OUR SMALLEST GUEST CHECK IN EARLY MAY
Holden Beach Sea Turtles
Summer doesn’t officially start until June, but a very special guest starts checking in early here at Holden Beach. From May 1 through October 31, loggerhead sea turtles crawl out of the ocean onto Holden Beach to lay their nests, and a couple of months later, tiny hatchlings make their first run to the sea. Holden Beach is a turtle sanctuary, and watching for nests and tracks is one of our family’s favorite parts of summer on the island. Here’s everything you need to know to spot them, protect them and maybe even see one up close.
Holden Beach’s 2026 sea turtle season
| Nests | 78 |
| Known eggs | 9,092 |
| Hatchlings to the ocean | 7,216 and counting |
Numbers from the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program.
Turtle facts:
- Who: Most nests on Holden Beach are loggerheads, and leatherbacks visit too.
- How often: A mother loggerhead only comes ashore to nest every 2 to 3 years. When she does, she may lay several nests in one season, each holding around 100 to 120 eggs.
- When: Nests usually hatch about 2 months after they’re laid. Mid-summer through October is hatching season.
- How they find the ocean: Hatchlings follow the natural light of the moon and stars on the water. Any man-made light can confuse them and lead them away from the ocean.
How to spot a turtle nest or tracks
- Look for tracks in the morning. A mother turtle leaves two sets of flipper tracks, one heading up the beach from the water and one heading back. If you see them, a nest may be nearby.
- Look for marked nests. Once Turtle Watch volunteers find a nest, they mark it off with stakes, tape and a sign. Some nests also have a grate to keep predators out.
- Keep your distance. Never approach, touch or follow a turtle, nest or hatchling. Never dig near a nest or touch the grates.
- Nest locations are kept private. Following NC Wildlife Resources Commission guidance, Turtle Watch does not share nest locations or hatch dates. Please don’t call the emergency line to ask where nests are.
If you see a mother turtle on the beach:
- Stay quiet and still, and watch from a distance.
- Don’t shine lights, use flash photography or get close. A frightened mother may go back into the ocean without laying her eggs.
- Call the Turtle Watch emergency line right away: (910) 754-0766
Meet the Holden Beach Turtle Watch
The Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program is an all-volunteer nonprofit that protects the island’s sea turtles. Starting May 1, volunteers patrol the beach every morning looking for new nests. When they find one, they make sure it’s in a safe spot. If it isn’t, they carefully move the eggs to a better location on the beach. Then they mark the nest, and one egg is collected for DNA research that helps track the mother turtles.
You can support their work by adopting a nest, buying Turtle Watch merchandise or volunteering.
Turtle Talks & Children’s Turtle Time
Turtle Talks are a FREE educational program for the whole family. Learn about the life cycle of the sea turtle and how the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program helps protect them.
- When: Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
- Where: Holden Beach Chapel, 107 Rothschild St, Holden Beach, NC
- 2026 dates: June 24 • July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 • August 5 & 12
Children’s Turtle Time is a FREE program for ages 3–4 and 5–6. The 45-minute program introduces little ones to sea turtles through hands-on play, games, books and puzzles. An adult must stay with each child.
- When: Wednesdays at 4:00 PM
- Where: Holden Beach Chapel, 107 Rothschild St, Holden Beach, NC
- 2026 dates: June 24 • July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 • August 5 & 12
Check the Turtle Watch website or Facebook page for next season’s dates.
How you can help protect our sea turtles
- Lights out, May 1 – October 31. At night, turn off all outdoor lights facing the ocean, including carports, and close blinds and curtains in oceanfront rooms if you’re staying up late.
- No flashlights on the beach at night. If you need a light, use a red or purple one. Never use your phone flashlight or a flash near a turtle or nest.
- Pack up by 6:00 PM. Remove all beach equipment, like canopies, chairs, toys and umbrellas, every evening. Hatchlings can get trapped or turned around by anything left on the sand.
- Fill in your holes. Even a small hole can trap a hatchling, and a deep one is dangerous for mother turtles.
- Keep gear at least 10 feet from marked nests and out of the dunes.
- Pick up your trash. Plastic and litter can be deadly to turtles.
- No balloons or fireworks on the beach.
- Report anything unusual. If you see a nesting mother, an injured or stranded turtle, unattended hatchlings or a disturbed nest, call (910) 754-0766, any time, day or night.
Staying with us? Our beach rentals sit right on the oceanfront, so you’re perfectly placed for early morning track spotting. Just remember to flip off the outdoor lights and close the oceanfront blinds at night during turtle season.
Real Times We Have Gotten To See Some Turtle Action
