NEW PROGRAM! You asked and we are delivering!! Calling all future marine biologists, conservationists, and ocean stewards of all ages! Are you ready for a fun and engaging family adventure? Funky Fins is all about exploration and discovery, using the coastline of Topsail Island as our classroom. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into our 90-minute family-friendly programs with your parents, grandparents,...
Saturday, May 7 — Welcome to Topsail Island, Pender County, NC! Unpack the car and get settled into your home away from home. We’ve got a week’s worth of ideas for you to explore! On your way to the beach, you may want to take a little side trip to Burgaw forr the Annual Pender SpringFest. Located on the Courthouse Square, the festival features locally made items by Pender County vendors. SpringFest...
Good food, drink, and good service is found at Margaritas Mexican Grill and Cantina Just days before Bernardo Garcia was about to sign a contract to open a new restaurant in Virginia, he and his family vacationed on Topsail Island. While shopping in Treasure Coast Square on North New River Drive, Garcia saw a vacant storefront. “I immediately envisioned a restaurant in that location,” recalled Garcia. He...
Funky Fins, an eco-education for curious minds, is the dream child of Chris Lener. She’s no stranger to conservation or education. “I taught science in grades K-12 for 25 years,” Lener said. “I love working with children. I love seeing their delight at discovery.” Lener said she is looking forward to making new discoveries with visitors and residents in the Greater Topsail Island area...
Spring is officially here, and it’s something even sea turtles seem to recognize. In a few short weeks nesting-season officially begins and there have already been sightings of loggerheads heading toward our coastal beaches. But along with all the “coming”, we have a very important “going.” Canal, a juvenile green who has been with us for almost seven years is relocating a few hours away...
Last month, Pender County Tourism teamed up with the state’s tourism office, Visit NC, to promote the area to travel writers, travel agents, and potential travelers in New York City. With a display booth at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, we met thousands of people with thousands of questions. One of the most asked questions regarded hiking trails. “Do you have hiking trails?” “Do...
Two patients at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, greens Belle and Rosemary, had moved into a duplex tank and were getting along “swimmingly” as neighbors. And that we also suspected that Belle’s little turtle brain was cooking up some plan to supplement her daily ration of veggies. You have to understand that Belle is on the high end of the body condition scale where 1 is...
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) are announcing the distribution of the first wave of awards – a total of more than $1.6 million – under the Endangered Species COVID-19 Relief program, funded by the American Rescue Plan. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center was one of 21 selected sites to receive funds for expenses such as food,...
Being good stewards of our natural resources Pender County Tourism joined forces with the Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Commission and the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss a trashy problem – plastics, glass, trash, and marine debris on our beaches, in our waterways, and on our beaches. We have a problem, and you can help us. We are asking visitors and locals alike to think twice...
Being good stewards of our natural resources Pender County Tourism joined forces with the Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Commission and the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss a trashy problem – plastics, glass, trash, and marine debris on our beaches, in our waterways, and on our beaches. We have a problem, and you can help us. We are asking visitors and locals alike to think twice...
Sea Turtle Hospital News After only a few short months in rehab our first group of cold-stuns, aka the “Twelve Days of Christmas Plus One” have been reduced to the “Five Days of Christmas.” Eight little Kemp’s were settled securely into tubs and hit the road for the US Coast Guard Station at Fort Macon where they had tickets for a ride to turtle-comfy waters. Joining them on the trip...
Sea Turtle Hospital News Looks like January has finally decided to give us January weather and the cold-stunned turtles that come along with it. We continue to admit new patients and that means moving them through a series of hospital locations as they progress on their rehab journey. By the time a cold-stun reaches their “just waiting for a ride” tank in Sea Turtle Bay they’ve seen quite a bit of...
THE HOSPITAL IS NOW CLOSED FOR TOURS. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is currently closed for public tours until spring of 2022. Winter is a busy season for the volunteers at the sea turtle hospital – it's cold stun season. It’s the time of year when the staff puts in the really long days, coming in and leaving in the dark. However, the hospital's online gift...
