State

tty FRANK A. )io\tgo)ii:ry. jr. Once the 0991 ore loid end the nest cohered with sand, the sea turtle immediately heads tor the sco, The woy across the sand is not cosy tor the cumbersome crcotures, ond they will frequently stop to rest before reachin9 their wotery sanctuary. Moon oi the Sea Turtles . . . u lion gianf InggorhosMls oomo up from (ho «loop. When ihc full moon conies up from the sea in June, it brings with it — and at no other time, if coastal old- timers may be taken at their word — those strange and hoary reptiles of the deep, the great sea turtles. At such a time, wherever a lonely bit of beachland beckons, the ponder¬ ous creatures leave the briny depths and make their way across the beach to the base of the line of dunes. There, in crude nests dug in the sand, arc laid the clutches of eggs that will, in the warmth of the summer sun. produce broods of tiny sea turtles. Of course, a lot of folks arc aware now that the full moon in June is not the only time the turtles come up from the sea to fashion their nests on Carolina beaches — that they do. in fact, nest not only then but at other times during the summer months as well. But for many a long year Tar Heels living on the coast have always loudly insisted that the turtles lay their eggs only on the full of the moon in June, and such a belief is common today, especially among the older heads. Time was, in scores of coastal areas in the state, the June nesting was an eagerly awaited event; for hunting turtle eggs in the eerie moonlight upon a deserted beach was a favorite pas¬ time of young and old alike. But now. because of a serious decline in the once-bounliful population of turtles, the traditional turtlc-cgg hunts have become a memory. Today in North Carolina it is an infraction of the law to interfere with nesting turtles, or to disturb their nests. Although sea turtle eggs have al¬ ways been prized by some as a food. in particular as an ingredient in old- fashioned cornbrcad. hunting them for such reason was seldom responsi¬ ble for the activity. The hunts were more often an excuse for going on a lark — even if the sandflies did some¬ times gel out of hand. Years ago. there were few places along North Carolina’s lengthy shore that plans were not laid for a turtle egg hunt long before time for the moon to fill in June. Parties were made up. and late in the afternoon of the ap¬ pointed day the hunters headed for the nearest stretch of beach. As soon as the moon came up, the egg-hunters would set off down the shore in straggly groups, ranging from the surf’s edge to the sand dunes. The broad tracks left by the heavy turtles as they crawled over the sand from the water to the dunes above high water mark were easy to see in the bright moonlight. So. too, were the nest sites, for the soft sand was always noticeably disturbed by the awkward reptiles while digging the nest and covering up the eggs. This fact usually prompted some mischievous members of a party to make false trails far down the beach ahead of the hunters. There was al¬ ways a good bit of rivalry among the hunters to see who could find the most eggs. Fewer Now Once, practically all North Carolina beaches played host each year to great numbers of nesting sea turtles, but now the number is dwindling. For one thing, beach developments have inter¬ fered. The big reptiles prefer deserted stretches of oceanfront. There are Although seo futile* often li«c to о ripe old 09c, the» ore seldom os ancient at their wrinkled, aged-looking skin teems to indicotc. Instead ol being the centenorian you’d think, this big lellow is more likely to be 0 mere 15 to 20 yeors old, lor seo turtles grow fairly lost.