The new schedule means work won’t be completed before Easter at Sea Pines, but it should be finished before the RBC Heritage Presented By Boeing golf tournament, which is April 14 to 17.
Once the renourishment begins, work will occur 24 hours a day, on 1,000-foot sections at a time. Those sections will be closed while work occurs, but the rest of the beaches will remain open. Alternate access will be provided for beachgoers.
Steve Birdwell, president of Sea Pines Resort, said the delay would affect the resort’s Spring break groups, but he did not expect much economic impact.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said of the delay. “But the work has to get done.”
Farther north, Jay Wiendl, general manager of Sonesta Resort, was taking the changes in stride and was glad that his resort’s section of the renourishment would be finished before Memorial Day.
The section from South Forest Beach, North Forest Beach to Palmetto Dunes is scheduled for early April to early May.
“This is going to impact our business,” he said of the renourishment. “But certainly not having enough beach would be more of an impact.”
He noted that storms last fall had brought heavy erosion. “We need to get sand out there,” he said.
Meanwhile, the island’s turtle patrol is bracing to protect sea turtles and hatchlings during their nesting season, which is from May 1 to Oct. 31.
Amber Kuehn, manager of the Hilton Head Sea Turtle Protection Project, said the patrol will have workers stationed overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. at renourishment sites to make sure turtles don’t get stuck behind the pipes that run horizontal to the beach. The turtle patrol will also make its usual rounds each morning. If a turtle arrives to nest in the work area, operations must shut down until it lays its eggs. The nest will then be relocated away from the work.
Kuehn said that overall she did not expect the work to affect many nests or turtles. Turtles will likely avoid the lighted, noisy areas where renourishment occurs.
There was a concern about the Port Royal Sound work continuing until early July when eggs begin to hatch. She added, though, that the northern Port Royal area is a lighter nesting area. There were only six nests there last year.
Liggett said the contractor has until Aug. 15 to complete the project or face penalties of $10,000 a day. Currently, the work is scheduled to be completed in early July.
Most of the beach sections in the upcoming project were last renourished in winter 2007.
The town typically tries to renourish beaches in winter, but state and federal environmental agencies required it to avoid nesting seasons for endangered piping plover and red knot birds, Liggett said. Those migratory birds should be leaving the north end of the island by April.
Meanwhile, the island’s turtle patrol is bracing to protect sea turtles and hatchlings during their nesting season, which is from May 1 to Oct. 31.
Amber Kuehn, manager of the Hilton Head Sea Turtle Protection Project, said the patrol will have workers stationed overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. at renourishment sites to make sure turtles don’t get stuck behind the pipes that run horizontal to the beach. The turtle patrol will also make its usual rounds each morning. If a turtle arrives to nest in the work area, operations must shut down until it lays its eggs. The nest will then be relocated away from the work.
Kuehn said that overall she did not expect the work to affect many nests or turtles. Turtles will likely avoid the lighted, noisy areas where renourishment occurs.
There was a concern about the Port Royal Sound work continuing until early July when eggs begin to hatch. She added, though, that the northern Port Royal area is a lighter nesting area. There were only six nests there last year.
Liggett said the contractor has until Aug. 15 to complete the project or face penalties of $10,000 a day. Currently, the work is scheduled to be completed in early July.
Most of the beach sections in the upcoming project were last renourished in winter 2007.
The town typically tries to renourish beaches in winter, but state and federal environmental agencies required it to avoid nesting seasons for endangered piping plover and red knot birds, Liggett said. Those migratory birds should be leaving the north end of the island by April.
Liggett said he hopes the project can make up time once it gets started.
“We will be working to get off that oceanfront beach as soon as we can,” he said.
Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article63115557.html#storylink=cpy
When you are on vacation time is precious, right? You can’t leave the kids at the beach by themselves… besides they need lunch and you were hoping to get in a little shopping in, take the kids somewhere interactive and educational… Oh! almost forgot about dinner, hmmmm… WELL, why not save time and do all of these things in one trip. Every farmers market in every area has a great diverse offering and no 2 are alike.
The Bluffton Farmers Market website. Click on this for the latest updates and happenings at this Farmers Market in Bluffton on Thursdays 2-7pm all summer to fall and check out Calhoun St for its eclectic artwork for sale, have lunch in one of their cottage tea rooms, then on your way out get some fresh seafood for dinner at “The Bluffton Oyster Company”or on Hilton Head Island “Benny Hudsons Seafood Market”.
“The Shelter Cove Park Farmers Market” will be open every Wednesday from May 1 to October 30, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The park is an outdoor “living room,” having a wonderful area with plenty of picnic tables to share. Shelter Cove Community Park is located at 39 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, 29928.
Farmers Markets bring local farmers, crafters and other vendors together to sell our region’s bounty to tourists and residents.
The pecan is native to North America and generally speaking follows the Cotton Belt from the Carolinas to Texas. Pecans are not grown commercially on any other continent.
