07/07/2026
My husband and I walk the beach late in the day and knock down sand castles. I feel like a jerk when we do it! When we were younger we built them and hoped like heck they would be there the next day. But I didn’t know we were creating obstacles for nesting sea turtles! Now that I do, I find myself explaining to the little boy who watched from his balcony why we destroyed his creation. Fortunately, he and his Mom understood once we explained and hopefully will follow suit. The castles are neat but hey, the turtles are awesome and need our help.
Nesting season is HERE! Florida is home to the majority of the United States' sea turtle nests! Now through October, help us protect our nesting turtles and their hatchlings by doing the following:
⚠️ Keep a safe and respectful distance of turtles, nests, and hatchlings, of at least 50 feet
🏖️ Keep the beach flat! Fill in holes and knock down sand castles to help turtles find their way back to the water
🔦 Avoid using white light on the beach, and instead opt for a red light flashlight. You can pick one up for free at the Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach Visitor's Center!
🚮 Pick up trash and avoid single-use plastics
As always, if you see an injured or stranded sea turtle, call the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center stranding hotline at 850-243-9046 x34, or the FWC at 1-888-404-3922.
