By Gary McKechnie
There are a lot of privileges that come with living in Florida, and one of those is being able to see a nesting sea turtle walk on the beach.
Watch a nature channel for any length of time and chances are you’ll see a special or documentary that shows a sea turtle building a nest, laying her eggs, or watching those eggs hatch and dozens of tiny sea turtle walks instinctively making their way from the sands into the sea.
Here’s one way to make it happen for you: Take a guided walk with one of the Sebastian Inlet State Park rangers. From Fridays-Tuesdays between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., rangers host evening walks along the waterfront that can stretch up to three miles round-trip. There’s no guarantee, but there’s a chance you’ll see a nesting loggerhead sea turtle, which may be one of the most amazing sights you’ll ever see.
But unless you have a ranger on your speed dial, here’s an inside tip: They start taking reservations for July walks beginning on June 15 at 10 a.m. And to get your name on the reserved list, all you have to do is call (772) 388-2750 for reservations and information.
And don’t forget that in addition to the evening turtle treks, Sebastian Inlet State Park (15 miles south of Melbourne Beach) is known across the nation for canoeing and kayaking in the Indian River Lagoon, surfing, camping, boating, and fishing for snook, redfish, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel from its jetties.
Add to this two on-site museums that fill in blanks on the history here: the McLarty Treasure Museum in Vero Beach that highlights the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet, and the Sebastian Fishing Museum about the local fishing industry.
Have a great time!
