Questions about Navarre & Navarre Beach Part 1- Sharks, Dolphins, Crabs, Sea Turtles, Jellyfish, Fish, Herons, & Egrets
Many tourists and newcomers to Navarre Beach have pressing questions they'd like answered. What's it like? What can I expect? What do I need to bring? What kind of amenities can I expect? Is it a good vacation spot? Is it expensive? and more. This is part of a series specifically answering some of your questions about Navarre, Navarre Beach, & the surrounding areas.
Part 1 answers your questions about animal life at Navarre Beach.
We all love the idea of going to the beach, relaxing, and taking the day to soak in the sun. Navarre Beach allows you to enjoy the warmer weather we get much of the year, enjoy the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, take nice walks along the sand, and more. But what can you expect as far as animal life you could encounter?
Everybody always wants to know about sharks. What about sharks? Do you see sharks? The simple answer is yes. Sharks do live in the ocean and they can be seen at Navarre Beach too. Now before you decide to change vacation destinations, let me expound. I have lived here for 15 years and not once have I heard of someone being attacked by a shark on our beach. If you look online, shark attacks occur annually at various beaches nationwide & worldwide. If you are going to any beach, there is always a risk present. Sharks live in the ocean. Thousands of people go to the beach every year and are fine. Obviously you must be aware & take precaution. If someone let you know they see a shark nearby, get out of the water. Sharks are best seen from above. If you are standing on the pier looking down or in a plane over the water you would have the best view.
Now, on to less scary creatures. What about dolphins? Yes! we have dolphins and they are just as beautiful to me when I see them now as when I first saw them. These beautiful creatures love to play in the water. I don't see them every time I go to the beach. In fact, its pretty rare. Most times you see them when sitting on the beach and looking out over the horizon. Your eye will catch a glimpse of their jumping out of the water or just gliding over like they do. These harmless creatures remind us that beauty is also present in the ocean. Want to see dolphins up close? A trip down to the Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach will allow you to see dolphin shows!
Ghost Crabs- If you sit on the beach for any length of time, you'll notice these clear looking crabs that emerge and scuttle across the sand. They are very small and harmless. Some tourists like to go crab hunting in the evenings with their flashlights for some fun. These ghost crabs bury themselves in little burrows in the sand and once on the move can scuttle across the sand pretty quickly.
What abour Sea Turtles? Yes! Many times if you walk the pier you can look down and see a sea turtle swimming by. They also make their nests on the beaches periodically (April - October) This is a federally protected animal so the nests are barriered so the public doesn't disturb the nests. It takes approximately 2 months for turtle eggs to hatch before the hatchlings will make their journey across the sand to the ocean. Want to see a Sea Turtle up close? Visit the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary where they might be nursing a sea turtle back to health! What's another animal that's protected during its nesting season? Look up Black Skimmers. This black & white small bird makes its nests in the area annually as well.
Are there ever jellyfish at Navarre Beach? Yes, sometimes we do get jellyfish. If a purple flag is being flown at the beach, it means there is sea life present with potential risk. Many times this means jellyfish are present. When this happens, its best just to enjoy the beach from the shore. Getting in the water puts you at risk for a jellyfish sting which won't be fun. Jellyfish aren't always present- just at certain times. We get different varieties that come through. It's never fun to discover the jellyfish have decided to enjoy the same water you had planned on enjoying that day, but it's just life. Just like sometimes there is Junegrass or seaweed. It's all part of nature and you can't always plan around it. There's a reason for it in nature so you just learn to go with the flow.
Do you like to fish? The Navarre fishing pier draws fishermen of all sorts that will spend a good part of their day trying to catch their haul of fish. What kind of fish? Cobia, King mackerel, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, jacks, redfish, & trout are just some of the fish caught at various times of the year.
What about birds? The Heron & the Egret are two of my favorite birds to see locally. Both are long legged and enjoy hanging out near water sources. The Blue Heron is usually larger and typically more colorful while the Egret is a skinnier bird and mostly white. Both are beautiful birds and amazing to see fly through the air. Everytime I'm crossing a bridge and see one of these birds paralleling my car and the bridge, gracefully gliding through the air, it takes my breath away because its such an awesome picture! I find myself doing that quite often. Having moments of wanting to capture the beauty.
Many see Navarre Beach as a relaxing vacation spot to stop and enjoy nature. Enjoying the sea life is part of that experience. Others decide to make it home so they can enjoy it more often. What other animals are common in the area? Look for part 2 of Questions about Navarre & Navarre Beach.
Want to possibly look at some places to see if this could be your next home? Jen@floridasaltwaterhomes.com
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