19 Jul Emily Tuohy, Tybee Island Marine Science Center, Week 3

I have just finished my third week at the science center, and I can’t believe that there’s only one week left. This week has gone by exceptionally fast.

I started my Monday with a sunrise walk along the beach. Each morning, the science center volunteers take turns walking the length of the beach, looking for new nests. Split between the north end and the south end, groups of two check and report the existing nests for disturbances (often crab holes), and look for new nests. A new nest is identified by turtle tracks leading from the water up onto the beach: alternating flipper strokes with a thick center line, left by the female loggerhead as she dragged her body through the sand. That morning wasn’t very successful, whether due to a genuine lack of new nests or our failure to spot them. Heavy rain on Sunday night had likely washed away any tracks before we arrived. We did, however, find a nest that had been scavenged by crabs. One of the turtle eggs was spilled outside, and we could see a large hole leading into the center of the nest. We called it in, buried the egg, and covered the hole. Not what I was hoping to see, but I appreciated the glimpse into the reality of hatching season.

The rest of the week was very similar to the previous, with Sea Camp occupying most of my time, but I was able to solidify my knowledge further. I was trained to hold some of the center’s other animals, like their corn snake, Shucks. Like most people, I have never been a huge fan of snakes. I found them fascinating, sure. But I would never have been inclined to pick one up or stay close enough to observe it in the wild. So, as I spent more and more time at the science center, I watched as the educators handled Shucks. Gradually, I became very interested in getting to hold her as well. When I finally did, I was in awe. I let her slither all the way up into my hair, loving every moment. It was so cool for me to be able to feel her muscles contract and allow her movement on my skin, tickling with every taste of her tongue.

Another new experience that I got was shadowing a marsh trek with one of the science center’s programs. This was a very interesting experience. We got to the marsh and began our walk through the maritime forest full of spanish moss trees. It was buggy and hot, but that’s what you sign up for. Once we got to the marsh, we stepped into the mud and began our trek. The first thing I noticed, apart from the sulfuric smell, were hundreds of fiddler crabs scurrying away through the plants. Watching hundreds of tiny legs and bodies scuttle in unison was a little unsettling. It made the ground itself look like it was moving. The mud was deep and sloshy, its density trapping my foot with each step I took. You had to be careful not to lose a boot. The walk wasn’t very long, and we discussed the importance of the salt marshes to our ecosystems. It was cool to be able to be in one and observe it so closely. I’m glad that I did it and it’s one more thing to check off my list, but it is not something that I would willingly sign up for in the future. I understand why some people can enjoy it, but I quickly found out that it really isn’t for everybody, myself included.

Along with marshes and snakes, Sea Camp was also really fun. I got to teach my own presentation about reptiles (after becoming a near-expert over the past two weeks), and I spent a lot of time at the beach. The kids this week were particularly rambunctious, but very curious.

It is sad to think about this being my last week, but I will cherish it. I will fill my time with experiencing this Island to the fullest, hopefully getting to do everything that I hoped for. See you next time, for the last time.