Saturday, November 14, 2026
Sea Turtle Monitor Tyler Beck checking the status of the caged nests by the dune line.
A nest straddling the water’s edge will be prone to flooding during high tide.
A disoriented nest near South Beach was dug out three days after hatching and revealed two survivors - they were released to the Gulf.
At low tide, a breach has formed on the newly constructed berm at Sand Dollar Island. Where did all the sand go? Looks like sand is collecting at the mangrove plots across the lagoon.
Due to a strong current, a Caution Sign is posted.
Loggerheads prefer to nest in the upper portion of the beach nearer to the dunes between the high tide line and the dune, according to sea turtle experts and sometimes, their nests can be found in the middle of the beach.
Hurricane season, (June through November) overlaps with sea turtle nesting season, which starts in May and runs through October in Florida. I have observed several nests closer to the water’s edge and these may be flooded by incoming tides.
It is mid-August and according to experts, sea turtles will continue laying nests into September. From Tropical Debby, 22 nests washed out with less than 40 nests remaining on the beach. Sea Turtle monitors have not been able to check the nests at the north end of Sand Dollar due to impassable conditions. Tropical Storm Debby created breaches in the newly constructed berm allowing Gulf water to overwash into the lagoon and collect in the mangrove plots across.
According to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), along with rainfall and surge, high tide events also contribute to flood risks in South Florida. The variation in strength and direction of the gravitational pull of the moon, especially during the new and full moon phases in the Fall, contributes to King Tide, a non-scientific term for a very high tide that happens when the gravitational pull of the sun, moon and Earth align.
August 19, 2024, was a full Super Blue Moon. Supermoon means it was at the closest point to Earth during its orbit and Blue Moon means a full moon that occurs twice in a calendar month. August’s Supermoon will be the first of four this year, and all are in a row! The others will occur on Sept. 17, Oct. 17 and Nov. 15. The next monthly Blue Moon won’t happen until 2026.
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts the 2024 King Tide Season and extreme tides. Peaks will vary per location. According to experts, all supermoons have the potential to cause higher-than-usual tides and you might hear weather experts call them Supermoon tides.
As hatchling season ramps up on the remaining nests on the beach, experts are encouraging beach walkers to “leave the hatchlings alone.” As tempted as we are to pick up the hatchlings struggling to get to the ocean, to leave them alone as they are picking up on the earth’s magnetic fields. This will help them come back to this same beach in 30+ years to lay their own eggs.
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