Category: Oceans & Wildlife

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The Remarkable Ways Jekyll Island Protects Nature

Green Grass foreground, oyster beds and sand, a sailboat on the water just right of center; and trees, clouds, and blue sky background.

This summer, we finally made our way to Jekyll Island, one of the eight barrier islands along Georgia’s coast. It was a destination we’d wanted to visit for some time, and our son, Greyson, had experienced it during a fifth-grade school field trip. This time, we decided to bring our dogs along, fulfilling Greyson’s long-standing wish to take them to the beach. Jekyll Island is dog-friendly except in highly protected areas. We found a place to stay that allowed pets and read up on the rules about dogs on the island before we went.

Small Boston Terrier on the san with ocean behind him.
Big white dog with black spots laying on the sand, looking at the ocean and people nearby.

Brief History of Jekyll Island

As many as tens of thousands of Native Americans inhabited coastal Georgia, including Jekyll Island, for about 4500 years before the first Europeans arrived.1 ,2

General James Oglethorpe named it Jekyll in 1733 in honor of Sir Joseph Jekyll, his friend and financier from England who backed the colony. In 1886, the Jekyll Island Club purchased the island, and it became an exclusive hunting club patronized by elite families. After World War II in 1947, the island was sold to the State of Georgia and opened as a State Park in 1948. The Jekyll Island Authority was established in 1950 to manage the island.3

Natural Beauty

Jekyll is full of undeveloped land and beach fronts, with many trails and walking paths to explore. It’s truly worth visiting. Here are just a few of the photos I took.

Image of sand dune with beach below and blue sky and ocean in background.
Sunset beach with dunes at left, ocean at right, and pink edged clouds in blue sky.
Sand dune view taken from the ocean's edge.
Child swimming in the ocean near sunset.
My son swam in the surf during every evening’s walk.
Tree with Spanish moss draped from it.

Driftwood Beach

On the north part of the island, this beach features large driftwood trees that are almost sculptural, formed from a maritime forest that has experienced decades of erosion.4

Jekyll Island has several beautiful beaches to explore, but this one definitely deserves a special mention. It’s a must-see!

Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island, showing the shore with many large driftwood trees and pieces, ocean and blue sky background.
Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island, showing the shore with many large driftwood trees and pieces, ocean and blue sky background.
Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island, showing the shore with many large driftwood trees and pieces, ocean and blue sky background.
Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island, showing the shore with many large driftwood trees and pieces, ocean and blue sky background.
Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island, showing the shore with many large driftwood trees and pieces, ocean and blue sky background. Boy with dog at center.
My son with one of our dogs in front of a huge driftwood tree.
Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island, showing the shore with many large driftwood trees and pieces, ocean and blue sky background. Boy walking with dog at center rigjt.

Low Development; Conservation and Education Everywhere

Google map, bird's eye view of Jekyll Island, satelite view

This beautiful island is still a protected Georgia State Park managed by the Jekyll Island Authority. By law, development is limited to 35% of the island, leaving at least 65% in its natural state. You won’t find endless rows of beachfront hotels, billboards, or a long list of bustling attractions here—and that’s precisely the point. Jekyll Island is a place to slow down, enjoy the beach, and appreciate the natural beauty of Georgia’s coast.

To help preserve this unique environment, the island has several rules designed to protect its wildlife and delicate ecosystems. Visitors may collect only empty seashells and dead sand dollars, must avoid fishing in ponds and lakes, and should never feed, approach, or disturb wildlife. Staying out of the dunes and leaving sea turtle nests undisturbed are also essential to protecting the island’s natural habitats.

Sand colored sand dollar on the sand.
We found many sand dollars on Jekyll Island, but because they were alive, we simply observed them and left them where we found them. Please don’t collect live sand dollars—removing them from the water kills them. If you’re not sure if they’re dead or alive, just leave them alone.
Net over a nest on the beach with signage protecting a turtle nest next to a sand dune.
One of many protected sea turtle nests on the beach.

We frequently encountered educational and conservation signs highlighting these rules, as well as some about the wildlife and ecosystems around us. These included reminders for boaters to protect manatees and right whales; information about Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary; protecting sea turtle nests; information on coastal wetlands; and warnings not to feed the alligators!

Sign educating boaters about protecting right whales.
Signs about Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and how boaters can help protect manatees.
Sign on a walkway about maritime forest wetlands.
A dark green sign warning people that it is a crime to feed alligators, in a grassy wetland area.

