Kayak's release!

During the summer of 2006 a loggerhead sea turtle had been seen struggling off Holden Beach for several days. Turtle Patrol stranding team members were keeping a watchful eye on her and had swam out several times to try to get her to shore but she was still strong enough to dive and swim away. Finally as she grew weaker a team rescue was attempted. Several patrol members and three vacationers went out in kayaks and managed to corral her and grab her carapace to drag her to shore. She was suffering from dehydration and was very weak from infection. Her carapace was weighted down with sea growth that had accumulated during her weakened state. Patrol members took her to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation center on Topsail Island, NC. on July 12, 2006. Because of the unique rescue on the kayak she was named Miss Kayak (subsequently found out that the turtle was male so the name was changed to simply "Kayak".) Kayak was released the next year (6/6/07) and we hope he is still traveling the seas.

The proceeds from T-shirt sales and donations at two Turtle Talk programs that summer were donated to the Karen Beasley Turtle hospital to help with Kayak's care. Kayak was a patient at the hospital for eleven months.

Members of the HB Turtle Patrol were on hand on June 6, 2007 to help Kayak get back into the ocean. Kayak was released on Topsail Island, NC along with other former patients of the turtle hospital.

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