Our Focus

Topsail, North Carolina is a sanctuary for loggerhead and other varieties of endangered sea turtles that typically nest on its shores from May through October. Their signature tracks, leading back into the sea, indicate that a turtle has come ashore. Surf City is the home of The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, whose volunteers treat injured sea turtles and then return them to their natural home. 

Additionally, Topsail Island is a barrier island: a long, narrow, offshore deposit of sand or sediments that parallel the coast line. Barrier islands serve to protect the coastlines from severe storm damage, as well as harbor several habitats that are refuges for wildlife. However, barrier islands are fragile and are constantly changing ecosystems important for coastal geology and ecology. Development has posed dangers to these ecosystems and has also increased the risk of property damage every year from hurricanes and Nor'easters. The North Point of Topsail Island has faced severe erosion, putting the many beach houses on the shore in danger. Meanwhile, much of this sand has been carried by currents and been deposited at the South Point of the island, creating a beautiful ecosystem that has not yet been heavily developed.

The Terps Helping Turtles Alternative Breaks team will go to Surf City in Topsail and dive into issue education, direct community service, and reflection to further understand the impact of human activity and climate change on marine life.