Turtles and Tide: A Deep Dive with the Caretta Research Project

Turtles and Tide: A Deep Dive with the Caretta Research Project

Host Jessica Leigh Lebos records the Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://tybeemarinescience.org/] podcast from the Ship Watch loft and interviews Kristen Zemaitis, a biologist with the Caretta Research Project [https://www.carettaresearchproject.org/], a nonprofit loggerhead sea turtle research program on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge that has monitored nesting for 54 years.   Zemaitis explains how saturation tagging shows individual females can lay up to eight nests per season about two weeks apart, and discusses natal homing, genetics work with UGA and building paternal family trees from embryo DNA.   She describes night patrol fieldwork from May–August using volunteer teams, data collection (measurements, PIT/metal tags, blood/skin/cloacal samples, one egg per nest), nest relocation and predator screens, and challenges like heat, bugs, storms, coyotes, and alligators. The episode covers nesting cycles, TED impacts, satellite tagging, volunteer registration, fundraising, and education outreach.   Learn more about the voices and topics in this episode: F [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]ollow [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]Tybee Marine Science [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] on [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]   Where's Westie UPDATES [https://tybeemarinescience.org/wheres-westie/]   What's happening at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/] Resources: Become a MEMBER [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/memberships/] Volunteer at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/volunteer-with-us/] Partnership and Donation Opportunities [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/donate/] Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media Podcast Network [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]

Coastal Ocean Physics, Hurricanes, and Right Whales with Dr. Catherine Edwards

Host Jessica Leigh Lebos welcomes Dr. Catherine Edwards, a coastal physical oceanographer and professor at UGA’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, [https://engineering.uga.edu/team_member/catherine-edwards/] to discuss how coastal ocean physics shapes ecosystems and forecasting.   Edwards describes her path from music and Spanish into applied physics and oceanography, and explains her work measuring temperature, salinity, density, tides, waves, and currents across Georgia’s wide continental shelf using research vessels, seafloor instruments, and autonomous gliders. She connects coastal processes to carbon export and sequestration, the Gulf Stream’s influence, and why real-time glider profiles improve hurricane intensity forecasts, including rapid intensification risk.   Edwards also details using quiet gliders with hydrophones to detect North Atlantic right whale calls, confirm detections with analysts, and send alerts through NOAA to tools like Whale Alert and Whale Map to help slow ships. The conversation includes river-driven events like undammed flood pulses reaching Gray’s Reef and a myth-busting aside about toilet swirl direction.   Learn more about the voices and topics in this episode: F [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]ollow [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]Tybee Marine Science [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] on [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]   Where's Westie UPDATES [https://tybeemarinescience.org/wheres-westie/]   What's happening at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/] Resources: Become a MEMBER [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/memberships/] Volunteer at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/volunteer-with-us/] Partnership and Donation Opportunities [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/donate/] Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media Podcast Network [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome to Tybee Podcast 01:01 Meet Dr Edwards 01:38 Path Into Oceanography 04:22 Coastal Physics Explained 05:45 Tools and Measurements 07:30 El Nino and Carbon 11:10 Hurricanes and Heat 12:18 Gliders and Right Whales 16:38 Whale Alerts to Mariners 18:25 Radars and Rescue 20:16 Defining Local Waters 21:37 Rivers and Flood Pulses 24:38 Altamaha Flood at Grays Reef 27:54 Do Oceans Really Mix 30:39 Gulf Stream Basics 32:54 Myths and Wrap Up 33:38 Next Tropical Research 36:37 Thanks and Membership

Sea Turtles, Terrapins, and Lionfish: Dr. Kathryn Craven on Coastal Georgia Conservation

Host Jessica Leigh Lebos welcomes Dr. Kathryn Craven [https://scholars.georgiasouthern.edu/en/persons/kathryn-craven/], a Georgia Southern University professor, Tybee Marine Science Center [https://tybeemarinescience.org/] board trustee, and researcher known for work with loggerhead sea turtles and diamondback terrapins.   Craven shares her path from growing up near the Northeast coast to landing a sea turtle research job on Jekyll Island in 1991, including renewing flipper-tagging efforts. She discusses Georgia nesting-season monitoring, increasing loggerhead nest numbers linked to conservation measures such as shrimp fishery regulations and beach protections, and emerging challenges like rising coyote predation, plus mitigation using nest screening and predator control (including feral hogs).   Craven highlights research on nest microbiomes (fungi and bacteria) and findings that most unhatched eggs show fertility. She explains the TERPS head-start program incubating terrapin eggs and releasing hatchlings to offset female road mortality on Highway 80. The conversation also covers teaching evolution misconceptions through student drawing, earlier humpback whale work on bubble-net feeding, and new collaborative DNA-based lionfish research tied to lionfish rodeos and outreach.   Learn more about the voices and topics in this episode: F [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]ollow [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]Tybee Marine Science [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] on [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]   Where's Westie UPDATES [https://tybeemarinescience.org/wheres-westie/]   What's happening at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/] Resources: Become a MEMBER [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/memberships/] Volunteer at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/volunteer-with-us/] Partnership and Donation Opportunities [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/donate/] Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media Podcast Network [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:42 Meet Dr Craven 01:42 Coastal Roots and Mentors 04:27 Finding Turtles in Georgia 06:46 Nesting Patrols and Tracks 08:22 Conservation Wins and Predators 10:49 Protecting Nests on Islands 13:06 Microbes Inside Turtle Nests 17:33 Terrapin Season and TERPS 19:04 Head Start Hatchlings Program 21:57 Terrapin History and Turtle Soup 23:27 Teaching Evolution Through Art 28:23 Whales and Bubble Net Feeding 32:20 Lionfish Invasion Research 37:38 Wrap Up and Support the Center 38:53 Membership and Programs Outro

