CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) -- As the summer months approach, sea turtle nests are starting to pop up along area beaches. Some beaches are seeing a boom of turtle eggs, while others are off to a late start to the nesting season.
"We got our first nest today," said Nancy Busovne of the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project.
Although the nest was a small one, holding only 95 eggs, Busovne says this is a big development for Carolina Beach.
"I know there's a lot of speculation," she said.
It's a different story at Caswell Beach, where the first nest in the state popped up April 27 breaking the record of May 12.
"We haven't got a technical, biological, reason for the turtles coming in that early except that the water temperature warmed up sooner this year because of the mild winter we had," Caswell Beach turtle watcher Everett Smith said.
Both beaches are expecting between four to six nests for the season, but of course, nature is unpredictable.
"This year could be up, could be down," Smith said.
The nest at Carolina Beach should hatch some time around the end of July. The public is welcome to come witness the journey of the hatchlings to the sea.
If you can't wait that long to see sea turtles, head out to the Sea Vista Motel in Topsail Beach Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital will release this year's group of rehabilitated reptiles back into the ocean.