See What The Turtle Trackers Are All About
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Beach Ambassadors
Spend time at the beach!
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Beach Sweeps
Help keep our beaches clean.
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Learning Stations
Set up a station a several locations.
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Education Programs
Take our learning stations to the classroom
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Turtle Talk Docents
Turtle Talks throughout the island
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Retail & Rental Outreach
Help educate the community
Turtle Talk Docents.
Amber Kuehn, marine biologist and director of Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island and members of Sea Turtle Patrol offer Turtle Talks throughout the island during turtle season. Turtle Talks offer an interactive and in-depth educational experience for adults and children focused on the life cycles of sea turtles and their hatchlings. Turtle Trackers provide support staff at these events.
Learning Stations
Turtle Trackers set up Sea Turtle Learning Stations at several locations on the island during nesting season. These stations provide educational displays about sea turtles and beach etiquette.
Special Requests:
Turtle Trackers provides Learning Stations at special events.
Beach Etiquette / Rules of the Beach.
Litter is a problem all along the beach and the tide and wind move it into the ocean.
Leave only your footprints after visiting the beach.
Holes on the beach are a hazard for both nesting momma turtles and their hatchlings. Fill in your holes before leaving the beach each day.
Hilton Head Island has a beach ordinance regarding holes and shovels: Anyone digging a hole or creating a sand structure on the beach shall return the sand to its natural condition before leaving the beach and no later than thirty (30) minutes prior to sunset as stated by the National Weather Service. Shovels, except those that are made of wood and/or plastic and that are less than thirty (30) inches in length and six (6) inches in width, shall be prohibited on the beach. No persons shall dig any hole to a depth greater than twelve (12) inches on the beach. Authorized personnel, including members of the public.
Personal property left unattended. Any personal property referenced in sec. 8-1-112 left unattended on the beach between the hours from sunset to sunrise as stated by the National Weather Service shall be deemed a public nuisance and the Town or authorized personnel shall dispose of them. Those who leave unattended or store personal property on the beach between the hours from sunset to sunrise do so at their own risk. The Town and authorized personnel do not assume any liability for personal property left unattended or stored on the beach between the hours of sunset to sunrise.
Lights on the beach are also a threat during nesting season. When on the beach after dusk and certainly by 10:00 p.m., only red lights should be used. No white lights of any kind (flashlights, cellphones or bikes) should be used. Beachfront properties should properly shade or turn off lights that can illuminate the beach.
Beach Ambassadors.
Turtle Trackers spend time on the beach every evening to fill holes, flatten sand structures, pick up litter and share Sea Turtle stories and facts with beach visitors. They educate residents and visitors about these endangered sea turtles. Ambassadors bring a rake/hoe and a litter bag to the beach. Red-light filters and information cards are provided. Beaches that are flat and clean assure a clear path for nesting mommas and hatchlings headed to the ocean.
What Turtle Trackers Do.
What Turtle Trackers Do.
Beach Sweeps.
Turtle Trackers may volunteer for the coordinated beach sweeps throughout the turtle season, May through October. All are welcome to participate. Wear sunscreen, bring water, a bag and gloves.
Education Programs.
Volunteers take Sea Turtle Learning Stations into the classrooms and conduct presentations to groups of students in local schools and childcare centers. The Turtle Trackers Education Committee has more than 40 volunteers, including many former teachers. The focus is on pre-K to 5th grade. For younger students, we read books about Sea Turtles and share some of the Learning Station props, including the turtle and “egg” container. Children receive take-aways like turtle stickers and Turtle Backer pledge cards to share with their families and friends. This program is free for schools.
Turtle Talk Docents.
Amber Kuehn, marine biologist and director of Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island and members of Sea Turtle Patrol offer Turtle Talks throughout the island during turtle season Turtle Talks offer an interactive and in-depth educational experience for adults and children focused on the life cycles of sea turtles and their hatchlings. Turtle Trackers provide support staff at these events.
Turtle Trackers History
Karen Kindermann
Originally from Connecticut, Karen Kindermann moved to Greenville, SC from Rochester, MI in 2008 and loved vacationing on Hilton Head Island. Upon retirement, Karen moved to the island in July 2014. Walking the Sea Pines beach became her favorite pastime.
In late spring of 2015, Karen happened upon two ladies near the beach walkway. One had her arm in a significant hole, extracting 'ping pong' balls, while the other put them in a bucket.
The person with her arm in the hole was Amber Kuehn, marine biologist and director of Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island, and she was relocating sea turtle eggs. With her curiosity aroused, Karen attended a Turtle Talk at the Sonesta Resort.
As her sea turtle enthusiasm and curiosity grew large, Karen enlisted friends Melissa Krauss, Mary Ryan and Jackie Rosswurm, all fellow members of the Women’s Club of Sea Pines, to form a turtle interest group with Amber as mentor and advisor.
The first meeting of Sea Pines Turtle Trackers occurred on April 4, 2016, in Mary Ryan's living room. Other attendees included Sigrid Carlson, Babs Erny, Cathy George, and Donna Tuttle. Through their efforts, the first Sea Pines Turtle Talk was held two months later on Wednesday, June 8th. By then, Turtle Trackers had attracted new members Colleen Thompson, Mary Page Boyd, Deb Gillette, Kathy Jo Holleran, Linda Crowe, Annette Walker, Christine Beal, Rita Kernan, for a new total of 16.
Intent on building her organization, and with the first meeting date now confirmed, Karen set about filling a room that accommodated 135 people. She had no budget and slim connections. A flyer was created and widely distributed, with a strong focus on FREE. No charge for the Turtle Talk or at Sea Pines gate.
That first Turtle Trackers meeting had an audience of 155 interested folks for Amber’s presentation. From that beginning, turtle interest spread with a consistently growing membership.
A significant assist came from Bob Gossett, owner of the Salty Dog in South Beach in Sea Pines. Bob allowed the Turtle Trackers to set up a Sea Turtle Learning Station under a canopy near the popular ice cream window on Sundays and Mondays,
Plus, a "Be Cool - Keep the Turtles in the Dark" tee shirt was designed and produced by the Salty Dog, who donated $5 from every shirt sold to Turtle Trackers. This generous donation program continues to this day and has provided thousands of dollars for Turtle Trackers outreach programs.
From this start, Turtle Trackers was up and running, providing sea turtle awareness and protection programs not only in Sea Pines but throughout Hilton Head Island. Today, Turtle Trackers has over 500 members island-wide, with five chapters in addition to the original Sea Pines group.
Karen is still an avid Turtle Tracker walking the Sea Pines beach, offering greetings, education, encouragement, and southern hospitality to all she encounters.
Produced by Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
Turtle Backers.
Turtle Backers are area residents, visitors, students, and others who offer support for Turtle Trackers initiatives without formally joining our organization. Many attend a Turtle Talk during the nesting season. Turtle Backers educate themselves on turtle protection programs and help with beach preparation
Hilton Head Island and area students who are interested in earning community service hours can contact Turtle Trackers at turtletrackershhi@gmail.com
What Turtle Backers Do.
What Turtle Backers Do.
Turtle Trackers Hilton Head Island Chapters.
Join one of our many chapters today!
Sea Pines: Founding Chapter:
Officers: Open President; Michael Brodeur, Vice President; Lynette Shields, Secretary; Chris Hallowell, Treasurer; Barbara Faraci, Past President