Fripp
Island Turtle Protection Rules Beaufort
County’s lighting ordinance: (Ord. No. 99-12, § 1 (05.230),
4-26-1999; Ord. No. 2001-15, 6-11-2001)
requires
no light be visible from barrier island beaches or dunes. From May through August each year the Loggerhead Sea
Turtle comes ashore to nest, their hatchlings emerge thru September. Since
all of this activity happens at night, it is crucial that beachfront lighting
be minimized. No flashlights,
camera lighting, or house lights are allowed during this period as this
interferes with the nesting and hatching process. Resist the urge to approach a crawling or nesting sea
turtle. Instead observe the activity from a safe distance off to one side.
Never get between the turtle and the ocean. Nesting is a critical stage in
the sea turtle’s life cycle. Please leave them undisturbed. Stay clear of
marked sea turtle nests on the beach. Disturbing a Sea Turtle, the
nest or their hatchlings is a violation of state and federal
law. Please call Fripp Security at 838-2334 to report any
turtle harassment. Information provided by: “The Fripp Island Audubon
Club’s Turtle Nest Protection Program”. For
more information: www.islc.net/~fripplog