Joy Davis on Blending Art and Marine Science at Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Host Jessica Leigh Lebos welcomes back Joy Davis, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center’s [https://tybeemarinescience.org/] permanent artist-in-residence, a biologist-artist known for the Center’s three-dimensional North Atlantic right whale model of “Smoke” and life-size sea turtle models.   Davis discusses how homeschooling, travel as an Air Force brat, and a blended arts-and-science college path shaped her career, plus her move to Savannah/Tybee through teaching, bartending, ocean-driven volunteering, and eventually working at the Science Center. She explains the research and collaboration required to make the whale anatomically accurate, including reproducing Smoke’s unique callosities and adding 3D-printed “lice.”   Davis also describes work with Animal Exhibits and Designs creating zoo/aquarium environments, new Tybee exhibits like a sit-in osprey nest, four tiled ecosystem murals (marsh, maritime forest, dunes/beach, and Gray’s Reef), and a newly approved backyard pollinator and memorial-style garden.   Learn more about the voices and topics in this episode: F [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]ollow [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]Tybee Marine Science [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] on [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]   Where's Westie UPDATES [https://tybeemarinescience.org/wheres-westie/]   What's happening at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/] Resources: Become a MEMBER [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/memberships/] Volunteer at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/volunteer-with-us/] Partnership and Donation Opportunities [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/donate/] Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media Podcast Network [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome to Tybee Podcast 00:45 Meet Joy Davis 02:21 Homeschool Roots 04:35 College and Mentors 05:43 Moving to Savannah 07:12 Tybee Ocean Pull 08:35 DIY Science Center Builds 09:17 Making the Right Whale 12:07 Smoke Fingerprints 14:09 Zoo Fabrication Work 16:18 Research First Process 17:04 Osprey Nest Exhibit 19:57 Murals Reveal 20:45 Mentor Polly Cooper 21:26 Barrier Island Ecosystems 23:49 Tile Craft Process 25:35 Firing Glazing Install 27:06 Backyard Garden Plans 28:49 Surfing Intuition Story 31:59 Wild Water Encounters 34:07 Teamwork Farewell 36:06 Science Center Membership

Veteran Healing Through Fishing: Captain Jimmy & Knot Lucky Foundation

Host Jessica Leigh Lebos is in the Ship Watch Loft of Tybee Marine Science Center with  Captain Jimmy Armel, former Army Ranger and founder of the Knot Lucky Foundation [https://www.facebook.com/knotluckyfishing/] (K-N-O-T), which offers free fishing trips for active-duty service members and veterans (and immediate family) to support healing, connection, and purpose.   Armel shares his own struggles after leaving the military, including alcoholism, brain damage, and suicidal crises, and explains how fishing and later ibogaine treatment led him to shut down his for-profit charter to run the nonprofit full time. He describes transformations he’s witnessed, including posting $75,000 bail for a fellow Ranger, housing him, and building a customized mental health plan.   The episode also covers launching from Savannah Boathouse, ocean-based restoration, great white shark satellite tagging with Gray Fish Tag Research, fundraising via an annual barbecue, and ways to donate at knotlucky.org.   Learn more about the voices and topics in this episode: F [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]ollow [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]Tybee Marine Science [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] on [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/] https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter/]   Where's Westie UPDATES [https://tybeemarinescience.org/wheres-westie/]   What's happening at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/] Resources: Become a MEMBER [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/memberships/] Volunteer at Tybee Island Marine Science Center [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/volunteer-with-us/] Partnership and Donation Opportunities [https://www.tybeemarinescience.org/donate/] Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media Podcast Network [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:30 Knot Lucky Mission 02:18 Veteran Struggles and Suicide 03:29 Jimmy’s Combat Trauma 05:08 Deployments and Brain Injury 06:38 Fishing as Lifeline 07:34 Second Spiral and Breakthrough 09:59 Veteran Transformations 11:43 Ocean Purpose and Stewardship 12:46 Great White Tagging Begins 14:36 How Shark Tagging Works 15:53 Tag Data and Biggest Sharks 16:42 Adrenaline and Close Calls 18:17 Supporting Not Lucky 20:48 Fishing as Healing 22:02 Water Connection Mindset 24:18 Purpose and Harvest 25:45 How to Join Trips 26:45 Plant Medicine Advocacy 28:03 Ibogaine and Recovery 29:52 Ryan Davis Spotlight 31:24 Fishing Research Thanks 32:48 Tybee Science Center Outro