December Citizen Science
Happy December! Every month we like to include a blog post that contains information about citizen science projects that can be found in the area! Citizen science is a form of data collection that the public of all ages can participate in. It usually involves the collection of data and recording it or entering it into a database for different organizations. A list of citizen science projects will be listed & linked below! There are so many citizen science projects to get involved with. We’d like to highlight some beach sweeps and pollution pickups listed below. Pollution pickups and beach sweeps will enter the trash collected into databases and can be used to help ban or limit different products. These are only a short list of organized environmental cleanups–there are several out there if you are interested! SCA cleanups Ocean…
December 2, 2024
Thanksgiving Poem 2024
Beneath the moss-draped oaks, we gather round, Where marsh meets sand, and tides soft sound. On this barrier island, wild and free, Thanksgiving comes by the salty sea. Pelicans dive, and herons stand tall, While golden spartina waves in fall. The table’s spread with humble grace, As sun dips low on water’s face. Sweet tea and oysters, cornbread and greens, The bounty here, a coastal dream. Shrimp boats rest as day grows dim, And fiddler crabs in shadows skim. Voices rise with laughter and cheer, In this quiet place we hold so dear. Thankful hearts beneath southern skies, As starlight shines and embers rise.
November 28, 2024
News about Nudibranchs
Nudibranchs belong to a group of soft-bodied mollusks called gastropods. Unlike many gastropods, they don’t have shells. The name “nudibranch” means “naked gill,” which refers to the frilly, gill-like appendages often visible on their backs. These “gills” are not just decorative; they’re for dissolved oxygen exchange (aka how they breathe) Nudibranchs come in a variety…
November 18, 2024
Return of the spicy empandas!
Recently, several Portuguese man-o-wars, Physalia physalis, (aka spicy empanadas) have been spotted in and around our waters. These organisms are found in tropical to subtropical waters. They vary in color and size. The “top sail” portion of this siphonophore (colonial organism) is usually a translucent pink, blue, or purple and we found some sails the…
November 13, 2024
Citizen Science November 2024
There are so many citizen science projects to get involved with. We’d like to highlight some beach sweeps and pollution pickups listed below. Pollution pickups and beach sweeps will enter the trash collected into databases and can be used to help ban or limit different products. These are only a short list of organized environmental cleanups–there are several out there if you are interested! SCA cleanups Ocean Conservancy Surf Rider Coastal Expeditions There are many species that SC Department of Natural Resources is asking for citizens to report their sightings. Certain species can be reported year round but are typically found in SC during the warmer months! However, now that the water temperatures are cooling down it would be VERY important information for SCDNR, especially if we have lingering manatees in the area! They sometimes wait too long to leave…
November 6, 2024
Happy Halloween
Happy Halloween! Enjoy this poem about the hauntingly beautiful boneyard beach! Under moon’s pale, eerie light, On Boneyard Beach this haunting night, Skeleton trees make up this beach, Barren except for maybe just a leaf. Ghost crabs scuttle, white as bone, Silent spirits all alone, They dance across the quiet shore, Where whispers drift forevermore….
October 31, 2024
Upcoming Eco Events November 2nd!!!
November 1st & 2nd, 2024 Upcoming Eco Events! Looking for an eco event this weekend?? Check out these options listed below. Low Country Marine Mammal Network has an upcoming event November 1st at Two Blokes Brewing! Link to the event here: Click for more! SIBBS–Sullivan’s Island Bird Banding Station Annual Fundraiser! Check out the QR…
October 28, 2024
American pelican
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Earlier this October we slowly began seeing one of our yearly migrants that has started migrating to the Charleston area, we believe, within the last 10 years. This could be due to climate change, sea level rise, habitat loss, habitat preference, or a combination of all of those things. This…
October 26, 2024
Upcoming Eco Events!
With this awesome fall weather there are A LOT of upcoming events. Here are a few events we’d like to highlight and we will try to share more events pertaining to all things eco!!! TURTLE TALK–TONIGHT OCT. 17th 6pm. If you are looking for a sea turtle talk there is a sea turtle talk…
October 17, 2024
PiraSEAAA
Stede Bonnet’s Jolly Roger flag (source Wikipedia) From 1650-1720 pirates navigated the ocean and it was known as, “The Golden Age of Piracy”. Pirates tended to “pirate” in the Caribbean because Spanish ships carrying New World trade items there were fairly slow and if needed the pirates could use several Caribbean coves and islands for…
October 8, 2024
Citizen Science October 2024
Marina ghost! October has arrived and we are so so ready for spooky season! Please check our website if you have any questions about tours or feel free to give us a call at 843-886-5000! We’d love to answer your questions! Every month we like to include a blog post that contains information about citizen science projects…
October 3, 2024
SC Sea Turtle wrap up stats 2024
Under special wildlife permits, Capt. Nike has volunteered out at Cape Romain and has helped release stragglers! It is almost the end of September which means we are wrapping up the nesting and hatching season for sea turtles in South Carolina! The sea turtle nesting season for SC is typically May-October. This year, the first…
September 26, 2024