WILMINGTON, N.C. -- There is a leatherback turtle nest on the Carolina coast for the first time in six years!

• This is the first leatherback turtle nest found on the coast in six years.
• It was found near Fort Fisher.
• The turtle laid decoy eggs when the actual nest was 30 feet away.

The nest was found at Fort Fisher Saturday.

Officials at the recreation area say it took them over four hours to find the egg chamber.

They say the turtle also laid three decoy eggs on top of the sand and the actual nest was nearly 30 feet away from those eggs.

Leatherbacks will often lay decoy eggs to better hide their nests.

They typically nest in the Caribbean and Florida.

The nest has been roped off to protect it from predators.