Mermaid of Hilton Head

You may have already heard, but we have a new mermaid resident on the island. The Mermaid of Hilton Head (www.mermaidofhiltonhead.com) chose our island to help with conservational efforts since our wildlife is so rich here. The Mermaid of Hilton Head has published a children's book about sea turtle conservation and rumor has it more books are in the making. 

She has also teamed up with Sea Monkeys Watersports from Hilton Head Harbor Marina to bring to life her Mermaid Encounter Boat Tours where she can be found swimming in the wild.

When she's not in (or on) the water, she can be found on the beaches of Hilton Head helping make your mermaid dreams come true. This is the first summer Hilton Head Island will have a mermaid photographer who will help you become a mermaid and get you photos of you or your little ones in a mermaid tail that you can treasure forever.

The mermaid's primary focus is conservation. She incorporates ocean conservation education into all aspects of her business. Let's be honest: is there anyone better to learn about the ocean from than a mermaid? 

She will be making an appearance in the St. Patrick's Day parade on Hilton Head Island on March 12, 2017. You're not going to want to miss out on an opportunity to meet our local mermaid!

The Mermaid of Hilton Head in Broad Creek

The Mermaid of Hilton Head

Independence Day Celebrations on the Island!

Are you spending the 4th of July with us on Hilton Head this year? If so, you will not be disappointed! There is a lot to do and a lot to see during this summer holiday! 

Fireworks will be held at Harbour Town in Sea Pines Resort over the Calibogue Sound at 9:15pm. There will be live music as well as a shuttle from select parking lots to help with the crowded parking situations. 

Fireworks will also be held at Skull Creek at 9:30pm and can be viewed from Skull Creek Boathouse or Hudson's. There will be a shuttle as well from the Boys and Girls Club on Gumtree Rd.  There will also be live music that begins at 7pm.

Shelter Cove will also host fireworks and a child friendly event with live music. Fireworks begin at 9:30pm and live music begins at 7pm and 8:30pm. There will be a free shuttle from Hargray parking lot from 5-11pm. 

There will also be an afternoon "Salute from the Shore" flyover the beaches. This will occur between 1-2pm over our beaches so keep your eyes out for those vintage military aircrafts as well as F-16s. The F-16s will fly over first, then the vintage military aircrafts will follow shortly after.

If you're super motivated and looking for a way to celebrate in the morning, there is a Firecracker Run! Starting at 8am in Shelter Cove Community Park and there are also post-race celebrations with live music, refreshments, and vendors. (Fees to partake in the race do apply. Contact Shelter Cove Community Park for more information.)

Whatever you find yourself doing for the holiday, remember to be safe! Happy Independence Day Islanders and Islanders at heart!

Hilton Head Sea Turtles!

We are about a month or so into sea turtle season on Hilton Head Island! With this being said, the adult female turtles come to land, usually at night, and lay their eggs at the beginning of the season, and then towards the end of the season the eggs will hatch! 

As of today, June 13, 2016 we have 164 nests! This sounds like a lot, however we only have a 60% success rate on Hilton Head. With 108 "false crawls", we have the potential for 40% more nests. A "false crawl" is when an adult female sea turtle comes into land to lay her eggs and gets scared or stressed about something and returns promptly to the water without laying the eggs. Since we can't talk to sea turtles and ask them what is stressing them out, we have to speculate that it is too much human activity. Daufuskie Island, Hilton Head's neighbor which we all know is less crowded has a success rate of 84% so far this year. 

This is some eye opening data. We need to spread the word to keep the lights off when it is dark on beach front properties and even a row or 2 behind. The law says lights out after 10pm, but the lights on any time after dark can alter their paths or cause stress so be better than the law! Also, if you are lucky enough to see a sea turtle it is common sense to want to get a photo but remember: no flashes! Try to stay quiet around them as well because a lot of noise may also cause stress. Keep in mind these sea turtles don't have access to the internet or TV. They don't know what we are. We could be a scary predator for all they know. Just because we know we have good intentions doesn't mean they know that - they aren't mind readers either. 

If you see a sea turtle in general but especially if you see one being harassed please report to Beach Patrol immediately! (843-785-3494) This is illegal and dangerous for the turtle population as they are very sensitive. Yes, sea turtles can weigh in at 400lbs but their large size doesn't make them any braver. Please be smart and be respectful.

Mama sea turtle tracks during a sunrise on Hilton Head Island, SC. Notice 2 sets of tracks which mean this turtle has already returned to the water. One set to the nest, one set back to the water.