Up Close with Turtle Hatchlings
For sea turtle season, the Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program will host intimate Nighttime Hatchling Releases on select dates starting in mid-July through August at a location nearby Acqualina Resort. It promises to be an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience to learn about sea turtles and to witness baby sea turtles being released by the Sea Turtle Conservation team on the beach at night. This evening event is open to Acqualina hotel guests ages eight and older. There is limited availability with social distancing requirements. Please email Jessica.roldan@acqualina.com to sign up and learn more.
A Natural Wonder
By Michelle Payer
Though natural wonders exist the world over, there’s nothing like strolling the beach and seeing protected sea turtle nests, where eggs are buried deep beneath the sand waiting for the next generation to emerge. It’s a memory that remains lodged in your brain forever, to be recalled when thoughts of natural wonders, blue sky, warm sand and Acqualina getaways take you to your happy place. Experts say turtle mamas choose the same spot to lay their eggs every year, and by fortuitous circumstance, that location is on Acqualina’s pristine swath of sand. From April to October, guests can spot nests within taped-off areas, and if they’re very lucky – as in winning the lottery lucky – catch an evening turtle hatching – known as boil because of the bubbling effect they make when furiously digging out of the sand. Instinctively drawn to moonlight reflecting off the water, hundreds of hatchlings make a valiant effort to swim toward the Sargasso Sea, a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean where free-floating seaweed provides them with nourishment and shelter. Especially memorable for children, Acqualina has created a Sea Turtle Experience, the most popular camp activity within the resort’s AcquaMarine program. Thoughtfully designed for curious minds ages 5 to 12, a maximum of five children from the same family can participate in three daily sessions beginning at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to identify different sea turtle species, habitats and eating habits and understand their nesting behavior. The 90-minute “super camp” is one your child won’t soon forget.