For latest updates click here
Cold stun season is officially here. Yes, officially, with the arrival of seven new patients at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Please be our extra eyes for spotting any turtle in distress. The smaller ones are especially vulnerable as they have less fat to protect them and not a lot of experience with cold snaps. Don’t assume a turtle is beyond help because it can’t move. They...
Sea Turtle Hospital News We’re immensely proud that our work at the hospital is done literally with the blood (turtles are good a swinging that flipper around,) sweat (the building is kept at turtle comfy temps and the days can be long) and tears (mostly happy, like at the releases, some not so happy) of our volunteers. But we’re also fortunate that we have so many volunteer-staffed local organizations that...
Get decked out for the 2021 Greater Topsail Christmas Flotilla, Nauti or Nice TOPSAIL ISLAND - The Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting boat entry applications to the Dec. 11, Greater Topsail Christmas Flotilla. “The chamber is already in the spirit of the holidays as we plan another successful flotilla event,” said Tammie Parris, chairman of the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce...
Sea Turtle Hospital News We’re immensely proud that our work at the hospital is done literally with the blood (turtles are good a swinging those flipper around,) sweat (the building is kept at turtle comfy temps and the days can be long) and tears (mostly happy, like at the releases, some not so happy) of our volunteers. But we’re also fortunate that we have so many volunteer-staffed local organizations that...
For two evenings aberrations from Pender’s past emerged from the Historic Burgaw Cemetery to entertain and spook visitors at the annual Ghost Walk. “This year’s Ghost Walk: Ghosts from Pender’s Past was another howling success,” said Tammy Proctor, Pender County tourism director. Stephanie Key, the artistic director of the annual event, gathered actors from the community and volunteers...
Sea Turtle Hospital News Our work at the hospital has been pretty light almost since the beginning of September. We released every turtle that had been pronounced healthy, and almost no turtles have been admitted. If a patient did come in they were given a physical exam and if there were no issues they headed back home after enjoying a few complimentary meals during their short stay. We were deluded into believing that...
TOPSAIL BEACH – For the 32nd year, art and music lovers will gather in Topsail Beach, North Carolina at the Autumn with Topsail (AWT) Festival. The festival takes place, rain or shine, Oct.15 from 5 – 8:30p.m., Oct. 16 from 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Oct. 17 from 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Historic Assembly Building, 720 Channel Blvd. Proceeds from the festival support the Historical Society...
Sea Turtle Hospital News Every year right after Labor Day Dr. Harms brings his residents and fourth-year vet students to our hospital for some hands-on work with our patients. It’s something his students look forward to, maybe not so much our turtles. But in the end, many of them get to go home so a few days of having every scute and scale and flipper and sometimes their “interior” examined is worth...
Yes, Pender County has beautiful beaches. Yes, it's fun to build sandcastles and swim in the surf, but there is so much more to discover in the great outdoors of Pender County. During every season of the year, there are adventures to discover. Let’s start with an adventure – a marine adventure for the entire family. Ecological Marine Adventures offers groups of all ages an opportunity to learn about...
Sea Turtle Hospital News Nesting season officially ended on Aug. 31 with a big green mama turtle getting in just under the wire. With a typical incubation period of around 60 days, that means our beach volunteers will be sitting at her nest waiting for her babies around Halloween, or later. Even though your chances of seeing a mama nesting are pretty much gone there is another component of the circle of life that’s...
Sea Turtle Hospital News Our patients continue to make amazing recoveries and a few weeks ago we were able to send three of them home. And if you were lucky enough to be in town you got to see them as they made their final “walk” down the runway and into Mother Ocean. Maverick, a much-loved Kemp’s ridley finally completed his four-year rehab. Originally admitted as a cold stun he suffered one setback...