“Treat all wildlife with respect; you are a guest in this wild habitat.” -jekyllisland.com5

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

This was my favorite place on the island. “Georgia’s only sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility,”6 the Georgia Sea Turtle Center opened in 2007 in the renovated power plant of the Jekyll Island Club. Visitors can learn about sea turtles in the exhibits and see rehabilitation in action at the sea turtle hospital. I was moved to tears during my visit to the hospital, touched by each sea turtle’s unique story and the meaningful work being done to care for and rehabilitate them.

Front of brick building with a pointed peak at roof and round window near top, with "Georgia Sea Turtle Center" over door. Palm trees flank the building and a person is walking toward the door.
Fossilized skeleton of a large sea turtle, suspended from the roof in the museum.
Exhibit showing how Loggerhead sea turtles build nests, and how humans track those activities.
Exhibit showing how Loggerhead sea turtles build nests and how humans track these activities.
Exhibit explaining how terrapins build nests, hatch, and live within the salt marshes.
Exhibit explaining how terrapins build nests, hatch, and live within the salt marshes.
Image of an exhibit map showing all the southeast coast organizations that help protect sea turtles.
Panel map showing all the organizations in the Southeast and Gulf Coast that help protect sea turtles.
Exhibit on plastic pollution and solutions. Colorful plastics and signs about recycling fishing line.
Exhibit on plastic pollution and solutions.
Panel from the same exhibit as above, showing the different types of trash that cause pollution problems in the ocean.
Panel from the same exhibit as above, showing the different types of trash that pollute the ocean.
Aqua blue sign with an image of a sea turtle showing the number, by subspecies, of sea turtle releases.
Sign showing the number of sea turtle releases by subspecies.
A row of sea turtle tanks in the sea turtle hospital, all round, with angled mirrors above.
A row of sea turtle tanks in the sea turtle hospital.
An educational sign about how sea turtles breathe with images, as well as a patient sheet about an individual turtle.
An educational sign at the hospital explaining how sea turtles breathe. Each turtle also had a “Patient Sheet” providing information about the individual turtle, including where it was found and details about its care.

Please visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center if you’re ever on Jekyll Island!

Borrow Bin!

There was a “Borrow Bin” on the wooden walkway from our hotel to the beach! A borrow bin is a container where visitors can borrow or leave beach items, such as toys and waterboards, and return them when they’re finished. This reduces waste and encourages people to share and reuse items (especially plastic) rather than buying new ones. I am a huge fan of these!

Very Little Trash

Overall, I found very little trash on the island’s beaches. I saved most of the items for a future art piece that is currently in the works. There was also an extra metal tent stake, which my husband claimed for repurposing as it was originally intended.

A black flip flop and a purple sand toy next to a felled palm tree trunk.
I found these two pieces at Driftwood Beach, but had to dispose of them in the trash receptacles near the parking lot.
Various pieces of plastic trash with one aluminum can, layed out on white paper towels.
This is what I collected over our time on Jekyll. Not much at all!

Visit Jekyll!

My final takeaway about Jekyll Island is simple: you won’t regret visiting! Beyond its beautiful beaches, natural surroundings, and conservation efforts, the island offers several quaint restaurants and bars, although I haven’t found a favorite just yet. I especially enjoyed Wake Up Coffee Company, the North Pole South Christmas shop, and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. I didn’t have time to visit the art museum, Mosaic, or the water park on this trip, but they’re both on my list for next time. One practical tip: consider bringing groceries from nearby Brunswick, as the island’s only grocery store was quite expensive. You’ll also find plenty of charming little gift shops and ice cream spots to explore.

As our time on the island came to a close, Jekyll offered one final treat: a gorgeous moonrise that provided a memorable ending to our visit.

The moon rising over the ocean on Jekyll Island.

Let me know if you’ve been to Jekyll and what you liked about it! Thanks for reading, and please subscribe!

© 2026 Marie Cullis. All photographs are copyrighted and may not be used without permission.

Footnotes:

  1. Article, “Native Americans on Jekyll,” by Mary Starr, The Brunswick News, July 26, 2008. ↩︎
  2. Page, “Island History,” jekyllisland.com, accessed July 5, 2026. ↩︎
  3. Page, “Island History,” jekyllisland.com, accessed July 5, 2026. ↩︎
  4. Page, “Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island GA,” goldenisles.com, accessed September 13, 2026. ↩︎
  5. Page, Rules & Safety Tips, jekyllisland.com, accessed August 30, 2026. ↩︎
  6. Page, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyllisland.com, accessed August 30, 2026. ↩︎

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Joel Sartore at the Tennessee Aquarium

Exterior of the Tennessee Aquairum, River Journey, entrance, with a Joel Sartore photograph of a slider (turtle) at the entrance, people going in.
Photo by Marie Cullis.