The history of pecans can be traced back to the 16th century. The only major tree nut that grows naturally in North America, the pecan is considered one of the most valuable North American nut species. The name “pecan” is a Native American word of Algonquin origin that was used to describe “all nuts requiring a stone to crack.” The American Indian used pecans as a major foodstuff long before the advent of the white man. The famous explorer DeSoto made mention of the pecan as early as 1541. Many other explorers recorded information about this American nut with the “fine and delicate” taste.
Because wild pecans were readily available, many Native American tribes in the U.S. and Mexico used the wild pecan as a major food source during autumn. It is speculated that pecans were used to produce a fermented intoxicating drink called “Powcohicora” (where the word “hickory” comes from). It also is said that Native Americans first cultivated the pecan tree.
The first record of pecans being sent from the Deep South to the North appears in 1799 when, on the twelfth of November, Daniel Clark of New Orleans sent a box of pecans to Thomas Jefferson, then Vice-President.
There seems to be no definite record as to when cultivated pecan trees were first planted; although many believe this to have taken place in the 1780’s. Cultivated pecans are the large paper shell nuts grown in the southeastern United States.
In 1822, Abner Landrum of South Carolina discovered a pecan budding technique, which provided a way to graft plants derived from superior wild selections (or, in other words, to unite with a growing plant by placing in close contact). However, this invention was lost or overlooked until 1876 when an African-American slave gardener from Louisiana (named Antoine) successfully propagated pecans by grafting a superior wild pecan to seedling pecan stocks. Antoine’s clone was named “Centennial” because it won the Best Pecan Exhibited award at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. His 1876 planting, which eventually became 126 Centennial trees, was the first official planting of improved pecans
From the time of the early explorers to the commercially cultivated orchards of today, the pecan remains the unique American nut and has moved forward to become one of America’s great horticulture crops.
There are over 1,000 varieties of pecans. Many are named for Native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Choctaw and Shawnee.
Pecans could improve your love life? If the body does not get enough zinc, it may have difficulty producing testosterone – a key hormone in initiating sexual desire in both men and women. Pecans provide nearly 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for zinc. So, pass on the oysters and reach for a handful of pecans!
Research from Loma Linda University published in the August 2006 issue of Nutrition Research showed that adding just a handful of pecans(3oz) to your diet each day may help inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, thus helping prevent coronary heart disease. The researchers suggest that this positive effect was in part due to the pecans’ significant content of vitamin E. Oxidation of lipids in the body – a process akin to rusting – is detrimental to health.
In addition, landmark research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry (June 2004) found that pecans rank highest among all nuts and are among the top category of foods to contain the highest antioxidant capacity, meaning pecans may decrease the risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. A review of pecan and other nut research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (September 2003), suggests that nuts like pecans may aid in weight loss and maintenance. The review cited studies indicating that nut consumption may increase metabolic rates and enhance satiety.
Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats. Like walnuts (which pecans resemble), pecans are rich inomega-6 fatty acids, although pecans contain about half as much omega-6 as walnuts.
Clinical research published in the Journal of Nutrition (September 2001) found that eating about a handful of pecans each day may help lower cholesterol levels similar to what is often seen with cholesterol-lowering medications.Research conducted at the University of Georgia has also confirmed that pecans contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability. Pecans may also play a role in neurological health. Eating pecans daily may delay age-related muscle nerve degeneration, according to a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts and published in Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research.
Herb Pecan Snack Mix
5 c. cereal (any combination of bite-size, rice or corn squares; round toasted oat cereal; and crispy corn or rice cereal bites)
1½ c. small pretzels and/or Sesame sticks (or dark Rye bread chips)
2 cup pecan halves or pieces, 1/2 c. Almonds and/or Peanuts
1/3 c. butter or olive oil smart balance butter (melted) & 2 T. Extra virgin olive oil
1 T dried parsley flakes, ½ t. celery salt
1 t. dried thyme (crushed)
1 t. Smoked Paprika, 1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
½ t. onion powder
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine cereals, pretzels (or Sesame sticks) and pecans in a 13x9x2” baking pan. In a bowl, stir melted butter (or margarine) and remaining ingredients together. Pour over cereal mixture, tossing gently until well coated. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice. Spread in a large shallow pan or on foil to cool before serving.
. Quality of Pecan Varieties Suitable for Home Plantings
Variety
Dichogamy*
Size
Kernel Quality
Scab Resistance
Productivity
*Type I = protandrous (pollen sheds before the female flowers are receptive); Type II = protogynous (pollen sheds after the female flowers are receptive). See “Flowering and Fruiting Habit” section for a more detailed explanation. To cross pollinate you need at least 2-3 trees.
Care of Bearing Trees
Fertilizing: Fertilization is one of the most important practices for bearing trees. If the trees are to produce a good crop, terminal growth should be 6 inches each year. In the absence of a leaf tissue analysis or soil test, broadcast 4 pounds of a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 for each inch of trunk diameter (measured 4½ feet above soil level). This fertilizer should be applied in mid- to late February.
