In more good news for Charleston, the SC Aquarium just received the highest award in the land for museums and libraries. It’s one of only ten recipients in the country - five museums and five libraries. The award is officially known as the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. It is given by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, DC. They describe this award as the “nation’s highest honor given to libraries and museums.” The award especially recognizes community involvement, an area of special achievement for the SC Aquarium.
Some interesting info about the SC Aquarium
- Has 130 staff members and 350 volunteers
- Active in issues of concern in the community like climate change, sea level rise, and plastic pollution in the ocean and waterways;
- SC Aquarium education programs have involved over 1 million young people in the state of South Carolina;
- Their app encourages people to help track litter data, levels of sea rise, and the presence of invasive species like the lionfish;
- Their Good Catch program helps people locate seafood that is responsibly sourced.
The SC Aquarium is the sixth aquarium in the nation to have received this prestigious award.
Loggerhead nests off to a super start
Of course a big part of the SC Aquarium is its hospital for sea turtles, including one of the favorite Lowcountry visitors, the loggerhead turtle. The Sea Turtle Hospital treats and releases large numbers of turtles who are suffering from injury, disease, cold-stunning and other health issues. Loggerhead turtles lay nests of eggs on the beaches of the barrier islands. Here on the Isle of Palms, a loyal band of volunteers, the Turtle Team, patrol the beaches and relocate the nests when necessary to help insure their successful hatching. Loggerhead nesting season generally runs from May till October.
That’s when people who are staying in oceanfront Isle of Palms luxury rentals are encouraged to remember “Lights Out for Loggerheads.” You are asked to refrain from turning on any exterior lights that shine toward the ocean and might confuse the hatchlings and turtles. They can mistake the house lights for the reflection of the moon off the ocean. This is what they instinctively use to navigate into the ocean upon hatching. Well, this season saw the earliest nest ever, or at least since people have been keeping track of these things. A loggerhead turtle came ashore on Kiawah Island and laid a nest on April 25th of this year. SCDNR biologist Michelle Pate had this to say: “To my knowledge, this is the earliest we’ve seen a sea turtle nest in South Carolina. May 1 is the average, but we’ve had a warm winter and several reports of mating loggerheads over recent weeks – so we knew it was just a matter of time.”
A very rare creature decided to nest here, too...
Also, on Hilton Head, a very rare sea turtle, the endangered Kemp’s ridley, laid a nest as well. About that event, Pate observed, “This is only the fourth confirmed Kemp’s nest in South Carolina since record-keeping started in the 1970s. An exciting kick-off to the season, to say the least.” Here’s the story from Live 5 News. You can also read more from the SCDNR as it appeared in the Island Eye News. So check out one of the best museums in the country, right here in Charleston. Keep an eye peeled for sea turtles. And be sure to call EP when you’d like to book a gorgeous house right near the beach. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger