Holden Beach Sea Turtle Program

Sea Turtles and their nests are well known on Holden Beach. Each year many mother's return to Holden Beach, lay their eggs and return to the ocean. We are very fortunate to have a wonderful caring group who looks after the nests and helps lead the new arrivals to the ocean.

Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program offers these interesting facts:

•Sea Turtles Predate Dinosaurs and have existed for over 200 million years.
•Sea Turtles have lived to be over 100 years old in captivity.
•Sea Turtles love to eat jelly fish, sponges, algae, sea grasses and crustaceans.
•A mature female turtle (20-30 years) will return to her natal beach every 2-3 years
to lay 1 to 7 nests with an average of 4 nests.
•The temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings (hotter sand-more females-cooler sand-more males)
•Bright house lights that face the ocean will confuse nesting mothers and hatchlings.
•The population of Sea Turtles are threatened by pollution, poaching, and habitat loss.
•There are 8 species of Sea Turtles. 5 visit North Carolina: The Loggerhead, Green,
Kemp's, Ridley, and Leatherback.
•Mature Loggerhead Turtles weigh up to 400 pounds
•A Fine of up to $100,000 and or 1 year in prison is the penalty for harassing a Sea Turtle or disturbing its nest.

Sunset Beach, NC

Sunset Beach, incorporated in 1963, is the smallest and quietest of three barrier islands which together, make up the modestly famed South Brunswick Islands.
An uncommon coastal scene, this small sequestered island is crowned with a naturally wide, gently sloping, white sand beach and a shroud of undisturbed sand dunes. This unadulterated setting is a natural habitat and nesting ground for the abundant coastal wildlife, including the endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtle and beloved Wood Storks.
The Town of Sunset Beach is actually comprised of much more than the island alone. Several square miles of mainland offer a variety of necessities, amusements, and educational activities. Residents and visitors frequent the many local shopping centers, golf courses and dining spots and find comfort in the security of first-rate local medical facilities. Cultural, spiritual, and educational activities are all nearby, including Ingram Planetarium. Calabash, the Seafood Capital of the World,is just a few miles away. Bird Island, which is a natural area and 1300 acre State Preserve on the barrier island, is connected to Sunset Beach and reachable by boat, walking, or biking along the beach and is home to Loggerhead turtles. The shoreline, dunes, maritime forest, and marshland are also an important hibitat and nesting area for various species of birds that are threatened or endangered. One can walk from the public parking area and gazebo at Sunset Beach, along the Bird Island beachfront, all the way to South Carolina.
The Town of Sunset Beach is dedicated to preserving the small-town character of its community. Our fundamental goal is to preserve the tranquility of our coastal environment--which has become the basis for visiting and living in Sunset Beach while improving the overall quality of life through controlled and orderly growth.

Information thanks to SunsetBeach.