Zinc nutrition is especially important in pecan production. Zinc deficiency is called rosette. The most common and noticeable symptoms of rosette are bronzing and mottling of leaves; early defoliation; dead twigs in tops of trees; abnormally small nuts; small yellowish, chlorotic leaves; and short, thin twigs growing on older scaffold branches with rosettes of small yellowish-green leaves at the tips.
Zinc needs are best determined by a laboratory analysis of leaf samples taken in late July or early August. Kits and instructions for taking leaf samples are available from any Clemson Extension office. The leaf tissue analysis report will tell you how much zinc to apply. In the absence of a tissue analysis, apply 1 pound of zinc sulfate to young trees and 3 to 5 pounds for large trees each year. A soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5 assures the availability of essential nutrients. If the pH is too low or too high, uptake and use of nutrients is impaired. Apply lime as suggested in the soil test report to correct low pH.
Pecans are mature and ready to harvest anytime after the shuck begins to open, this is usually in the fall, but regions vary. See picture above.
Insect Pests of Pecans and Controls
Insects
Control
Aphids and mites
Wash off leaves with a high pressure hose sprayer. Wash as high as possible in tree. Repeat at least twice per week. Using an insecticidal soap may aid control. Insecticide use may make these problems worse.
Hickory shuckworms
Sanitation is very important. Clean up and destroy all old Shucks and debris.
Twig girdlers
Pick up and discard girdled twigs and limbs. Many girdled twigs do not fall from the tree. Remove as many of these as possible.
Fall webworms
Remove and destroy webs when they are first noticed.
Pecan weevils
Pick up and destroy infested nuts as they fall. Nuts should be picked up at least twice per week.
18sandpiper.com wants you to have fun & be safe at the beach!
A Jellyfish swimming up Jarvis Creek
Avoidance of Jellyfish & Stingrays
Although all stings can not be avoided, many can be. Simple steps can be taught to young ones and can help prevent a miserable beach experience. Swimming is fun and should be encouraged.
Stingray Avoidance
Stingrays lay on the bottom, partly burring under the sand. When stepped on, they will whip their tail up and stab the offender with their barb. It is a defensive behavior. Always shuffle your feet on the sand bottom when wadding in the water. This way, you will alert the ray of your presence and it may scare them off. Teach young ones to shuffle their feet and never “walk” as if on land. Jellyfish Avoidance
If you find a beached jellyfish, do not touch. They can still sting. Often turtles will eat jellyfish, and some tentacles may break off and find their way to the beach, and they can still sting. There are products that claim to prevent jellyfish stings from occurring and products for treatment after a sting, which are basically vinegar solutions suspended in a jell and stick on the affected area longer.
Jellyfish usually travel in groups and are not fast swimmers. They are carried by currents and the wind mainly. If you see them in the water, simply find another place to swim. If you do get stung, park officials often have had experience with the treatment and may be able to help you, so if they are around, get help. It is always a good idea to have some white vinegar in your beach bag just in case someone experiences a sting.
Treatment of Jellyfish encounters.
Most marine stings present no real danger, but some people may require medical treatment if “shock type symptoms” appear or a severe rash develops. Otherwise, stopping painful toxin release & preventing infection is the main treatment concern.
Jellyfish Stings
Get the person out of the water before treating. Remove tentacles if still present using gloves or a piece of clothing. The victim may have welts resembling whip marks or a mild rash. This will be the area to scrape. Gently scrape the skin surface with a credit card or a dull blade to remove remaining cells attached to the skin. Dry sand can also be used if no card or blade is available.
Stop the Venom
The best way to neutralize the stinger cells is to saturate a cloth placed over the area with vinegar, white vinegar being best, for 30-60 minutes.( An old liniment dabber bottle is great for this or an old rollon deodorant bottle. Great to stick in a beach bag.) Always test small area first. Never use meat tenderizer, cold fresh water, alcohol & urine as these may activate the stinger cells. If no vinegar is available, soak area in hot water, as hot as victim can tolerate, for 60-90 minutes.
Long Term Care
The victim will probably develop mild welts or a mild rash. This is normal, and should heal in 1-3 weeks. Pain is usually a mild to moderate burning sensation & usually lasts for 1-3 days. You can apply an antibiotic ointment on broken skin & hydrocortisone cream may relieve pain. If severe bead looking welts or shock symptoms develop, take the person to the hospital or call EMS.
Stingray and Catfish Stings
Catfish have poison glands that inject toxin through hollow barbs. A Stingray barb is coated with venom. Pain can be severe, but usually is not life threatening, except wounds to chest, face & abdomen areas, which are very serious & require EMS treatment.
Hardhead Catfish Wounds
Stings usually occur when handling catfish caught while fishing, usually involving the hand or foot. 3-barbs, one on the dorsal fin and one on each side, are serrated and can be very difficult to remove if deeply embedded. Usually a doctor should remove.
