Cold comfort: Dozens of dazed turtles wash up on beaches | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

"You can't just stick them next to a heater and warm them up fast. You have to do it slowly," Fitzgerald said, adding that it can cost between $300 and $400 to care for one turtle before it is released back into the water.

Last winter, nearly 70 cold-stunned turtles - a record number - were rescued by NEST volunteers, Fitzgerald said.