By Patricia Camburn Behnke

An ancient reptile emerges from the depths of the ocean each summer to deposit its eggs upon the beaches of St. Johns County. Hundreds of eggs buried in the sand become prey to any number of dangers, some natural, others avoidable.

Man has created the most dangers for these creatures of the water best known as sea turtles. These reptiles have remained unchanged for 110 million years, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Sea walls, wheel tracks and development create havoc for the mothers searching for a place to nest and for the hatchlings looking for a path to the sea.

Sea walls make a barrier which the mothers might encounter causing them to turn around and make their way back to the sea, a false nesting move.

The nesting season begins in May and lasts throughout the summer. The female sea turtle brings herself onshore and proceeds to the dune line, where she will dig a deep hole with her back flippers and deposit approximately 100 eggs. She then heads back to the sea, unconcerned about her progeny. The eggs must incubate without disruption for about two months. The hatchlings, usually 2 inches in length, come out of the hole as a group after dark, when the air is cooler, and they begin the dangerous trek to the ocean.

The lights from the developments on the coast cause confusion for the hatchlings. They use the natural light from the moon and stars to guide them into the ocean, and when that is disturbed, they will head toward the brighter lights and danger, if natural predators do not find them first. Ghost crabs are one of the most common predators, but unleashed dogs can also create problems for these babies. Estimates put survival rates at 1,000 per 10,000 for hatchlings making it to adulthood.

The indentations made by tire tracks in the sand can cause another hazard for the hatchlings because a climb from one side to another can make an insurmountable barrier.

Sea turtles and man can share the same space without further threatening the several species that nest on Florida's beaches. St. Johns County beaches, including Crescent, St. Augustine, and Vilano beaches, are visited each summer by hundreds of sea turtles, predominately the loggerhead and green varieties that have decided to leave their eggs behind in the sand, if they are not interrupted.

Visitors and residents alike share in the responsibility of ensuring the sea turtle is not further endangered. In St. Johns County, an effort to keep lights off the beaches at night by the Recreation and Parks Department has resulted in 100 percent compliance by residents, according to Billy Zeits, a natural resource supervisor.

Zeits also said beach visitors should make sure trash is picked up and put in cans on the beach. Patrols empty the cans twice a day. Helium balloons can also be a problem. When they come back to earth as just pieces of latex, they can resemble jellyfish, one of the foods of the sea turtles. Plastic bags pose the same type of threat.

Dave Williams is the chief of beach operations in St. Johns County, and he said the use of fireworks on the beach has gotten "out of control" in recent years.

"On the dark beach with all the lights off in the buildings, the beach resembles a scene out of Apocalypse Now," Williams said. "Fireworks are thrown from vehicles, and they are whizzing right by your face."

Florida Statute prohibits the launching of fireworks but does not address the purchase of the explosives. St. Augustine Beach recently passed an ordinance making it illegal to possess any form of firework, Williams said. St. Johns County will consider the same ordinance at a future meeting.

"Not only is it a hazard for the turtles with the amount of light generated," he said, "but the trash it creates is horrendous, and if it's not picked up, it goes out to sea."

While sea turtles are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973 and through Florida statutes, St. Johns County, as well as other Florida counties where sea turtles nest, has further increased protection through building codes on the coast and light prohibitions on the beach during the summer months. Further, driving on the beach at night from May 15 to Oct. 15 is prohibited.

Patricia Camburn Behnke is a journalist, novelist and Editor-in-Chief at Tower Publications in Gainesville. Her newest novel, Tortoise Stew, addresses issues of growth and development in north Florida. She lives in St. Augustine and may be contacted at pcbwrites@bellsouth.net.

Reprinted with permission of author and Tower Publications, Inc.

Tips for Sharing the Beach
From St. Johns County Sea Turtle Protection Program

• When crossing dunes, use designated walkovers. Stay off dunes and vegetation.
• Limit your time driving on the beach; exit the beach at the nearest beach ramp.
• Stay out of Conservation Zones, which are 15 feet seaward of the dune line.
• At the end of your visit, fill any holes left by sand castles and tire tracks.
• Do not leave beach chairs or canopies on the beach overnight.
• Reduce litter and marine debris by disposing of your trash properly. Pick up any fishing line and plastic that you see, and participate in beach clean ups.
• Never approach sea turtles emerging from or returning to the sea. Nesting females are vulnerable and timid and can easily be frightened away.
• Report all dead, injured or stranded turtles and hatchlings, or anyone harassing sea turtles or their nests, to 1-888-404-FWCC.

Remember: Leave only your footprints in the sand.

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