If the barb is not embedded, immerse the affected part in hot water, as hot as the victim can tolerate, but not hot enough to burn. Although the pain will be relieved in seconds, leave in the
hot water for 30-60 minutes. Keep the water as hot as can be tolerated. The poison will drain from wound into the water. Clean wound with a mild soap, a dab of Tea Tree oil or an antiseptic solution. Wrap with gauze.
Stingray Wounds
Stingray injuries may occur when fishing or wadding. The barb is located on the tail, and is stabbed into the victim as a defensive maneuver. If no barb is embedded, treat like the catfish treatment above. Laceration type wounds may require stitches. A tetanus shot may also be required. Should shock symptoms develop, or barb is embedded in tissue, the victim will require EMS & hospital treatment. Never pull out a barb deeply embedded in tissue, chest or abdomen areas, which can be very serious.
What a Chigger Is:
Chiggers are tiny (most can only be seen with a magnifying glass) and red, and they are a type of mite. Mites aren’t insects — they are arachnids and part of the same family as spiders, scorpions, and ticks.
Chiggers are found all over the place, including in grassy fields, along lakes and streams, and in forests. Beautiful“Spanish Moss” hanging from the “Sea Oaks” can be loaded with them! There are adult chiggers and baby chiggers (called larvae), but only the baby chiggers bother people and animals.
Chiggers have tiny claws that allow them to attach tightly onto people and animals. Once attached, they are able to pierce the skin and inject their saliva, which contains digestive juices that dissolve skin cells. The chigger then slurps up the dissolved skin cells. To the chigger, this is a tasty meal! Having a chigger do this is very irritating to your skin.After a few days, the chigger will be done feeding and fall off a person’s skin, leaving behind a red welt where it had once been. A popular myth about chiggers is that they burrow into the skin and remain there, but this is incorrect. When the chigger bites, it inserts its feeding structures and mouth parts into the skin. They inject enzymes into the host skin that destroy the host tissue. The area then hardens, and a feeding tube, called a sylostome, develops at the bite area. Chiggers can feed on the skin for a few days through this structure if they are not disturbed.
If a person gets bitten by a chigger, the bite will be very itchy. A chigger bite will cause a tiny red bump, which will get bigger and itchier as time goes on. The itchy bump can last for days or even a couple of weeks.
If you think you’ve been bitten by a chigger, wash the bite with soap and water. Put on some calamine lotion or cool compresses to help with the itching, or an adult can find an anti-itch cream or medicine at the drugstore for you. Try not to scratch the bites too much, because this can make the bites become infected. Treatment for chigger bites is directed toward relieving the itching andinflammation. Calamine lotion and corticosteroid creams may be used to control itching. Oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or Tea Tree oil may also be used for symptom relief.
Because chigger bites are so itchy, many people do get an infection from scratching the bites. If this happens, the doctor will prescribe a medication to help with the itching and a medicine to clear up the infection.
How to Avoid Getting Bitten
The best way to avoid getting bitten by a chigger is to wear an insect repellent. Ask your parents to apply one that contains 10% to 30% DEET. Or use my repellant spray under the Ticks and Fleas section. When it’s possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants outside, especially if you’ll be hiking or playing in fields.Once you come in from being in an outdoor area that may have chiggers, take a hot shower and use plenty of soap. Also, be sure to wash your clothes in hot water to kill any chiggers that might be living there.
SUNBURN:
One or more blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence more than double a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Morever, a person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns at any age.
If a person suffers any of these conditions with sunburn they should go to a hospital’s emergency department:
Relief of the discomfort becomes important, and there are several sunburn remedies.
Medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen to decrease pain and inflammation are useful, especially when started early.
For mild sunburn, cool compresses with equal parts of milk and water may suffice. Cold compresses with Burow’s solution may also be used, and can be bought at a drugstore. Dissolve 1 packet in 1 pint of water. Soak gauze or a soft clean cloth in it. Gently wring out the cloth and apply to the sunburned area for 15-20 minutes. Change or refresh the cloth and solution every 2-3 hours.
Aloe vera gel or aloe-based lotions may soothe irritated skin. These can be found in the drugstore.
Cool (not ice cold) baths may help. Avoid bath salts, oils, and perfumes because these may produce sensitivity reactions. Avoid scrubbing the skin or shaving the skin. Use soft towels to gently dry the body. Don’t rub. Use a light, fragrance-free skin moisturizer.
Avoid lotions that contain topical anesthetic medications because a person can become sensitized and then allergic to that medicine.
Stay out of the sun while you are sunburned.
Stay hydrated to avoid dehydration.
Adding a few heaping tablespoons of baking soda to cool bath water makes a sunburn-soothing remedy. Just keep your soaking time down to 15 to 20 minutes. If you soak any longer, you risk drying out your already lizard-like skin. When you’ve emerged from the bath, resist the urge to towel off. Instead air-dry, and don’t wipe the baking soda off.