The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, recently opened an exhibit featuring the work of award-winning photographer and National Geographic Explorer Joel Sartore and the National Geographic Photo Ark project. They launched the exhibit with an event featuring Joel Sartore and his son Cole Sartore, who presented their story. I was lucky to purchase a ticket to it before they sold out.

National Geographic Photo Ark Logo in black, gray, and yellow on white background.

Orange spotted filefish - aqua and orange spotted - against a white background.
Orange spotted filefish, Oxymonacanthus longirostris, at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Nebraska, 2013. Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark, natgeophotoark.org.

Close up of an octopus, viewpoint looking underneath the creature, viewing its red tentacles and white suckers.
An octopus, Octopoda, at Dallas World Aquarium, Texas, 2013. Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark, natgeophotoark.org.

What is the National Geographic Photo Ark?

“The Photo Ark uses the power of photography to inspire people to help save species at risk before it’s too late.

“The interaction between animals and their environments is the engine that keeps the planet healthy for all of us. But for many species, time is running out. When you remove one, it affects us all.

“The National Geographic Photo Ark is a multiyear effort to raise awareness of and find solutions to some of the most pressing issues affecting wildlife and their habitats. The Photo Ark’s three-pronged approach harnesses the power of National Geographic photography and the bold ideas of our explorers. Led by National Geographic Explorer and photographer Joel Sartore, the project aims to document every species living in the world’s zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, inspire action through education, and help save wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts.”1

“I want to get people to care, to fall in love, and to take action.” -Joel Sartore

Joel Sartore with frill necked lizard, Chlamydosaurus kingii, Joel facing the camera, holding his camera, lizard in white photo box.
Joel Sartore with frill-necked lizard, Chlamydosaurus kingii, at a high school in Victoria, Australia, 2017 during a shoot for the National Geographic Photo Ark, natgeophotoark.org. Photo by Douglas Gimesy.

The Photo Ark is the world’s largest collection of animal portraits, documenting species before they disappear. The goal is to get the public to care, while there’s still time. Sartore knows we can save species from extinction. He’s photographed over 15,000 species so far. His goal is to photograph all 25,000 species in captivity in zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries around the world. Here’s a short video about his work:

And here’s another video regarding the Photo Ark and the Extinction Crisis:

Lucky Me

I’ve been a big fan of Sartore’s for many years, not just because of his photography but his call for conservation and love for the species we are losing. A few years ago, my spouse even gifted me an autographed copy of Sartore’s National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Great Photography. I wrote about Sartore in 2019 when The Photo Ark Vanishing: The World’s Most Vulnerable Animals was first published. I watched a three-episode documentarian PBS series titled Rare: Creatures of the Photo Ark with my son when he was 6.

When I heard about this event, I knew the tickets would be limited and sell out quickly. That’s why I say I’m lucky that I got a ticket!

From the emails about the event, I expected to attend a 30-minute talk with Joel Sartore and his son, Cole, and then be able to tour the Aquarium. But the talk lasted for an hour, and it was inspiring! They told funny family stories and the journey of the Photo Ark.

Joel Sartore speaking at bottom right, with a large screen projection featuring a bison.
Photo by Marie Cullis.

Joel and Cole Sartore looking out at an audience, wood paneled background.
Photo by Marie Cullis.

The Tennessee Aquarium Exhibit

After, I got to tour the Aquarium and eat fancy hors d’oeuvres. They served beverages in real glasses and used paper plates and bamboo forks for food. I appreciated this since most places in the Southeast still serve everything in plastic and styrofoam.

“Today we are losing species at rates 1,000 times greater than ever before.” -Joel Sartore

I’ve been to the Tennessee Aquarium many times, often with my young son who often flies through exhibits (though this seems to be improving with age). I appreciated the Aquarium more that night, not just because I could linger at my leisure this time, but also because of Sartore’s inspiring words. He called the audience to action in his talk and said that we should find something we are passionate about and do something about it. He said to consider what we can do to help and inspire others to help. I thought I am already doing that! and felt good that I use my website to highlight environmental issues, promote solutions, and inspire others.

