In the last two years the number of visitors setting up tent blockades on the Gulf side of the beach has increased significantly. Groups will setup large tents with chairs and coolers and beach coolers and leave their things in "their spot" overnight for an entire week.

Not only is this an eyesore but it is an impediment to turtles during their summer nesting season. The mama turtles can get tangled up in the beach gear and not make it to their nesting spot on the shore.

After getting input from the PBA Beachkeepers and an outcry from the people who patrol the beach for turtles and dawn each morning, the the SRIA has implemented a Beach Ambassador program to see if an informal education program could be effective with our visitors, instead of implementing another ordinance that restricts leaving any items on the beach after dark. 

If you own rental property on the beach, please inform your guests not to leave their gear out overnight, to turn off bright lights at night during turtle season and not to leave big holes on the beach. 

Thanks to Kimberly Blair with the PNJ who has done an excellent job of covering this and other important beach issues. You can read the full text of her article on the Ambassador program in the PNJ.com article.

Also if you want to read more about the sea turtles and see some videos of baby loggerhead sea turtles hatching visit the link below.

http://on.pnj.com/1oOHyZN

The article was written by PNJ reporter Kimberly Blair and the videos taken by beach resident, PBA member and turtle patroller DJ Zemenick.