Every year from May 1st through October 1st, something remarkable happens along the beaches of St. Augustine and St. Johns County. Sea turtles — ancient, patient, and instinct-driven — haul themselves ashore under cover of darkness to lay their eggs in the sand. It’s one of nature’s most quiet and extraordinary rituals, and it’s happening right in our backyard.
If you spend any time on our local beaches this summer, there’s a good chance you’ll come across the signs: a set of wide, flipper-pressed tracks leading up from the water, maybe a patch of disturbed sand where a nest has been marked and roped off by conservation volunteers. That’s your cue that nesting season is in full swing — and that the choices we make on the beach genuinely matter.
The good news? Being a good neighbor to sea turtles isn’t complicated. It mostly comes down to four simple habits.
First, pack out everything you bring in. Trash left on the beach — plastic bags, food wrappers, fishing line, even forgotten towels — can entangle turtles or be mistaken for food. A clean beach is a safer beach, full stop.
Second, if you spot turtle tracks or a marked nest, give it a wide berth. Those tracks aren’t just cool to look at — they’re how conservation teams locate and identify nesting sites so they can be properly marked and monitored. Walking over or disturbing the tracks, even accidentally, can make that job harder. If you see a turtle on the beach at night, keep your distance and resist the urge to approach, touch, or photograph it with a flash. Let her do what she came to do.
Third, lights out along the coast. This one’s especially important for anyone who lives near the beach or rents a property with an ocean view. Artificial light disorients nesting turtles and can cause hatchlings to crawl toward the light instead of the water — a deadly mistake. Drawing your blinds, switching off exterior lights, and using turtle-friendly amber or red bulbs during nesting season can make a real difference.
Fourth — and this one surprises a lot of people — fill in your holes before you leave the beach. Sandcastles, moats, and deep digging spots are summer fun staples, but a hole left overnight becomes a trap for a turtle making her way up or back down the beach. A quick fill-in before you head home takes ten seconds and could save a life.
St. Johns County’s beaches stretch for miles, from Ponte Vedra down through Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach, and beyond — and all of that coastline serves as potential nesting habitat during these five months. The more of us who know what to do (and what not to do), the better the odds for every nest this season.
Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1st through October 1st. Whether you’re a daily beach walker, a weekend sandcastle builder, or someone who just loves knowing this is happening a few miles from your front door, this season is worth paying attention to — and protecting.
