknamed Krysta, being tracked in the Tour de Turtles swim marathon. AMITW recovered 70 live and five dead hatchlings from Krysta’s nest.
By the numbers: Sea turtles
As of Aug. 28, AMITW reported 458 sea turtle nests, 568 false crawls, 188 hatched nests, 13,214 hatchlings produced.
Good news for hatchlings
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring reported a decrease in hatchling disorientations the week ending Aug. 31, with credit going to AMITW reaching out at beachfront properties where lighting issues were observed.
“Although hatchlings have been found in swimming pools and storm drains, no dead hatchlings have been found in the road,” AMITW executive director Kristen Mazzarella said.
As of Aug. 28, 21 properties responded to AMITW’s survey by turning off lights, closing blinds, installing turtle-friendly fixtures, bulbs or shields.
One of the nests with disorientations was made in late June on Coquina Beach by a loggerhead, nicknamed Krysta, being tracked in the Tour de Turtles swim marathon. AMITW recovered 70 live and five dead hatchlings in Krysta’s nest.