Sea Turtle program at Vero & Question

[JoEllen]

We will be at VB for two nights next month before heading to OKW for 8 nights. Today I called to try and get three spots for the Sea Turtle program and was told they don't offer it on Monday nights. That leaves us with Sunday night which is the night of our arrival. Sunday we catch an 8:00 am flight arrive MCO at 5:30, rent from National and drive to Vero.

Can anyone tell me if this program is worth it? I'm not sure two fiftyish parents and one 14 yr old DD can stay up after a grueling day but want to try to if this is a "not to be missed" event!

I know husband and daughter will snooze on the plane so I will probably be the only one resembling a zombie!

JoEllen

 

[HHGuy]

If you're referring to the Sea Turtle program offered by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (www.cccturtle.org), the program is *only* offered on Monday nights in June and July. Not sure why the person you talked to said it wasn't. You leave from the resort and go over to the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge.

The experience is well worth the time.

 

[HHGuy]

From the spring 2003 Vacation Magic, the number to call for reservations is (800) 678-7853. Since it's offered each year, I don't think the number has changed.

 

[JoEllen]

Sounds like there is more than one Sea Turtle program! I had called the number VB gave me which is the parks dept at the McLardy Treasure Museum. That number is 321-984-4852.

Thanks for the info, I'll call your number.

JoEllen

 

[Geyser Gazer]

We did this last year and I thought it was a neat. That said my wife decided that giving birth to our girls was enough reproductive biology for her lifetime and that she really could have survived without spying on mamma laggerhead as she laid her eggs. During the program we spent about a half hour in class, an hour getting to and finding a turtle, an hour watching her lay eggs and an hour watching her swim away and getting back to the resort. The no see ums are hungry on the beach this time of night so make sure to bring insect repellant. While we were waiting for our turtle to head back into the ocean we saw the sky light up as NASA was sending one of the Mars rovers that we are all hearing about up to its destination. While we were all watching the rocket, our turtle had began to walk towards the sea. It was almost as if she was waiting to see the lift off before she swam away.

 

[skorpie]

We took this side trip when at Vero two summers ago. We are the type of family that sits and watches the "Discocery" channel so to see the loggerhead turtle was a real treat! Yes, the hours were late, and the no see ums were biting, but to see a huge turtle laying her eggs the way it has been done for centuries actually humbled us! Nature continues no matter what is going on in the rest of the world. We loved it! However, because we are also arriving around 9PM in Sanford/Orlando, we decided that this side trip would be too much for us this summer due to the late hours. Maybe next year!

 

[nealpads]

We were there last summer and watching the turtle lay her eggs was something that my family will never forget. My 11 yr. old son told the park ranger that it was better than any movie he could ever watch. It touched us so much that we had sea turtle tile mosaics put in our new pool.

 

[Leigha]

I'm confused! I called VB the other day to sign up for the turtle walk. She said it is now done by lottery - they put all the room keys in something and draw out 20 because it's so popular. So does Disney have a free program and the other place listed above with the phone number have a paid program?

 

[goofy4tink]

I have also heard it is being done by lottery now. That you have to call and reserve a spot really early and then it's a lottery. Must be like getting an IllumiNations cruise!!!! We were hoping to do it next year, but if it's a lottery we don't want to take a chance on not being able to do it. We normally travel in August and would have changed to July, but then dd would miss a lot of her summer clinic stuff. So, I guess we'll have to wait and see how it works this coming summer before we commit to travel dates.