History of the 2022 Turtle Shirt

The 2022 HBTWP shirt was designed from an actual photo taken of a Kemp's Ridley hatchling on our beach in July of 2021 taken by HBTWP member Corki Jarvis.

This shirt commemorates several special events on Holden Beach in 2021.

Our first nest of the 2021 season was laid on a Saturday afternoon around 2 p.m. This nest marked a series of firsts!

1. First Kemp's Ridley Turtle nest to be laid on our beach in Turtle Patrol History.
2. First nest in North Carolina for this season on May 8, 2021.
3. Earliest nest laid on Holden Beach (see First Nest History in the Photo section of this website.)
4. The first nest to hatch in NC in 2021 on July 14.

Kemp's Ridley are the smallest of the five kinds of turtles that lay nests in North Carolina. They usually lay nests further north in the Outer Banks area. Kemp's Ridleys are the most threatened species of turtles that nest in North Carolina. They usually nest during daylight hours (so mid-afternoon is not unusual for them). The momma climbed an escarpment and laid the nest in a safe place. Kemp's Ridley nests typically have 104 to 110 eggs.

On July 14 early morning 87 hatchlings were assisted into the ocean after an early morning boil. The nest was inventoried July 17 and 90 egg shells were found (see photo album post on Kemp's Ridley Nest 2021 or more phots of this event).

These shirts were only available during the 2022 season.

Click on a thumbnail for a larger view of the photo.

Kemp's Ridley Original photo

2022 HBTW shirt

Front of 2022 shirt

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