There are about two dozen of these large banners of Joel Sartore Photo Ark photography throughout both buildings at the Tennessee Aquarium, and it will run through the end of 2024. You should go see them if you have the opportunity! Here are just a few:

Close up of a southern flying squirrel on a black background.
Southern Flying Squirrel, National Geographic Photo Ark. Banner photographed by Marie Cullis.

Spotted Salamander, black with yellow spots, on white background.
Spotted Salamander, National Geographic Photo Ark. Banner photographed by Marie Cullis.

Close up of a Nashville crayfish, showing head and claws only, on a black background.
Nashville Crayfish, National Geographic Photo Ark. Banner photographed by Marie Cullis.

Macaroni penguin, back facing camera with wings out, white background.
Macaroni Penguin, National Geographic Photo Ark. Banner photographed by Marie Cullis.

Other Exhibits

I’m not a professional photographer, but I captured a couple of cool photographs of my own that evening.

Large blue fish, close up of its face.
Photo by Marie Cullis.

Electric eel staring through an aquarium, red with small eyes.
Electric eel. Photo by Marie Cullis

My favorite exhibits at the Tennessee Aquarium are the ones that teach about plastic, pollution, and saving turtles.

Metal bin with plastic trash collected from the Tennessee River. Exhibit text on lime green background.
Exhibit showing plastic trash collected from the Tennessee River at the Tennessee Aquarium. Photo by Marie Cullis.

Exhibit showing human objects in a river basin, includes a car battery, a tire, a cell phone, and other plastic objects.
Exhibit showing human objects in a river basin at the Tennessee Aquarium. Photo by Marie Cullis.

Exhibit on saving turtles, includes exhibit panels, graphics, and interactive monitor.
Exhibit on saving turtles at the Tennessee Aquarium. Photo by Marie Cullis.

I also took photos of a plastic art piece at the Aquarium and added it to my Plastic Art Projects page.

The best part, for me, was that I got to personally meet Joel Sartore just before I left. I shook his hand and told him how much I loved his work. Our conversation was brief but meaningful, and something I’ll always remember.

“This is the best time ever to save species because so many need our help.” -Joel Sartore

Visit the Tennessee Aquarium when you have the chance! Also, please support The Photo Ark! Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe!

red eyed tree frog, bright green skin, orange feet, red eyes, black background.
Red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis callidryas, photographed in Seattle, Washington, 2011. Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark, natgeophotoark.org.

 

Links:

National Geographic Photo Ark

Joel Sartore

Tennessee Aquarium

Footnote:

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Tokitae Died at the Miami Seaquarium

Lolita/Tokitae the orca with her head just above the pool's surface at the Miami Seaquarium.
Photo by Leonardo Dasilva on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0).

Tokitae has died.

This is the second captive orca to die in captivity in the US this year, as we lost Kiska at Marineland Ontario/Niagara Falls in March.

She was so close to being back in the ocean, where she belonged. Scientists even believe her mother is still living in the Pacific Northwest and that they could’ve possibly been reunited someday.

Tokitae, formerly known as Lolita, lived in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium for more than 50 years. The marine amusement park recently signed an agreement to release her back to the Pacific Northwest, and you can read the updates here. This effort took many years and involved scientists, marine biologists, activists, documentarians, writers, etc. The owner of the Indianapolis Colts offered to pay for her transport from Miami to the west coast. The Lummi Nation was going to monitor and care for Tokitae in her new home. The wheels were set in motion and the plans were established.

But it was too late, the Miami Seaquarium should’ve let her go years ago.

Lolita/Tokitae the orca jumping out of the pool straight up at the Miami Seaquarium, trainers and audience in background.
Photo by Rick Webb on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

I cried pretty hard when I saw the press release from the Whale Sanctuary Project. I really believed Tokitae was going home.

The Friends of Toki and the Whale Sanctuary Project were the two organizations actively working to get her back to the ocean. But there were other individuals and organizations that helped raise awareness and money for over a decade. Thank you to everyone who ever advocated for Tokitae, whether you wrote about her, filmed her, protested for her release, raised money, or raised awareness about her. So many of us loved her and cared about her. She will always be in our hearts.

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Kiska Died Alone

Kiska swimming in her tank, blue water surrounding her.
Kiska at MarineLand in 2017. Photo by Dennis Jarvis on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Kiska is dead.

