By Cameron Baxley, Apalachicola Riverkeeper
This week I had the lucky assignment of visiting one of our watershed’s many unique spots: Little St. George Island, also known as Cape St. George.
Managed by the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR), this barrier island is basically prime real estate for sea turtles, shorebirds, bald eagles, and gopher tortoises—everyone wants beachfront property.
Fun fact: Little St. George used to be part of big St. George, forming one long barrier island until Sike’s Cut was created in 1954. History buffs will also appreciate relics like the Marshall House and the remains of the 1852 Cape St. George Lighthouse. That lighthouse, by the way, fell in 2005 but was rebuilt on St. George Island and now operates as a museum.
I tagged along with ANERR’s stewardship staff for sea turtle surveys, which they do multiple times a week during nesting season (May–October). They checked out several nests, tallying up egg shells and unhatched eggs after the nest has incubated for a certain amount of time. This data helps them figure out how many baby turtles hatched and hopefully made it to the ocean—which, let’s be real, is a much tougher commute than morning traffic for most.
I even got to help take sand samples. Yes, sand. The team analyzes moisture, grain size, and color (using something called a Munsell chart, which sounds fancier than “beige vs. slightly darker beige”). Why? Because these factors can influence the sex of turtle hatchlings. Basically, Mother Nature runs a gender reveal party at every nest.
Unlike their mainland cousins, the turtles on Little St. George don’t usually have to dodge porch lights, abandoned beach chairs, or sandcastles. Hatchlings are naturally guided to the sea by light cues, and a bright light nearby can be very confusing. If you want to help, keep beaches clean, flat, and dark at night—turtles don’t need extra obstacles in their first five minutes of life.
Want to see Little St. George yourself? It’s open to the public, but only by boat. You’ll find hiking trails, campsites, and endless reasons to wish you’d packed more snacks. Just remember: leash your dog, pack out your trash, and try not to annoy the wildlife.You can find more information about recreational opportunities on LSGI and other ANERR land at www.apalachicolareserve.com.
And here’s the serious part: our local NERR is the second largest of the 30 in the U.S., protecting more than 230,000 acres of the lower Apalachicola River and Bay. That’s a big deal. But funding is in jeopardy. If you’d like to help, check out NERRA’s site for ways to contact Congress, or support our local Friends of the Reserve group with a donation (in person at the Nature Center in Eastpoint or online at apalachicolareserve.com). Because if the turtles can do their part crawling across a beach in the dark while dodging crabs, the least we can do is make a phone call.
All research activities pictured were permitted under MTP-250 (because yes, paperwork is always part of science.)
Cameron Baxley is the Riverkeeper for Apalachicola Riverkeeper.