Oatmeal added to cool bathwater offers another wonderful relief for sunburned skin. Fill up the bathtub with cool water–not cold water because that can send the body into shock. Don’t use bath salts, oils, or bubble bath. Instead, scoop 1/2 to 1 cup oatmeal — an ideal skin soother — and mix it in. Another option is to buy Aveeno, an oatmeal powder found in the pharmacy. Follow the packet’s directions. As with the baking soda, air-dry your body and don’t wipe the oatmeal off your skin.
The thick, gel-like juice of the aloe vera plant can take the sting and redness out of a sunburn. Aloe vera causes blood vessels to constrict. Luckily, this healing plant is available at your local nursery or even in the grocery store’s floral department. Simply slit open one of the broad leaves and apply the gel directly to the burn. Apply five to six times per day for several days.
RINGWORM:
Ringworm is a common fungal infection of the skin and is not due to a worm.
The medical term for ringworm istinea. The condition is further named for the site of the body where the infection occurs.
Ringworm causes a scaly, crusted rash that may itch.
Ringworm can be successfully treated with antifungal medications used either topically or orally.
Ringworm occurs in people of all ages, but it is particularly common in children. Ringworm is contagious and can be passed from person to person by contact with infected skin areas or by sharing combs and brushes, other personal care items, or clothing. It is also possible become infected with ringworm after coming in contact with locker room or pool surfaces. The infection can also affect dogs and cats, and pets may transmit the infection to humans. Such as beachareas where dog excrement can be found in sandy beach areas not washed out by the tides. Be careful letting children play in the upper marsh grass of the beaches. It is common to have several areas of ringworm at once in different body areas.
The signs and symptoms of ringworm include:
A circular rash on your skin that’s red and inflamed around the edge and healthy looking in the middle
Slightly raised expanding rings of red, scaly skin on your trunk or face
A round, flat patch of itchy skin
More than one patch of ringworm may appear on your skin, and patches or red rings of rash may overlap. You can have tinea infection without having the common red ring of ringworm.
When to see a doctor See your doctor if you have a rash on your skin that doesn’t improve within two weeks. You may need prescription medication.
See your doctor immediately if you experience:
Excessive redness
Swelling
Drainage
Fever
HOME REMEDY TO REPEL Ticks, Fleas & Skeeters
Ticks latch onto the skin of mammals and feed on their blood. They can carry and transmit potentially fatal diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Lyme disease.
If you let your dog or cat run around outside for exercise, you might run into problems with ticks. This problem can be especially troublesome if you live near a wooded area or a field of high grass. Your pets can carry the ticks back into the house where they can get on you. If you or your children venture outside where there are ticks, they may attach themselves to you, even if you don’t have a pet. Teach your children tick-avoidance rules. Do not allow them to wander in forests, and tell them to stay on trails when hiking to eliminate tick problems. Besides tick and flea medication from your vet these remedies can also help.
PETS:
Pour 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar into your pet’s water bowl and add 3 cups of water. The ticks will not like the taste or smell of the vinegar emanating from your pet’s skin, so they will not attach to the skin. Apple cider vinegar is safe for dogs and cats to consume.
Crush the berries of the beautyberry bush found in Mississippi into a pulp. Mix the pulp with some tea tree oil. Beautyberries are often used as a mosquito repellent, but the Agricultural Research Service has found the berry may work in repelling ticks as well. Apply the beautyberry mixture to the backs of your pet’s ears and neck and other places your pet commonly gets ticks. Ticks usually attach themselves to places where there is less fur to get through and where the skin is thinner.
Besides using the the tried and true pulling the tick by the head with tweezers and disinfectant method another home remedy for removing a tick is to rub the tick in a circular (twirling) motion for about a minute. For some reason, this occasionally causes ticks to back out of the skin. This method can be used on humans first before diving in with tweezers. You can also try the cotton ball method below under “People”
PEOPLE:
A tick is a parasitic creature that lives in woods, grassy fields and bushes. Ticks easily transfer to people who brush up against an object where the tick is sitting. Different species of ticks range in size from being difficult to see to being as large as a pencil. The tick migrates to a warm, moist area of the body, such as the armpits or groin. At any time, the tick can attach to the host person and begin to feed on blood. After a tick bites, it can transfer diseases such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever to the host person. Correctly removing the tick within the first 24 to 72 hours helps decrease the possibility of getting sick from the bite, according to Kids Health