I cried when I saw the announcement from The Whale Sanctuary Project. Though I never met this orca, she was in my heart. I had hoped that she’d be one of the first orcas to be relocated to the sanctuary.

“The news is devastating to all of us who have been working toward the time when she could be retired to sanctuary.” -Lori Marino, President of The Whale Sanctuary Project2

Kiska at Marineland Canada in 2011 in her tank, with silhouetted people looking through the glass.
Kiska, the orca that lived alone at Marineland until her death in 2023. Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

Kiska’s Sad Life

MarineLand Canada announced that Kiska, the loneliest orca, died of a bacterial infection on March 9, 2023. She had been there since 1979, captured as a calf near Iceland (along with Keiko, the star of Free Willy) and taken from her family. She suffered the loss of all 5 of her own babies under MarineLand’s care. “One of them didn’t even survive long enough to be named. Orcas feel deep, complex emotions, and the bond between mother and child is so profound that it is hard to imagine the grief and trauma that Kiska would have suffered in each of her bereavements.”3

Worse, Kiska had been living alone in her small tank since 2011. Read this article about her life.

The video below shows how lonely, bored, and unstimulated she was in 2021.

The marine amusement park has been under investigation for animal cruelty for several years. Animal Justice, an animal advocacy and legal group in Canada, worked to help Kiska by filing legal complaints on her behalf, including when “disturbing videos were shared showing the orca floating listlessly and slamming her body against the side of her tank.”4

Animal Justice says they are devastated by her death. They are calling for renewed interest in charges against MarineLand “over the cruel and illegal living conditions that the facility forced Kiska to endure. Orcas are incredibly social animals, but Kiska had no one by her side since 2011, and suffered from agonizing loneliness as well as a lack of space and mental stimulation in her small barren tank. Under federal and provincial laws, it’s illegal to cause animals suffering and distress, which includes psychological distress stemming from boredom and isolation.”5

Kiska, a lone orca swimming in a tank with people watching through a glass window, at Marineland. Canada, 2011
Kiska, a lone orca at MarineLand Canada, 2011. Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals (https://weanimalsmedia.org/)

We Must Learn and Take Action

We have to keep trying, keep learning, and keep calling for action. We’ve made progress, but we have a long way to go.

Kiska was the last orca living in captivity in Canada since the 2019 passing of Bill S-203. This law made it illegal to breed or import marine mammals into captivity. However, the whales and dolphins currently in captivity at Marineland were exempted from these laws. “Her death marks the end of legal orca captivity in the country.”6

“No other orcas [in Canada] will endure the heartbreaking suffering she faced.” -Camille Labchuk, Animal Justice7

Animal Justice plans to continue investigating MarineLand Canada and urges support for other projects. “It is heartbreaking to know that Kiska will never get to experience freedom, but we hope this tragedy spurs support for the Whale Sanctuary Project, and that other whales at MarineLand will be able to live out of the rest of their lives in a safe environment with hundreds of times more space than the tiny tanks they currently endure.”8

The Whale Sanctuary Project agrees. “The loss of Kiska will only intensify the urgency of our team to help Marineland relocate the approximately 34 belugas and five dolphins who remain there.”9 They ended their statement with this:

“Meanwhile, we can only ask that Marineland be fully transparent about the circumstances surrounding Kiska’s passing. But in the end, we know that no words can explain away a lifetime of pain and misery as experienced by a deeply intelligent, social, family-centered being who had the terrible misfortune to become known as the loneliest whale in the world.”10

Don’t give up. We can save the others.

Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe.

 

Footnotes:

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Trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina

All photos in this article were taken by me. All Rights Reserved.

The beach off of NC 12, near Black Pelican Beach, just north of Avon, NC.
The beach off of NC 12, near Black Pelican Beach, just north of Avon, NC.

This year, we visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I’d only ever been there once, in 2003, just before Hurricane Isabel altered parts of the barrier islands. We enjoyed the landscapes, the nature reserves, the wildlife, the quaint towns, and of course, the beaches.

Natural Beauty

The Outer Banks are a string of barrier islands that span and protect nearly the entire coast of North Carolina. As an Outer Banks Guide explained, “They are made entirely of sand, without the keel of rock that anchors most islands firmly to the earth. It is a fascinat­ingly evanescent phenomenon in geological terms, a landform so transient that changes are visible from year to year.”3 Though there is a lot of development, there are vast natural areas, preserves, dunes, and beaches. We saw inspiring sun rises on the ocean side and gorgeous sunsets on the sound side.

