Wildlife is very important to us here along the Gulf Coast and you can find out why this time of year as the turtles come to shore to dig their nests. But, please, tread lightly along our sands and know the rules of turtle-watching.
The best place to watch the turtles come to shore while on a Gulf Coast vacation appears to be South Walton this season, as the folks at South Walton Turtle Watch have already reported many green girls coming ashore. While the sea turtle season runs from May through October, late summer and early fall are usually the busiest times of year for hatchlings, while visitors in the spring and early summer will see them come to shore to nest in the afternoons and evenings.
So, what do you do if you see a turtle nesting or a nest hatching? Stay back! Please don’t interfere, block the path or get to close to a nesting mother. Also, keep things dark. While it might be hard to for you to see, flashlights may confuse the turtles during their trip toward the Gulf.
Oh, and one more important tip to help protect local wildlife while on vacation in South Walton or anywhere along our beaches – keep things clean, flat and, as we mentioned, dark. That’s the motto of local turtle watchers. Pick up all your trash from your beach day throw away properly, knock down sand castles or fill in beach holes and remember to turn off those flashlights if you spot a turtle.
For more on turtle watching during your South Walton vacation, check out this article from SoWal.com.
