Sun, Sand and Sea Tips
Take
a few plastic bags with you when you go to the beach, even if you're
"just taking a walk." They're handy for toting those pretty shells you
weren't expecting to find or picking up litter along the way for proper
disposal.
Picnics
on the sand can be great fun, but be prepared for wind, sticky hands,
grit in your food, flyaway wrappings and pesky gulls. Take along a
container of fresh water or some sanitary wipes for hand washing. Use
paper wraps for food rather than plastic, which isn't biodegradable and
is harmful to sea critters and birds. Have a shelter or umbrella to
shield you from the breeze while you eat, and don't feed the birds
anywhere near where you're sitting.
Taking
your dog to the beach? Dogs have special needs in the sun, sand and sea.
Hot sand and pavement can actually burn the pads of a dog's feet. Carry
your dog across hot pavement and sand, or find another route. Also, be
sure to provide your dog with plenty of fresh water so he won't be
tempted to drink salt water, which can lead to diarrhea, vomiting and
dehydration. Don't forget to hose off your dog with fresh water after he
swims in the ocean. Salt water can damage your dog's coat and irritate
his skin.
If
you spot a shark while you're in the water, get out immediately if
possible. Keep in mind that sharks will come into shallow water, so you
don't have to be out far to see one. In exiting the water, try to keep
sight of the shark at all times so you can determine if the shark's
movements are smooth and leisurely or erratic and agitated. If the
latter, move swiftly to shore. Loudly call for help.
Loggerhead sea
turtle hatchlings usually hatch at night and follow the light from the
moon shining on the water to make their way to the sea. Artificial
lights will confuse them, causing them to crawl in the wrong direction
and making them susceptible to predators or even traffic. During
hatching season, May 1 through October 31, turn off beach-front lights
and close blinds and draperies on oceanfront homes at night to keep
indoor lighting from reaching the beach.
If
you see a loggerhead sea turtle, alive or dead, do not touch her. If you
see hatchlings emerge from a nest, allow them to crawl to the ocean on
their own and safeguard them from predators. In both cases, contact the
local sea-turtle watch program. Remember, all sea turtles are protected
under the United States Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Bald Head Island, (910) 457-0089
Oak Island, (910) 278-5518
Holden Beach, (910) 754 0766
Ocean Isle Beach, (910) 754-1272
Sunset Beach: (910) 579-1272.