Sunset over the sound, taken from the Duck Town Park Boardwalk with a dock at center.
Sunset over the sound, taken from the Duck Town Park Boardwalk, Duck, NC.

Wildlife

There were more birds and crabs than I can list, as well as deer and other animals. Pelicans seemed to enjoy showing off their graceful glide just inches above the sea. Sandpipers and terns poked into the sand seeking food. A few times, I sat really still on the beach when there weren’t a lot of people around, and I became surrounded by ghost crabs! The Outer Banks have laws and protected areas for wildlife throughout the islands. They restricted humans from some places to protect bird nests:

Do Not Enter sign, restricting areas where nesting birds and their eggs are protected.
Do Not Enter signs from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service on the Outer Banks, NC.
IMG_2738

We even saw sea turtle tracks!

Sea turtle tracks on the sand.
Sea turtle tracks at Oregon Inlet, NC.

But sadly, we also found a dead sea turtle. We visited an area called Oregon Inlet and had a picnic snack on the beach. Then we walked along the beach and picked up trash.

The beach along Oregon Inlet, seaweed and shells dot the edge of the water.
The beach along Oregon Inlet, NC.

In the distance, I could see something big with orange stripes and wasn’t sure what it was until we got right up to it. Once I realized that it was a deceased sea turtle, I cried. I don’t know what caused its death, but I was sorry that it had lost its life. When I went to report the turtle, I discovered that spray paint markings like these indicate that this turtle had already been reported. Scientists document the animal’s species, sex, and age, and also extract genetic material to study and to better understand those species.

Dead sea turtle with orange spray paint lines on the sand.
Deceased sea turtle with orange spray paint markings.

The National Park Service has many sites in the Outer Banks, including several lighthouses and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, and they had one on Ocracoke Island that offered sea turtle education. My son learned a lot from the rangers and their exhibit.

My son listened to the National Park Service employees and learned about sea turtle nesting on the Outer Banks.
My son listened to the National Park Service rangers and learned about sea turtle nesting on the Outer Banks. National Park Service site on Ocracoke Island.

Sea turtle nesting exhibit at the National Park Service site on Ocracoke Island. Turtle shells, figurines, a skull, and signage on a table.
Sea turtle nesting exhibit at the National Park Service site on Ocracoke Island.

Trash

As usual for my family, we picked up litter and beachcombed. Following are three of the piles we accumulated, containing a range of items – bottles of sunscreen, pieces of toys, Styrofoam/polystyrene, pieces of nylon rope, fireworks debris, food wrappers, plastic bags and film, and many, many small pieces of plastic. I uploaded images of each individual item into the Litterati app.

Pile of collected trash.

Pile of collected trash.

Pile of collected trash.

As you can see, we found quite a variety of items, some recognizable and some not! Some of these items likely washed up on the beach from other places or fell off of boats, but others were obviously left behind. It’s so important to remember to leave the beach cleaner than you found it! Plastic pollution exponentially increases annually and is harming everything in the food chain, including humans.

Below are a few of my favorite finds – a broken green-haired plastic mermaid, a fishermen’s glove, and two missile-shaped diving weights that we ended up using and keeping!

Toy missile diving weights, orange and green.
Fishermen's glove, yellow and black.
Plastic mermaid doll, green hair and tail.

I also found these goggles, which at first I thought someone had dropped. But upon closer examination, I noticed that these had been in the ocean long enough to grow barnacles:

Barnacled and very dirty snorkle goggles, yellow frame with clear and frosted plastic parts.
Barnacled and very dirty snorkle goggles, yellow frame with clear and frosted plastic parts.
Barnacled and very dirty snorkle goggles, yellow frame with clear and frosted plastic parts.

Jennette’s Pier

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Located in Nags Head, NC, and used for sightseeing and fishing, this pier is unique. It was originally built in 1939 by the Jennette family, hence the name. The North Carolina Aquarium Society bought it in 2003 with the intention of building an educational outpost for the Aquarium, but Hurricane Isabel severely damaged the pier later that same year. The Aquarium rebuilt the 1000-foot-long, concrete pier with educational panels throughout and it reopened in 2011.5 It is LEED certified and has 3 wind turbines:

""Harnessing

Wind turbine, looking from the bottom, almost straight up. Sky in background.
Wind turbine at Jennette’s Pier.

