Can You Dig It? Sign up now for our sea turtle program on Monday, August 4th, 2025, at Cape Lookout Lighthouse beach!
Several days after a sea turtle nest has hatched, park biologists excavate and inventory the nest contents. While nature is unpredictable, and we never know what we will find, eggs and lots of eggshells can be expected. If any live hatchlings are discovered, they will be released on site! In addition to seeing the inventory, the program allows visitors to ask a park ranger questions about sea turtles and sea turtle management within Cape Lookout National Seashore.
The program itself is free to the public, but attendees will need to purchase a ferry ticket to the beach. Ferry transport ($24) can be booked by calling Island Express Ferry Service at (252)728-7433. Participants will need to take the 8:45 am ferry from Harkers Island to the Lighthouse. This nest is close enough to the lighthouse that we will be walking to it. It’ll be about a quarter of a mile to the nest (0.5 miles round trip) walking on sand.
Reserve your spot today by calling (252) 838-8950. Space is limited to 15 people. Attendees should expect a time commitment of roughly 2 hours from 8:30am-10:30am. Come prepared for the elements (hats, sunblock, bug spray, water, snacks, and other items you may need).
This program is weather dependent. If heavy rain or lightening is predicted, the event will be cancelled. Please call Harker’s Island Visitor Center if you have any questions.
Image Description: Park Ranger Karen shows visitors a hatched sea turtle egg during a "Can You Dig It” program. Image Credit: NPS Photo/S.Godin
This conservation work for protected sea turtles in Cape Lookout National Seashore is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (25ST34).
You may also like the following events from Cape Lookout National Seashore:
- This Sunday, 3rd August, 08:30 am, Horse Sense and Survival: August 3, 2025 in Harkers Island
- This month, 12th August, 07:30 pm, Lighthouse Starlight Cruise in Harkers Island
- Next month, 6th September, 06:30 pm, Lighthouse Starlight Cruise in Harkers Island
