Caring For Bobby’s Turtles

This weekend we’ll be caring for Bobby’s turtles.  Bobby Meyer was a valued member of our Mermaid Cottages team and husband to our Mermaid Jan.  He was also very passionate about Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project.  He was a faithful volunteer for many years.  He and Jan spent many very early mornings before dawn on patrol to spot sea turtle crawls and their nests.  Bobby passed away this past December.  We will carry on his tradition of caring for and protecting sea turtles on Tybee Island.

The 13th annual Tybee Turtle Trot is this Saturday, April 29th, 2017. Our Mermaid team will celebrate Bobby’s desire to help sea turtles and to kick off Georgia’s sea turtle nesting season.  Proceeds from this weekend will help fund the Tybee Island Marine Science Center’s Sea Turtle Project. It’ll be our very special honor to sponsor this year’s celebration in memory of Bobby and his good works.  Tybee Sea Turtle Project watches over the island’s nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings, and as is tradition, there will be the release of a rescued sea turtle back to the sea.

Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project is a conservation program of the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. The center is a member of the Georgia DNR’s Sea Turtle Cooperative. Permitted volunteers protect the island’s nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings by monitoring sea turtle activity. During nesting season, May 1 to October 31., volunteers walk the beach looking for sea turtle tracks (crawls) that indicate a sea turtle came on land to nest. After a nest has been laid, they “nest sit” through the night. In addition to nest monitoring, the science center provides educational programs on sea turtles, manages the island’s Lights Out! Campaign, and plays host to Ike, Tybee’s official Marine Debris Ambassador.

Please join us this weekend for this very special celebration in Bobby’s memory.  We’ll be caring for Bobby’s turtles and we invite you to care for them, as well.  We know he’ll be watching and smiling and celebrating right along with us.  We will carry on and remembering will have to do.  Bobby Meyer volunteered to make a difference and our Mermaids will continue his tradition.  Our love will see us through.