At six o’clock most mornings since May 1, several hundred South Carolinians have walked the same stretches of sand looking for a track that resembles tire treads coming out of the surf. Four months later, their tally has become one of the biggest sea turtle nesting counts this state has ever recorded — and the season is not finished.

As of early September, volunteers and biologists had logged 8,053 nests statewide, according to Rick Scott, head of the South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts, or SCUTE [WPDE, 2026]. That figure carries more weight than it might appear. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reported a final count of 8,004 nests in 2022, which stood as the second-highest season on record [SCDNR, 2022]. With nests still incubating and hatching underway, 2026 has already edged past it. Only 2019, with 8,775 nests, remains ahead [Live 5 News, 2026].