Everyone at Mermaid Cottages is super excited about the new promotional video for Tybee Island! The Tybee Island Tourism Council presented the new video last week at The Crab Shack, then went public with the new campaign over the weekend. The new features loads of locals giving their take on the question, “Why Tybee Island?” The lady herself, Paula Deen, even helped out! We just love how this video has captured the true spirit and wonderful local flavors of our beloved Tybee. Check it out…
Isn’t that fabulous? It sure has us ready for a trip to the beach…and we live here! So, have you been out to Tybee Island lately? If not, what are you waiting for?! Whether you are a first timer here, or a seasoned beach bum, explore our island and find out what all the fuss is about. Why Tybee? Come find out for yourself!
Tomorrow is a big day on Tybee Island! Thursday, August 4th, the Burton 4H Center is holding an event to celebrate the long awaited release of Clover the sea turtle. Clover hatched right here on Tybee Island on August 13th back in 2008 and marine science experts raised her from a tiny hatchling. She is currently a beautiful and healthy 24 pounds and is now ready to head out to her ocean home!
Help us give Clover the best send-off ever this Thursday!
The Cruise with Clover campaign was a fundraising effort and we are so happy to say the effort successfully raised the $5,000 needed to purchase Clover’s satellite transmitter. The transmitter will allow marine experts and all of her fans to track Clover after her release over on Seaturtle.org! Isn’t that awesome?
With this neat transmitter, you can track Clover's journey through the ocean!
Make plans to attend the release and send Clover off in style! Join the fun at the Tybee Pier and Pavilion from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The release will happen between 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. There will also be loads of other things for adults and children alike, including other live animals to see and observe, sea turtle products, and much more! Don’t miss a minute! Help Tybee Island let Clover know we are proud of her and wish her luck on her journey home. We hope to see you there!
Tybee Island’s sea turtle nesting season is really heating up! Nest One was the first of the season to hatch just last week. This week, Nest Two was the star! Tybee Sea Turtle Project workers excavated the nest Friday and were surprised to find 21 live babies still inside. The even better news? There wasn’t a single casualty found and all 21 babies were released safely into the waiting waves. It just doesn’t get much better than that!
imagesource.com
The wonderful people with the Tybee Sea Turtle Project are still hard at work, too. They are diligently on patrol each morning, on the lookout for new crawls, and they are monitoring each of the island’s current nests for activity. Tybee has nine nests so far, the latest being Nest Nine found in front of Marlin Monroe’s!
Want to be the first to know what’s going on with Tybee’s sea turtles? Make sure you keep updated on all of Tybee’s breaking sea turtle news and follow the Tybee Sea Turtle Project on Facebook, our own Mermaid Cottages Facebook Page, and of course, stay tuned right here on our blog for everything Tybee Island! Viva la sea turtles!
A whole, pristine specimen is one of the ultimate treasures you can pluck from the sand. Even seasoned beachcombers don’t come across them too often. What could it be? Why, sand dollars of course! Sand dollars are always exciting to find in the tide, but there are certain things you should know about these unique treasures that will make beachcombing better for you and the sand dollars!
Most people don’t realize it, but sand dollars are live marine animals. As such, collecting a live sand dollar just isn’t OK. Taking home live marine animals threatens species. It just inhumane, it’s illegal in a lot of states, so it is a good idea to educate yourself and learn the difference between a live sand dollar and their shells, called “tests.”
photo from The Tybee Island Marine Science Center website
A live sand dollar is usually found in the sand, under the waves, but they can occasionally wash ashore. Live sand dollars will be dark in color and feel soft to the touch, sort of like felt. On the other hand, a sand dollar test (the remains of left behind after a sand dollar dies) is a skeletal, hard shell that is light or white in color. If you find a sand dollar, Take the Test! You can collect the tests and take them home as Tybee Island souvenirs. But if the specimen you find is soft and dark please remember…it is a living marine animal. Replace it in the tide, or just admire it and keep on combing. Think about it- how would you feel if someone picked you up and stuffed you in a dark pocket?
If you visit Tybee Island, or any beach for that matter, and plan to do a little beach combing, please help us conserve our local sand dollar populations. For more information on Tybee Island, our ecosystems, and our wild life, please visit the Tybee Island Marine Science Center or check them out online! Helping sand dollars is simple really…if you find a sand dollar, just Take the Test!
Everyone on Tybee Island is buzzing about the news…The Crab Shack was named one of America’s favorite seafood dives by Coastal Living Magazine! Our hearts are just bursting with pride for everyone over at The Crab Shack, and of course, we always knew we had a jewel on our hands. Now, even more people know how awesome one of our favorite local restaurants really is!
photo thanks to The Official Crab Shack Facebook Page
This is far from the first award The Crab Shack has garnered! Check out the long list of their awards (twenty-eight so far!) on their website. We agree, they are the best around, and we tip our hats and say Congratulations to The Crab Shack for you latest award, it is very must deserved!
If you haven’t been to Tybee Island, what are you waiting for? We have so much to offer! Come see what the readers of Coastal Living Magazine found so wonderful about our favorite seafood restaurant, The Crab Shack…and bring your appetite! We hope to see you soon “Where the Elite Eat in Their Bare Feet!“