Many areas where children like to play harbor ticks, small parasitic arachnids that can latch onto your child and feed on blood. Ticks are not only a nuisance. They also spread diseases, such as Lyme disease. To reduce the risk of a tick bite, child-safe repellents are available. The most widely used repellent approved for kids is DEET, which is available in spray, lotion, aerosol, cream or towelette form. Apply DEET only on exposed areas of your child’s skin and the outside of clothing. Do not apply the repellent under clothing. When using a DEET-based lotion on your child, apply the product to your hands first, then to the skin of your child. Avoid applying DEET near the eyes or mouth, or on the hands and feet of infants, who often place them in their mouths. Do not apply DEET on cuts, scrapes or skin that is irritated.Getting ticks out!My favorite way is getting a cotton ball dampened with a few drops of Tea Tree essential oil and water. Tea Tree oil is also a disinfectant and is great for traveling. Or if you are visiting someone and they do not have any oils you can use water or white vinegar and put a good gob of DAWN liquid detergent on it. Place over the tick so he is soaking in it. Leave the cotton ball on him undisturbed for a good 2 minutes so he cant breath. He should come up for air and get caught in the cotton ball threads. Lift the cotton ball gently to see if he has released yet. If not continue to let soak a little longer. If using tweezers never use it on the body. Get as close to the front of the head as possible so as not to squeeze the contents of the stomach out. Put in cotton bal and freeze for doctor if you are concerned about deseases. You can also use a cotton ball or Q-Tip soaked in Tea Tree Oil or a Q-Tip dipped in Rose-Geranium essential oil. A few drops of Rose-Geranium essential oil & Rosemary essential oil can be put on a damp/wet cotton ball and rubbed behind children’s ears, neck, arms & legs to keep mosquitos off and help repel Fleas & Ticks. Great for camping when you are limited on space.OR…
Repellant for pets or kids, my blend …
In a 16 oz spray bottle mix: (Use essential oils only)
10 oz Water
3 oz Apple Cider
3 oz Skin So Soft (SSS)
10 drops each of Rose-Geranium oil, Rosemary oil, Cedarwood oil
20 drops of Citronella oil
Shake well before spraying and cover eyes. Please keep in mind any remedies such as vaseline, hot matches, nail polish remover, etc- could actually make things worse. Anything that might cause ‘shock’ to the tick could result in the tick purging (that’s the same as vomiting) the contents of its body into your bloodstream, infecting you with any number of diseases. You can also just safely and quickly remove the tick with tweezers, cleanse the bite and watch for the symptoms of tick related sickness. Keep your tick frozen for your Dr incase of problems later.
Play it safe! Research anything in question further as this is just an outline for reference.
Located alongSouth Carolina’s coast and bordered by theAtlantic Ocean, lie three vacation destinations well-worth the trip. Hilton Head’s beaches and world-class golf, Beaufort’s historic landmarks and shopping, Daufuskie Island’s rich African American history, & Bluffton’s eclectic arts community and old town charm are all included in South Carolina’s Treasured Coast.
Famous for its miles of sandy beaches, world class golf courses, historical charm and delectable food, this Treasured Coast holds even more for those interested in the African American and Gullah culture and history.
By its very definition, heritage is a deeply personal, powerful force within a community. It is a link to those who have come before. A legacy to preserve and promote. A movement with a life of its own that infuses life into every corner of society.
The heritage of South Carolina’s Treasured Coastcan be found in the buildings. Buildings such as the Penn Center that brought hope to those who needed it most, or Heyward House in Bluffton that was one of the few antebellum structures to escape being burned during a Union troop attack in 1863. Or in the way the Gullah people, descendants of African slaves, have kept, and continue to keep alive, a culture that traces back to a different time and continent.
Welcome, or as “Gullah” natives of the Lowcountry would say, “We fa welcome oonah to de Lowcountry”. This simple Gullah greeting begins your journey to the rich African American history ofSouth Carolina’sTreasuredCoast– Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island andDaufuskieIsland. Famous for its miles of sandy beaches, world class golf courses, historical charm and delectable food, this Treasured Coast holds even more for those interested in the African American and Gullah culture and history. The influences of these cultures are reflected throughout the Lowcountry. The historic landmarks – tabby ruins built and used by slaves, cemeteries, churches and markers – give a glimpse of the past. Today’s celebrations of culture, art, food and stories keep alive many aspects of this rich heritage. Gullah crafters still weave the popular sweetgrass baskets and make fishing nets. History lovers and families return here year after year in search of theirSeaIslandroots, spending time with their elders and amidst extensive collections of genealogy records at local libraries. Tours take visitors into some of the areas most hidden and diverse neighborhoods, allowing them to see and experience the lifestyle that’s part of the treasure of the Lowcountry. The summer time is the perfect backdrop to host a family reunion, itineraries can include boat rides, historical tours, cultural entertainment, cook outs, beach outings and more.
October 10, 2012 updated from the Island Packet, New history for Daufuskie Island
A Daufuskie Island resident paddle-boarding with his wife and several others discovered a rare canoe, thought to be from the 1700s, protruding from the sand on Turtle Island. The canoe, which is now soaking in a tank at Wick Scurry’s restaurant, remains in good condition after an excavation that included Jim Spirek, the state archeologist who was part of the group that found and ultimately raised the Hunley. Spirek calls the canoe an “important find.”
A bit of centuries-old history has been freed from the muck off Daufuskie Island. The dugout canoe, probably hand-hewn in the 18th century, was first found on Turtle Island in May. Daufuskie Island residents and University of South Carolina archaeologists, aided by natural erosion around the craft, were able to break the mud’s grip Oct. 4.
