Beautiful weather allowed us to go out today on our cape lookout studies program boat “Spyhop” and do our usual bottlenose dolphin survey and photo ID.  Just a few minutes after leaving the Gallant’s channel dock we encountered our first group of approx. 15 animals in the estuary. We recognized a few of our winter “regulars”, among them at least 3-4 mother/calf pairs. The next group was spotted in the ocean off the west end of Shackleford, including freeze brand (FB) #402. Freeze brand animals have been previously captured and marked with numbers to help with dolphin research and identification. A lot can be learned from the sightings of these animals. The third group we saw was fairly large, but due to deteriorating weather conditions we decided not to attempt photos. Inside Cape Lookout Bight we saw a single bottlenose dolphin and surprisingly (for this time of year) several sea turtles, one identified as a large Loggerhead. We had hoped for another sighting of the humpback whale repeatedly seen in the area over the last few weeks, and last photographed by us on Nov. 5, 2015.

Here are today’s “best of” bottlenose dolphin dorsal fin photos:

Loggerhead Turtle Rescue

     by Allen Brooks, July 12,2001

One of the activities we try to involve participants in is Sea Turtle Conservation so during turtle nesting season we regularly patrol the beach early in the morning looking for signs of turtle nesting activity.

This past July 12 around 7 am we found a 350 lb female Loggerhead half buried in the sand below the high tide line at the very tip of the point. We thought she was dead until we looked at her eye and she looked back.

The turtle was very weak, skinny and had a damaged peak  The Carapace has carpet of reddish algae and barnacles.

Keith made some calls and it was decided that we would transport the turtle to the Sea Turtle Hospital in Topsail Beach, NC. Along with some kids on an outing with the Coastal Federation we transported the turtle to the old Coast Guard dock.

The turtle was loaded onto Spyhop and covered with wet towels for the ride to Harker’s Island. She was so big it took 5 guys to carry her to the boat.

At Harker’s Island we were met by Susana Clusella, the assistant sea turtle coordinator for North Carolina, who drove her the remainder of the way to the The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital. Visit The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital’s web site:

UPDATE
This lucky turtle completely recovered thanks to the efforts of staff and volunteers at The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital and was released in the Spring of 2002 at Topsail Island. The hospital staff had named her “Cape” and had become quite attached after feeding, bathing, and caring for her for almost a year. When Cape got near the ocean there was no stopping her, she was going home. Good Luck Cape!