They had exhibit panels on birds and marine mammals and shorebirds, such as this one:

"Sea Turtle Rescue" sign explaining how sea turtles are rescued.
“Sea Turtle Rescue” sign at Jennette’s Pier.

They had others on many topics, including surfing, ocean processes, fishing, and trash. In fact, they had sponsored recycling stations for items like cigarette butts and fishing line:

PVC tube recycling station for fishing line.
Recycling station for fishing line.

PVC tube recycling station for cigarette butts.
Recycling station for cigarette butts, to be recycled by TerraCycle.

The Pier House features a small, free series of North Carolina Aquariums interactive exhibits. I highly recommend visiting this pier if you’re ever on the Outer Banks!

My son standing in front of one of the North Carolina Aquarium exhibit tanks, with fish at top.
My son standing in front of one of the North Carolina Aquarium exhibit tanks.

Other Cool Finds

Outer Banks Brewing Station

We ate at this brewery and restaurant, which was once featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. While we went to several good restaurants, I’m featuring this one because it uses wind energy! It was the first wind-powered brewery in the United States, and the first business to produce wind power on the Outer Banks. They use 100% of the turbine’s energy to supplement their electricity. Over the course of its operating life (at least 30 years), this 10 kW Bergey GridTek system will offset approximately 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 250 tons of greenhouse gases.7 Oh, and we enjoyed the food and brew!

My husband inside of the Outer Banks Brewing Station, with a flight of beer in front of him on a table.
My husband at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, preparing for his flight (of beer)!

Wind turbine against blue sky, at the Outer Banks Brewing Station.
Wind turbine at the Outer Banks Brewing Station.

The Surfin’ Spoon

This frozen yogurt shop in Nags Head was my son’s absolute favorite, and they also offered dairy-free ice cream treats that were delicious! This shop, owned by a former professional surfer, collects and donates money to Surfers for Autism, a non-profit that provides free surf sessions to children and adults with autism and other related developmental delays and disabilities.8

My son peeking through the Surfin' Spoon's sign.
My son peeking through the Surfin’ Spoon’s sign.

Dog friendly

Almost everywhere on the Outer Banks is super dog friendly! I found this pleasantly surprising and hope to bring our dog there someday.

Dog prints in the sand.

Overall, A Lovely Place to Travel

We saved up for this trip and felt privileged to be able to travel the Outer Banks, taking in many sights from Corolla all the way down to Emerald Isle, North Carolina. We saw several lighthouses, National Park Service sites, and other places that I didn’t have time to mention above. I highly recommend the Outer Banks for its beauty, dedication to conservation, and relaxed atmosphere. Thanks for reading, please share and subscribe!

My son playing on the beach in the early evening in Duck, NC.
My son playing on the beach in the early evening in Duck, NC.

 

Footnotes:
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Honoring Sea Turtles

Sea Turtle at the Newport Aquarium
Sea turtle at the Newport Aquarium. Photo by me

Happy World Sea Turtle Day! Though these beautiful and important creatures deserve everyone’s attention year-round, I like to honor this day, June 16th, to acknowledge and bring awareness to their plight.

I found this video about sea turtles from the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, which my family just visited this past April (2022):

The aquarium had a really great display with a cross-section of how a sea turtle nest looks under the sand:

My son pointing examining the sea turtle nest cross section exhibit at the Newport Aquarium.
My son examining the sea turtle nest cross-section exhibit at the Newport Aquarium. Photo by me.

Close-up of the sea turtle nest cross section exhibit at the Newport Aquarium.
Close-up of the sea turtle nest cross-section exhibit at the Newport Aquarium.

It is extremely important to protect these nests since hatchlings have a very low chance of survival to adulthood. Here’s a TED-Ed video explaining the struggles hatchlings face:

What You Can Do

The best thing you can do is to learn and then educate others! Please read my article about the importance of sea turtles and what is endangering them and what actions you can take to help protect them.

You can also adopt a sea turtle nest! There are many organizations at every level –  global down to local communities – that take donations to protect a nest and educate their communities. I adopt one annually on Hilton Head Island through the Coastal Discovery Museum since that area is special to my family. There seems to be a program near most coastal communities in the United States, so just pick one!

Thank you for reading and supporting sea turtles, please share and subscribe! I’ll close with a video I took of a sea turtle swimming in the Newport Aquarium’s Coral Reef exhibit:

Additional Resources:

Video, “All About Sea Turtles,” World Wildlife Fund Wild Classroom, April 13, 2021.