James Spirek, a USC underwater archaeologist, oversaw the dig and says the boat probably was hand-carved from a single log. By whom remains a mystery. “Based on how well this seems to be built, it suggests it was hewn with tools,” said Spirek, who also helped raise the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley from Charleston Harbor in 2000. It may have been “Indians using iron tools. I think more than likely it was … European.” He hopes the canoe can one day undergo radiocarbon dating, which can determine its age within 50 years.
Although the vessel was found along the shore, old maps of Turtle Island suggest the area in which it was discovered was once an inlet or saltwater pond. Spirek said the canoe was probably buried bit by bit over the years. “At least two feet or three feet (of sand) built up over it at some point in time,” he said. “That helped preserve it.” The soil, however, was not airtight. Cracks, fissures and a barnacle on the hull suggest it was exposed to salt water.
In the weeks following the canoe’s discovery, several state archaeologists examined it and created an excavation plan. They also had to find a new home for the vessel, which is owned by the state. Wick Scurry, owner of several businesses, including a ferry between Daufuskie and Hilton Head Island, ultimately provided that home. Although the canoe was found mostly intact, it broke into three large pieces during the excavation. The pieces are submerged in a freshwater solution in a tank inside Scurry’s restaurant, the Old Daufuskie Crab Co. The canoe could remain underwater there for as long as two years, a move that will help preserve it. It also will be treated with a substance that prevents cracking and warping. The goal is simple: put the pieces back together, and with them, a small part of the past.
Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/2012/10/10/2240382/centuries-old-canoe-unearthed.html#storylink=cpy
June 30, 2011~With more than a month remaining in sea-turtle nesting season, reports of loggerhead nests are on pace to break records for some areas of Beaufort County.
And already, leatherback turtle nests have been documented on Hilton Head Island for the first time.
The largest sea turtles, endangered leatherbacks, reach lengths of more than 6 feet and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds.
Some of the tracks left by the leatherbacks’ crawl were wider than volunteers are tall, according to Amy Tressler of the Coastal Discovery Museum, who manages Hilton Head’s Sea Turtle Protection Program.
Leatherback eggs are the size of racquetballs, far larger than the golf ball-sized eggs of loggerheads, the area’s most common sea turtle.
“The leatherback is a huge highlight to the season over here,” Tressler said.
Last year, Hilton Head had a record 239 loggerhead nests. This year, volunteers and conservationists on daily dawn beach patrol have already tracked 209, Tressler said.
The leatherback, which can nest several times in a season, left three nests.
Leatherbacks typically nest south of Hilton Head — in Florida or the Caribbean — but occasionally swim farther north, said DuBose Griffin, sea turtle coordinator with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
It’s likely that the same turtle laid another nest at Hunting Island State Park, which recorded its first leatherback nest last year, although the eggs were unfertilized.
Hunting Island, however, isn’t likely to break records this year. Volunteers have found 41 nests, compared to last year’s 111.
On Harbor Island, project leader Fran Nolan reported 51 loggerhead nests. With a record 66 nests reported in 1999, Nolan said, volunteers are placing bets on whether this will be the top year.
On Fripp Island, 45 nests have been found, already beating last year’s total of 25, according to Janie Lackman, the island’s turtle patrol leader. Strict enforcement of a rule barring items from being left on the beaches overnight “makes our mamas very happy,” Lackman said.
In the past decade, the island’s best year was 2000, with 54 nests.
The “really promising” start to the season extends to beaches statewide, with more than 2,450 nests so far, Griffin said. Nest sites are so dense in some areas that not all reports are in yet, Griffin said.
Last year’s statewide total through October was 3,150 nests.
Griffin sees that as a sign that a decades-long nesting decline has leveled off, with increased conservation and surveying efforts a likely factor.
The first eggs on Beaufort County beaches were found in May, meaning hatchlings will soon emerge. Volunteers begin monitoring for hatchlings at 50 days after nesting. The average incubation time is 60 days, but hot, dry weather can hasten the process, Tressler said.
Turtle season also means it’s crucial that people turn off oceanfront lights, which is required on Hilton Head Island from 10 p.m. to dawn, Tressler said.
The lights cause the hatchlings to crawl away from the ocean and prevent nesting turtles from coming ashore. Shining flashlights or taking flash photographs of turtles at night is also a federal offense, Tressler said.
“One of the most important ways locals or visitors here can protect turtles is keep the beaches dark,” Tressler said.
May 9, 2011 ~ Hilton Head Island is the largest barrier island on the South Carolina coast. It is comprised of gated communities, private homes, condominiums, and multi-story, oceanfront homes. Like most of the barrier islands along the southeast coast, the north and south ends are fairly stable, but the mid-portion is erosional. A rock revetment was constructed on the mid-portion, and beach nourishment has provided a dry beach here.
