On Wed Mike had to work, so he dropped us off at "Gumbo Limbo Aquatic Center" in Boca Raton. This is a FREE marine rescue center. All of the marine life living here was found washed up on beaches or captured in basically a non humane way. We gave them a donation of $20.Here the boys are watching a turtle feeding.
This is a 9 pound lobster!!! His name is Butters. He has no claws because he is a wimp. Seriously... They put him in a tank with a sea turtle and the sea turtle ATE part of him. (hmmm, must run in turtle families.lol) This lobster is over 2 feet long. His claws will grow back when molts.
Doesn't he look YUMMY?! Umm, I mean neat??
See this man in RED?? He cut the boys off when they came to this feeding tank. Not once but TWICE. I mean he totally PUSHED the boys to the side so HE could stand next to the lady feeding the turtles and fish. This is a picture of an ASSHOLE.
We took a nature walk around the 20 acres. They needed a break.
This is called a CHICKI (chickee hut). The Seminole Indians started making them in 1880's because they were on the run from """"Police"""" and needed a quick shelter. The """police""" didn't want the natives in their area, so they literally ran them out. (just this past week the government has APOLOGIZED to all Native Americans for their part in trying to eradicate them....... A little late in my opinion.)
It only took 5 hours for 2 Seminole Indians to build this hut for a outdoor classroom.
We are walking thru a Butterfly Garden. Zachary is trying to get a butterfly to land on him.
This is part of the nature trail we did. It was so pretty!!
Here are some stingrays. Zachary really wanted to take one home because the lady said "With just one sting they can power a playstation for over a hour." He begged me for the longest time!!!
This poor guy had no RAY(tail). Something happened to him out in the ocean and he will never grow it back. If he would of not been found, he would surely be dead because he could not protect himself.
We really enjoyed the feeding of all the marine life.
These are gopher turtles and they are the type that walk thru our backyard daily!
Gumbo Limbo is part of a big NON PROFIT Florida Marine Rescue that ONLY take in marine life that has either washed up on shore, or was caught in fisherman nets, or some other unnatural way. They rehabilitate them, and if determined to be able to be successfully put back in the wild, then they do. If not, they go to places like SEAWORLD, or a zoo. Basically this and the one we visit next are marine life HOSPITALS.
We must have watched the 6 tanks they had for over a hour. It was really neat to see barracudas, and other wild fish (cant remember all the types) up close in an environment that is as close as possible to their own world. The Atlantic ocean is brought in from pipes (all of the Eastern rescue hospitals are on the edge of the Atlantic). It is NON filtered. And the fish, turtles, lobsters etc have to hunt for their food. The food they throw in is live and can hide from them. They do not want them to lose their natural instinct by being "handfed".
This is where if there are babies born, they take them. This is also a research facilities that test them for diseases etc before they are put back in the wild.
The boys are learning about Coral Reefs here.(the lack of in this picture) Its so unfortunate that they are disappearing. Just another reason to do our part in trying to help our world.
Now the boys are studying POOP. Yes POOP!! The biggest is from a mountain lion. The smallest is bumblebee. They learned how if they are outside and see these they can figure out how to tell what kind of animal it is. Disgusting but very informative!!
We hiked up a 40 foot tower to see a 360 degree view of the landscape.
This is to the north west.
Also to the northwest.
This is to the southwest.
This is EAST looking at the Atlantic.
Climbing down from the tower.
One of the beautiful trails.
Today is Thursday. Mikey didn't work!! yeah!!!!!
Today we went to Loggerhead MarineLife Center. Its very similar to Gumbo Limbo. It too is a FREE center. Again, we donated 20.
Today we adopted a sea turtle!!
No. You don't take them home!!! But the money you donate in adopting them helps feed them and medicate them (if needed). These are NON Profit, so ALL the people working there are volunteers, and the money goes directly to the care of the marine life.
Meet Jonah. He is our adopted Sea Turtle!!
This is how Jonah came to MarineLife Center.
Doesnt that just make your heart warm?!
All of the turtles and fish came here thru a sad story. Most wash up on shore and ALL of them have been found with some kind of plastic or garbage in or on them. Some have fish barbs stuck in their mouths or stomachs or other parts of their bodies. I didn't get pictures of the before pictures, but it really puts it in prospective how LITTERBUGS are endangering the animal and marine populations.
HELLO??????? Its called a garbage can for a reason!!! USE IT!!!
This is a skeleton of a 13 foot ancient sea turtle. Most today cant live long enough to get this big due to our habits of catching them, killing them, or the garbage we spew out into the ocean.
After leaving the park we drove up A1A. Its the highway that runs on the outer islands all along the edge of Florida.
We love finding little restaurants right on the edge of the water. This is one. Although in the picture, it is hard to see, the ocean is directly to Mikeys left.
This is next to the restaurant. They are going out to find Manatees because alot are seen in this area, and Zachary learned about them in school and was hoping to see one.
We headed home after this.
What a fun, busy spring break..
I love Mikes job. We are able to see and do so much. To bad school gets in the way, or we would spend all of our time traveling around the state!!
