Season's first turtle nest spotted

Casey Key can lay claim to the first sea-turtle nest of the season in Sarasota County.

Guests and staff at the Island House Motel watched as the Kemp’s ridley turtle crawled ashore and dug her nest in the middle of the afternoon April 25.

“I’ve seen turtles nest before on New Smyrna Beach, but I’ve never seen one by accident and never in broad daylight,” said onlooker Alyson McCoy.

Kemp’s ridley turtles are rare. Mote Marine Lab said this was only the third Kemp’s ridley nest to be laid and verified in Sarasota County. Only 13 were recorded statewide last year.