Loggerheads nest on all areas of Hilton Head’s sandy shore and there are many stretches of good nesting habitat. Although there are small pocket beaches on the side of the island facing Port Royal Sound, very little nesting occurs here. Most nests are laid along the ocean-facing beach. Hilton Head Island has 18.5 km of beach on the Atlantic Ocean and 7.2 km of beach on Port Royal Sound. Twenty-three km of beach are regularly patrolled by the current project. A sea turtle protection project was founded in 1981. Hilton Head averages 150 nests per season. Turtles lay their eggs from May to mid-August. The eggs hatch from July to October.
Common Name:
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Scientific Name:
Caretta caretta
Adult Size:
30-42 inches in Carapace (back of the shell) length
300-400 Pounds
Adult Diet:
Crabs, Molluscs, Shellfish
Status:
Federally Threatened, Globally Endangered
Loggerhead Sea Turtles (caretta caretta) are reptiles related to land turtles, lizards and snakes. Adapted to live in the ocean, loggerheads have powerful flippers and an aerodynamic body that allows them to move gracefully through the ocean. Loggerhead Sea Turtles nest on the beaches of Hilton Head Island between May and August. An adult females will nest every two to four years, coming ashore between 4 and 6 times per season to lay eggs. Loggerheads typically nest at night, crawling to a dry part of the beach where females will dig a nest cavity with their rear flippers and deposit an average of 120 eggs. Once the eggs have been laid, the female throws sand to disguise the nest from predators and slowly returns to the ocean.After about 60 days of incubation, the small turtles within the eggs begin to hatch. During the cool night, the 2 inch long hatchlings emerge from the nest, orient themselves towards the brightest horizon, and crawl towards the ocean. Once in the water, hatchlings swim many miles offshore where they will spend the next 25-30 years of their life growing to adulthood.
The Hilton Head Island Sea Turtle Protection Project monitors sea turtle nesting and hatching activity on Hilton Head Island from May to October. This conservation project began in 1985 and is managed by the Coastal Discovery Museum.
Ways You Can Help Protect Sea Turtles:
Turn Beachfront Lights Off May 1 – October 31
Remove Beach Litter
Fill in Sand Holes and Smooth Sand Castles
Report injured Turtles
Leave Nest Sites Undisturbed
Do Not Shine Flashlights or Take Flash Photographs of Nesting Turtles
A record number of sea turtle nests were reported in South Carolina this season, according to data from the state Department of Natural Resources.
Of 4,604 loggerhead sea turtle nests on the state’s beaches, 544 were counted on Hilton Head, Daufuskie and Fripp islands and at Hunting Island State Park.
It’s the highest number of nests recorded in the state in the past 30 years, according to DNR’s website.
Last year — and 2010 — also were record-breaking, with 4,024 and 3,150 nests respectively.
Lawsuit filed over endangered sea turtles
November 2,2012
Two conservation groups filed a lawsuit Friday challenging a new federal rule that nearly doubles limits on how many endangered sea turtles Hawaii’s longline swordfish fishery can accidentally hook before being shut down. The lawsuit alleges that the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to comply with the Endangered Species Act when it used an inadequate biological opinion that substantially increased the number of endangered sea turtles that can be incidentally caught.
The conservation groups accuse the National Marine Fisheries Service of rolling back protections that capped the number of sea turtles that could be caught at 17 endangered loggerheads and 16 endangered leatherbacks.
Under the new rule issued in October and going into effect Monday, 34 loggerhead and 26 leatherback turtles can be incidentally caught before the fishery would be forced to shut down.
“They are both on a trajectory to go extinct eventually, and being caught in fisheries is well-known to be a major cause,” said lawyer Paul Achitoff with Earthjustice, the law firm that filed the lawsuit in Honolulu federal court on behalf of Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity.
The fishery experienced mandatory shutdowns in 2006 and 2011.
Wende Goo, spokeswoman for NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Region, said the agency had not yet received the lawsuit but planned to review it.
The agency has about two months to respond, Achitoff said.
When the shallow-set longline fishery spreads out 60-miles of fishing line, with as many as 1,000 baited hooks attached and gear suspended near the surface of the water, it results in untold numbers of sea turtles, dolphins and seabirds being killed, said Todd Steiner, Turtle Island Restoration Network’s executive director.
Miyoko Sakashita, the Center for Biological Diversity’s oceans director, said sea turtles will soon be extinct unless they are protected from drowning in fishing gear.
“It’s tragic that these large commercial fisheries are killing animals by the thousands for the sake of a few profitable swordfish,” she said in a statement.
The lawsuit also challenges a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in August that allows longliners to catch Laysan and Black-footed albatross without requiring measures that could lessen the number of birds killed. The permit allows up to 191 Black-footed albatross and 430 Laysan albatrosses to be incidentally caught over three years.
Achitoff said if fishing line was dispensed from the sides of the longliners instead of off the back it could result in far fewer seabird deaths. With side-setting of line, by the time the baited hooks reach the back of boats where seabirds have access to them, they have sunk low enough in the water to be out of reach, he said.
“We want the fisheries to be required to use the best available technology to minimize the catching of these birds,” he said.
