Volusia County residents are lucky to have the Marine Discovery Center. The center is located just before the bridge that leads to Flagler Avenue beachside, at 162 North Causeway in New Smyrna Beach. Learning about the Indian River Lagoon and the local marine life is not just educational, but fun. The Marine Discovery Center gives eco-tours of the Indian River. People climb on board a forty passenger pontoon boat that goes around the lagoon, which includes wonderfully narrated events by naturalist tour guides familiar with the area and encountered wildlife. They also do kayak eco-adventure tours, which is a fun way to learn basic kayak instruction for both adults and children.
To the local population of New Smyrna Beach and surrounding areas, the Marine Discovery Center is recreational as well, but they are also accomplishing rehabilitation of the indigenous species of Florida, helping to preserve through conservation and education. They rehabilitate sea turtles, which are prone to many misfortunes out at sea, from boat propellers, unfortunate for the manatee as well, to sea-turtle disease.
One can spot all kinds of natural wildlife in and around the Indian River Lagoon, including some of the rehabilitated sea turtles, if you are lucky. These are rare creatures, especially the larger ones that usually swim in the ocean. I had an interesting experience when I first moved to New Smyrna Beach, before I ever knew about the Marine Discovery Center and their work with marine life.
I was standing on the fishing dock at Riverside Park, which is situated south, not far at all from the Marine Discovery Center on the Indian River, located off of Canal Street. It was an extraordinarily beautiful day, the skies a particular shade of blue that is hard to forget. The water was calm that day, and the velvety breezes that New Smyrna Beach is famous for was invigorating.
I stood on the dock, breathed in the air and enjoying the warm sunlight on my face, spotted something in the water. Now, the dolphins that frequent this area were very active that day, so I assumed it was just another baby pup, what locals call the infant wild dolphins in the area. So I looked over, eagerly awaiting a close-up view of what I thought was a dolphin, when all of a sudden, a humongous sea-turtle emerged from the water, looked directly at me with such an empowered expression on its face and took a deep breath, then went back under the water. I was so close; I could actually hear it draw breath!
This was a moving experience for me, for I was feeling both philosophical and spiritual that day, when the turtle emerged. What a neat experience, especially since the turtle seemed to have no fear of me, and was obviously overjoyed to be free. Now I realize that this turtle might have possibly come from the Marine Discovery Center, a rehabilitated sea creature happy to be healthy again, but whatever the case, this was an experience that every human being should have at least once in their life, a connection with nature, and a respect for a different species. In fact I had a good day, for directly after seeing the turtle, I saw two wild manatees frolicking in the canal! Who knows what you will discover even further down the river while on board the Marine Discovery Center boat!
