Do We Beach House

Sea turtle nesting season is winding down on Fort Myers Beach, and the island has one more chance this month to see the work behind it up close.

On Thursday, Sept. 24, Turtle Time volunteer Cindy Johnson will give a presentation at the Mound House on the loggerhead sea turtles that return to our beaches every year. Her talk covers their nesting habits, their part in the Gulf ecosystem — including helping keep jellyfish numbers in check — and the pressures this threatened species faces in the wild.

She will also cover what is being done locally to protect them. Turtle Time, the island nonprofit that monitors sea turtle nesting activity on Fort Myers Beach, serves as a steward for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — checking nests after they hatch, tracking hatchlings and flagging disorientation so more of each season’s turtles reach the water.

The evening starts with refreshments and ticket sales at 5 p.m., with the presentation at 5:30 p.m. at 451 Connecticut St. Admission is free for Mound House members and $5 for non-members, and seating is limited — RSVP at 239-765-0865 or moundhouse@fmbgov.com. Offsite parking is available off Connecticut Street.

It is a good reminder of what makes this stretch of coast worth protecting — and an easy, worthwhile island evening for anyone who is here next week.

Source: Fort Myers Beach Observer & Beach Bulletin — Turtle Time to present at the Mound House.