Juno Beach, Florida Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Atlanta, GA / Arrive Palm Beach, Florida
Your first day will begin with a welcome lunch and project orientation at Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) after a short transport from Palm Beach International Airport. During orientation, you will take a behind-the-scenes tour of LMC and get the inside scoop on the project research and rehabilitation efforts that you will be taking part in. Following lunch, you will receive a brief introduction to the biology, morphology and history of Florida’s sea turtle species before breaking for dinner. In the evening, watch as a mother sea turtle lays her eggs as a guest on a night time Turtle Walk. Lunch and dinner included.
Day 2: Morning Research Activity, FAU Research Lab Site Visit & Evening Nesting Patrol Training
Begin your first full day with a morning nesting survey on Juno Beach. Learn what it means to be a research biologist as you fill out your own data sheet and walk your own stretch of beach to identify sea turtle crawls, hatching events, and decipher any other nesting activity. Then, you’ll be transported to Florida Atlantic University’s Research Lab in Boca Raton to see current hatchling research first-hand with some of the most influential sea turtle biologists in the state. In the evening, all guests will rejoin and team up with our Turtle Walk scouts and learn how to conduct evening nesting patrols.
Day 3: Morning Waterway Clean-up & Singer Island Beach Day with Optional Snorkel Excursion
Enjoy a late breakfast at Loggerhead Marinelife Center as your guide introduces you to the challenges of sea turtle conservation in a marine debris presentation. We’ll then head out on a kayak excursion for a waterway clean up in an important sea turtle foraging site. After a beach-side lunch, enjoy the rest of the day on Singer Island beach with an optional snorkel excursion at Phil Foster Park and Artificial Reef.
Day 4-5: Rehabilitation Activities and Optional Evening Nesting Patrol
The second half of your Florida eco tour will consist of assisting LMC rehabilitation staff and volunteers with routine maintenance, food preparation and feedings. The other half of your days, you will have the option of spending time on the water with your guide paddle boarding and snorkeling some of the best spots in Palm Beach County. See how you feel after a full day’s adventure and choose to take a free night on your own or conduct further evening surveys with your guide. Transportation included to local restaurants. All meals included.
Day 6: Kayaking the Loxahatchee River & Guanabanas dinner Your last day in Florida will find you on the northwest fork of the Loxahatchee River, one of only two rivers in Florida designated as a Wild and Scenic river by the US Government. Enjoy a half day paddling through protected cypress swamp wetlands and picnic in the park before your last dinner at a popular local restaurant. All meals included.
Day 7: Depart Palm Beach, FL