By Sarah Friday 



j^^^ohn Ward doesn't usually stay up until 4 a.m. But one 



Wednesday this July the Raleigh schoolteacher made an exception. 

 The turtles were coming. 



Ward was part of a small group of nature lovers that wanted to 

 see the female loggerheads nesting on Bald Head Island. He had 

 joined about 10 others for a four-day trip sponsored by the N.C. 

 Museum of Natural History and the N.C. Nature Conservancy. 



The first night of the watch, Ward was the only one awake when 

 a mother sea turtle came to shore. By the second night, everyone 

 wanted a chance. 



But there were no guarantees. 



Sighting a female loggerhead laying her eggs is rare. 



Bill Brooks should know. Every night, the Bald Head naturalist 

 and three summer interns patrolled the 12 -mile beach looking for 

 loggerheads. From 9:30 p.m. to daybreak, they rode three-wheeled 

 vehicles up and down the beach like cowboys looking for a stray 

 heifer. 



Last season, there were 196 nests. This year the count was 

 lower, running 65 behind the same time last year. 



Some reassurance for the visitors came in discovering Bald Head 

 is the state's largest nesting ground for loggerheads. Most sea 

 turtles nest south of the island in more tropical environments, but 

 loggerheads come to more temperate climates. 



From mid-May to mid-August, they swim north, often running 

 into the cape that juts from the island. Then they follow the shoals 

 inland until they get to the beach. 



Bald Head remains relatively undeveloped and natural. A unique 

 arrangement involving the developer, residents, the island's Nature 

 Conservancy and government agencies has resulted in a major ef- 

 fort to protect the nesting loggerheads. 



Brooks offers a nightly slide show and turtle walk to help 

 educate visitors. And residents voluntarily turn off all outside 

 lights so the loggerheads will not be distracted during nesting 

 season. Nighttime beach walkers are asked to cover flashlights 

 with red cellophane to reduce light interference. 



Ibrtles are skittish creatures. Unusual sounds or lights will send 



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