bald head island conservancy

We've spent many summers on BHI and have loved taking Sea Turtle walks, it was only recently that we found out they have so much more to offer! Great hikes, golf cart nature tours, kayaking trips and a whole lot more.Everyone who works there is friendly and knowledgeable. Their programs are fun and educational but the real magic of the BHI Conservancy is all the work they do to keep BHI a beautiful and natural sanctuary!

We first went to the store and were greatly surprised by the amount of stuff that you could buy. Everything was very reasonable. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We were there just before the turtles were hatching so we decided not to do the turtle walk, but were still given flashlight covers and had a great discussion with workers while on the beach. We were able to see turtles and a large alligator at the conservatory's pond. It is quite small and does involve some patience- but it was well worth the wait.

WE love BHI, and the Conservancy really does much to help retain the charm of the island! They teach and share the local history.

My family saw 67 baby sea turtles climb out of the sand and make their way to the ocean! This island is truly paradise. We can't wait to go back.

Unfortunately they had problems with their voice mail so we were unable to do any activities when we arrived. They were genuinely sorry and if we had the time the following day would have fit us in. They make the most out of a small budget and can tell they are trying to protect their little piece of heaven while also accommodating tourist, a tricky balance indeed. Quaint and charming, good place to learn about the natural habitat of the island.

We stayed on Bald Head Island during the 2nd week of August. I'm not sure when the sea turtle nests start to "boil" (i.e. eggs hatch and turtle emerge out of the nest and go to the sea), but we were on the tail end of the season. Approximately 36 hours after the nests boil, the Conservancy staff digs them up to count the eggs and help along any of the baby turtles that didn't make it out of the nest to the ocean. It was very interesting to watch, and the staff was great about answering questions. Unfortunately, the one we attended didn't have any baby turtles, but the staff tells us that they see baby turtles more often than not. There is no fee associated with this since it's done out on the beach. They always appreciate donations, though. At the Conservancy building, they schedule events where they bring out sea stars (aka starfish), hermit crabs, etc. for kids to examine and touch. They ask for a $5 donation per child. It was very popular the week we were there so make sure you go early!

If you are going to be staying a few days on the island, this is definitely a place you must visit! If you are there during turtle laying or hatching season they do "turtle walks" at night. We didn't actually see any on our night, but the talk (with a powerpoint presentation) was informative, the interns were passionate about their work, and my daughter loved playing with the bioluminescence in the sand. They have a great store, and all proceeds benefit the conservancy. They also do camps for the kids, which my daughter LOVED. It was not cheap, but she spent the rest of the trip talking about it and we had 3 hours to ourselves. :) We did not do the touch tank, si I can't speak about that, but they do have other exhibits that are open each day that discuss different aspects the island. THis is not something you would stay hours at, but would make a nice stop on the way to East Beach. ** I only gave it a 4, not a 5, because it isn't very large, but it is a small island, so I wouldn't expect it to be large. ** I am a science teacher, so I probably get a little more excited than the average person, but the rest of the family enjoyed it too. :)