This is a great opportunity to not only learn about the reef post Irma, but to see the amazing work that Dr. Vaughn and the Staff at MOTE are doing to grow new corals and to visit this amazing facility!

PLEASE NOTE: Meeting this month is at MOTE Marine, NOT the Turtle Hospital.

Our Board members participated in multiple events in the Florida Keys during the months of March, April and May. Lots of it was hard, dirty work, but they loved every minute of it!

Outdoor Fest 2018, Big Pine Key: Save A Turtle set up a booth at the new Nature Center and were able to peak inside of the new building- We are looking forward to opening of the center. We signed up some new beach walkers and met lots of great folks.

The Conch Republic Marine Army came out to work along side some of the board members and other volunteers in the community to help clean up the Coupon Bight. This is wear our Turtle Trailer landed after Irma. We were able to make our way out there and clean it out. Unfortunately, there wasn't much left to salvage. However, TONS of debris were removed from this delicate area including appliances, large pieces of homes, furniture, mattresses, and pretty much anything else you have in homes including kitchen sinks.Thanks to Monroe County who provided collection trucks for all of the debris.

Board members traveled up to Sea Oats Beach to meet up with other local volunteers with the Sand Bag project. Sea Oats beach lies right on US 1 and due to storm damage from Irma, a critical barrier protecting sea turtles from the highway was decimated. Volunteers and the City placed a fencing along the highway so that nesting turtles would stay off of US 1. The next phase of this project was to place sand bags at the bottom of the fence so that the turtles do not go under the fence while looking for the perfect nesting site. State Representative Holly Raschein was even on site placing sand bags to help the Sea Turtles.

We also attended the MOTE Marine Ocean Fest in Key West, where we set up a large display for sea turtle education, sold quite a bit of merchandise including reusable shopping bags and straws, and hosted a Sea Turtle Painting Contest for kids. Wyland judged the kids art work, and the winning paintings will be printed in a 2019 calendar later this year, which we will sell as a fundraiser. Watch for it! You're gonna love it!

In addition to tagging and sampling sharks for the North Atlantic White Shark Study, Raymond Carthy, Ph.D. of The University of Florida, will be joining them to observe and study sea turtles and sargassum grass. When hatchlings make their way to the ocean, they will swim non-stop for a very long way, until they reach sargassum grass in the Gulf Stream, where they will float along for the next few years until they are large enough to survive in the open water. Sargassum grass helps to protect the babies from predators, while supplying them with the nutrition they need to grow. Dr. Carthy hopes to be able to observe some hatchlings and juvenile sea turtles during this drift.

Several other scientists are aboard to collect data regarding plastics, the health of the ocean, and various marine creatures as well. Huge shout out to all of these folks for their work to help preserve our oceans! 

Click here for full details on Expedition Gulf Stream Drift or follow them on IG for daily updates.

Don't Forget to renew your annual membership! Membership fees go 100% into the conservation of Sea Turtles.