Southwest Florida Shelling

05/31/2026

Another beautiful morning on Sanibel Island volunteering with SCCF’s sea turtle program! Sea turtle nesting season has been fantastic so far. There are already over 50 loggerhead nests on the east end alone!🤞 for more great momentum.

Did you know:

Loggerheads get their name from their massive heads. They’ve got to be big to hold those powerful jaws made specifically for crushing heavy shells like crabs, clams, and whelks.

They have an incredible internal GPS. Even though they travel thousands of miles across the open ocean throughout their lives, adult females will navigate right back to the same stretch of beaches where they hatched decades earlier to lay their own eggs. It really is remarkable.

Sea turtle eggs don’t have s*x chromosomes like humans do. Instead, the temperature of the sand determines whether the hatchlings will be boys or girls! Cooler sand produces males, while warmer sand produces females. Easy way to remember is “Hot chicks and cool dudes."

This activity was conducted by trained individuals operating under Marine Turtle Permit No.047

05/22/2026

Amazing organization if anyone is looking for a meaningful job! It’s much needed in that area.

If you’re passionate about environmental stewardship, community engagement, and making a real impact right here in Lee County, we’d love to hear from you.

✨ Join a mission-driven organization
✨ Work alongside passionate community partners and volunteers
✨ Help create meaningful environmental change

⬇️Apply today!
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=80f039f1d0199024&from=shareddesktop_copy

05/20/2026

Seeing those unmistakable alternating tracks emerging from the surf never fails to bring a huge smile to my face. A few weeks ago, the 2026 sea turtle season got off to a fantastic start with the very first Loggerhead nest of the year on Sanibel’s east end.

For me, it was such a special personal milestone. It marked my first official nest as a volunteer Permittee with the SCCF Sea Turtle Program! After years of walking the beaches as a volunteer, being invited to step into this bigger role felt like a childhood dream coming true. Watch the sunrise on the beach and look for sea turtles?! Honestly, I’d happily pay to do this.

Protecting these incredible prehistoric giants takes a whole dedicated village of volunteers, interns, and staff. Whether we’re battling swarms of bugs, dodging holes in the sand, or hauling away gallons of trash, everyone shows up with a smile and a ton of heart.

The program is impressive in both scale and impact. Our amazing Turtle Walkers are out there at first light every day, patrolling miles of beach to spot fresh crawls and nesting activity. They’re the ones filling in holes, picking up trash, and keeping the shoreline welcoming for turtles.

Then the Permittees step in to carefully document each nest, locate the egg chamber, install protective screens, and mark a safe area around it, all following FWC guidelines.
Getting to help these wonderful creatures alongside some of the kindest people and a community that truly cares about wildlife conservation is an absolute privilege. Here’s to a safe, busy, and wonderfully successful nesting season!

This activity was conducted by trained individuals operating under Marine Turtle Permit No.047

05/20/2026

Seeing those unmistakable alternating tracks emerging from the surf never fails to bring a huge smile to my face. A few weeks ago, the 2026 sea turtle season got off to a fantastic start with the very first Loggerhead nest of the year on Sanibel’s east end.

For me, it was such a special personal milestone. It marked my first official nest as a volunteer Permittee with the SCCF Sea Turtle Program! After years of walking the beaches as a volunteer, being invited to step into this bigger role felt like a childhood dream coming true. Watch the sunrise on the beach and look for sea turtles?! Honestly, I’d happily pay to do this.

Protecting these incredible prehistoric giants takes a whole dedicated village of volunteers, interns, and staff. Whether we’re battling swarms of bugs, dodging holes in the sand, or hauling away gallons of trash, everyone shows up with a smile and a ton of heart.

The program is impressive in both scale and impact. Our amazing Turtle Walkers are out there at first light every day, patrolling miles of beach to spot fresh crawls and nesting activity. They’re the ones filling in holes, picking up trash, and keeping the shoreline welcoming for turtles.

Then the Permittees step in to carefully document each nest, locate the egg chamber, install protective screens, and mark a safe area around it, all following FWC guidelines.
Getting to help these wonderful creatures alongside some of the kindest people and a community that truly cares about wildlife conservation is an absolute privilege. Here’s to a safe, busy, and wonderfully successful nesting season!

This activity was conducted by trained individuals operating under Marine Turtle Permit No.047

05/11/2026

Hope everyone had a great Mothers Day weekend! I know the beaches were packed! I’m hoping not everywhere was left like Dog Beach was though.

It’s not always “the thought that counts”. A little follow through goes a long way. These people were so close to being awesome! Someone actually did the hard part and bagged everything up, and tied it up neatly. They even hung the full trash bag from a tree like a beautiful garbage Christmas ornament so they couldn’t miss it.

Then… they just left it there.

That bag (plus another 23 pounds of trash and bagged dog waste) ended up scattered all over the sand instead of making it back to the parking lot trash cans.

We’re out here every Monday cleaning up dog beach voluntarily, but it really doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, the trash cans are a bit of a walk from the water, but that’s true at pretty much every beach. And unless you’re training for a "carry the least amount of responsibility" marathon, you literally have to walk by the cans on your way out. Packing out what you packed in is the bare minimum of being a good beach guest .

Huge thanks to all the moms who taught us the "leave no trace" lifestyle. You’re the real MVPs. 💛

Let’s do better, Southwest Florida!

05/04/2026

Born on Valentine’s Day in Arkansas last year, but destined for a galaxy far, far away in Florida. 🌌
It’s been exactly one year since we took that first photo, and a he’s grown quite a bit since then, as you can see. Some things never change though, like her love for her very first toy. It’s literally the only one she never destroyed. I can’t even make this up!

More importantly she has also officially mastered the most important Jedi trait: always claiming the high ground. Whether she's eyeing a snack or just surveying her kingdom from the back of the couch, Obi-Wan and Anakin would be proud (and any Weimaraner owner would understand). 🐾
Ahsoka truly is the heart of our rebellion. ❤️

05/03/2026

Seeing this loggerhead crawl first thing in the morning makes me see sunshine all day, regardless of how gloomy out it is. Getting out on patrol early and finding tracks like the ones here never gets old. Since nesting season is officially underway, let's all do our part to keep our SWFL beaches safe for these mamas and their future hatchlings.

Just a quick refresher on the beach rules:

🔦 Keep it dark: Sea turtles need natural moonlight to navigate, so turn off beachfront lights and skip the flashlights at night unless absolutely necessary. Use long wavelength bulbs higher than 560NM.

🏖️ 🕳️ Leave it flat: Fill in any holes and knock down sandcastles before you head home so nobody gets stuck.

🛑 🐢 Give them space: If you’re lucky enough to spot a turtle, admire from a distance. Please don't approach them or step on the tracks they leave behind!

This activity was conducted by trained individuals operating under Marine Turtle Permit No.047
SCCF

04/30/2026

It has begun!!!!