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VOLUME 18 ISSUE 9
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JULY 26, 2024
MUSC: Inching Closer to Reality BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
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lthough no one from MUSC was present to give an update, Kiawah Island’s Town Administrator Stephanie Tillerson was prepared to brief the Town Council on the latest from the medical center front. She explained that MUSC’s site plan is still under review with the Town. “We, meaning us and MUSC, are still waiting for the encroachment agreement to be satisfied with the Seabrook Island planning department,” she said. July 10 was the date that the application was considered from Seabrook. Tillerson said that MUSC is also waiting on a letter from the Freshfields Village ARB. “The landscape is fine,” she said. “John Taylor [the planning director] just needs a letter from the Freshfields Village ARB and the Town of Seabrook Island.” (continued on page 3) Once they receive the letter,
SUN SHADES DRAW MIXED OPINIONS ON CAROLINA BEACHES
NEW HATCHLINGS HEAD FOR A BRIGHTER HORIZON Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol volunteers.
K I AWA H T U R T L E PAT R O L M O N I T O R S T H I S SEASON AND BEYOND
BY THERESA STRATFORD
FROM THE TOWN OF KIAWAH ISLAND
For The Island Connection
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ugging a heavy beach umbrella to the perfect spot, then jamming and twisting the umbrella pole into the sand with all your might – only to inevitably deal with the wind as it threatens to turn the umbrella inside out – or worse, pull the whole pole completely out of the ground – is not an experience for the faint at heart. It’s an experience that every Shibumi owner can relate to though – hence the reason they spent the hefty fee for the latest two-tone fad to hit the beach. Visit any beach on the Eastern seaboard and you’ll see one, or 50. The sound of flapping in the wind has proven to be an easy tradeoff for those that no longer want to suffer with putting up the cumbersome beach umbrella. It is safe to say that the Shibumi craze began once the general population recognized the ease of their assessment. However, some beach patrol officers have come to recognize a couple of negative aspects of the Shibumi and have recommended banning them. Actually, the beaches in Horry County already have banned them. Could Kiawah Island be next? Kiawah Island Town Council Member Russell Berner gave an update at the June 2 Town Council meeting about the recent (continued on page 2) recommendations from the
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PHOTO BY ALISON FREY
For The Island Connection
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iawah Island is home to many unique wildlife species, including the beloved loggerhead sea turtle. Like many communities on the East Coast, Kiawah has a sea turtle nest protection program that actively locates and monitors nests. The residents of Kiawah formed the existing Kiawah Turtle Patrol in 1989, and it has grown to one of the largest turtle patrol volunteer programs in South Carolina, with more than 300 volunteers. Turtle season begins each year in May and continues until the end of October. One of the exciting milestones of each season is the arrival of hatchlings. On July 7, the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol celebrated its first nest emergence of the season, at nest #12 in Zone 2. A nest emergence occurs when hatchlings leave the nest and head toward the ocean. Patrollers know an emergence has occurred from the tiny tracks coming out of a marked nest area. Additional Kiawah hatchings made their way into the ocean on July 13 in Zone 3. During this time, Turtle Patrol volunteers aid hatchlings by deterring predators as the hatchlings make their way into the ocean. Volunteers begin to check the nests every morning after the first turtle nest is laid to ensure the nests in their one-mile zone have not been compromised by the elements or predators. Three days after the first emergence, the patrol examines and inventories the nest contents. There are seven hatching
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zones on Kiawah Island, and volunteers are assigned to a single zone which is covered on foot. On July 8, Turtle Patrol volunteers discovered the 300th turtle nest of the season in Zone 7. Kiawah Island typically has about 200 to 400 turtle nests each season. To find the latest nesting numbers and nest inventory schedule, visit kiawahturtle.com. Nests laid on the beaches without a nest protection program often have a low hatch rate. With the help of the island’s Turtle Patrol volunteers, hatch rates increase dramatically. “The work of the Kiawah’s Turtle Patrol volunteers is critical to sea turtle population growth,” said Town Biologist Jim Jordan. “Due in part to nest protection programs throughout the East Coast, nest numbers have increased in the last 10 to 15 years, and this recovery is a testament to how important this work is.” Turtle Patrol volunteers work to both protect and record information on sea turtles to provide to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The Town of Kiawah Island continues its commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship with three biologists on staff to further support this work. With the support of this program and others along the East Coast, sea turtles and their hatchlings have a brighter horizon ahead. Learn more at kiawahturtle.com.
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