Article, “How To Help Save Sea Turtles,” seeturtleweek.com.

Film, Protecting leatherback turtles – Blue Planet II: Episode 7 Preview, BBC One, December 8, 2017.

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Endangered Species Day

Baby harp seal on snow, white and furry with big dark eyes.
Photo by Hotel Kaesong on Flickr, Creative Commons license, (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Today is Endangered Species Day. This day is observed each year on the third Friday of May, a day to raise awareness about endangered species and celebrate those that have recovered through conservation efforts.9 But like me, I bet many of you probably already try to raise awareness when the opportunity arises.

When I was a child, I learned that baby harp seals – the adorable, white, fluffy ones – were killed solely for their fur. At 6 years old, I could not understand how people would kill these animals just for their coats. I believe this is what sparked the environmentalist in me at that young age. I would try to teach others about harp seal pup clubbing and I had a Greenpeace ‘Save the Seals’ button that I wore. A few years later, I learned about elephant poaching – again, shocked and dismayed that people would kill such a large, beautiful animal just for the ivory in its tusks. I wrote papers in school and even designed a t-shirt advocating for elephants.

Obviously, this has continued into adulthood.

Me at 6 years old holding my baby seal stuffed animals.
Me at 6 years old holding my baby seal stuffed animals.

Why Are So Many Species Endangered?

Most endangered species become endangered because of human activity. As our own population increases, other species experience the loss and degradation of habitat, mainly from deforestation. People overhunt and overfish, introduce invasive species, and contribute to climate change.10 Each of these actions slowly degrades the ecosystem of each species and they cannot survive. “Human activity has altered about 75 percent of the surface of the land, eliminating natural systems millions of years in the making and squeezing wildlife into fragments of their former ranges,” wrote Dr. Sylvia A. Earle.11

When we lose a species, we lose an important component in the intricate web of life. The loss creates a butterfly effect in the food chain and ecosystems. Scientists call this the decline of biodiversity. But when we lose a species forever, I feel like we’ve lost more than that – we are losing part of our humanity. We are losing something we can’t replace or reproduce. Technology can’t reverse extinction. (And even if it could someday, we don’t understand every single moving part of ecosystems. Have you ever seen Jurassic Park?)

“We are now causing the extinction of more species than have gone extinct in the last 65 million years.” -Rob Stewart, Revolution

Graphic of the world map with animals making the outlines of the continents.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

How Many Species Are Threatened?

More than 40,000 species are threatened with extinction!12 Today, there are 8,722 critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.13 The IUCN, or the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is the international authority on assessing the status and conservation of plant, animal, and insect species across the world. Here’s a short video about their importance:

“It amazes me that some of our most well-known species are the ones that are closest to extinction.” -Joel Sartore, the Photo Ark

The Endangered Species Act of 1973

This act is the main legislation in the United States aimed at conserving plants and animals at risk of extinction. “The act’s main directive is to recover threatened and endangered species to a state of health and stability in which they no longer require protected status,” Jeff Corwin wrote.14

“The act is easily the most important piece of conservation legislation in the nation’s history. Its most dramatic successes include the recovery of the American alligator, gray whale, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and eastern population of the brown pelican.” -Edward O. Wilson, Afterword of Silent Spring

Regardless of our political beliefs or affiliation, we must protect and preserve this act and its related legislation. We must stop allowing our representatives to strip away its protections, which they are consistently trying to do. Joel Sartore of the Photo Ark, wrote: “Legislators passed it almost unanimously in 1973. But it has not been reauthorized – given multiyear funding – since the late 1990s. As it stands now, funding for the [Endangered Species Act] comes from annual appropriations requested by the Department of the Interior – subject, of course, to the President’s agenda.”15

Rhinos and a giraffe in the background in a landscape.
Photo by Ken Goulding on Unsplash

Let’s Go Back

“People protect what they love.” -Jacques Cousteau

We can’t just toss a few of every species into zoos and then call it good. We’ve got to do more. Maybe we should go back to thinking like we did as kids. Animals were special, exciting to see and learn about, and important to protect. We all understood this so clearly as children! Even Walt Disney understood:

“How could this earth of ours, which is only a speck in the heavens, have so much variety of life, so many curious and exciting creatures?” -Walt Disney

So what can you do? Protect what you love. Teach others. Here are “10 Actions You Can Take to Conserve Endangered Species” from the Endangered Species Coalition:16

Infographic

Thanks for reading, and Happy Endangered Species Day!

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