Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Rescue

By Cynthia Reeves / Photo by Getty Images

Turtles have taken over Cheri Dexter’s life, but she could not be happier about it. A few years ago, she and her husband, Scott, traveled to Navarre in their RV, discovered the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, and decided to make saving turtles their focus.

Now, Dexter is the principal officer of what is called the turtle stranding team. The team consists of volunteers like herself who look out for turtles caught by fishermen, injured by sharks or hurt in accidents.

“Last year we rescued 54 turtles at Navarre Beach,” Dexter said.

She describes it as a “dance” to rescue turtles, since most weigh over 100 pounds. The largest rescue was a 230-pound Loggerhead.

The strand team works in conjunction with the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, a non-profit founded in 2013. The education center is located on Navarre Beach. It is open to the public year-round. The staff teaches locals and visitors how to protect turtles and improve their habitat. The cost of admission is just $5, with a discount for seniors and military.

The center, museum and gift shop have an ambassador in residence named “Sweetpea,” who is a non-releasable green turtle. Her story tells the dangers facing sea turtles and increases awareness.

The nearby Navarre Fishing Pier is where most of the action happens for the strand team. Volunteers are trained to drive a specially equipped Utility Task Vehicle (UTV), deploy the hoist and lift large nets when turtles are caught in a fishermen’s line.

Volunteers are trained through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. There are currently 18 permitted volunteers and a dozen non-permitted members who work beside them. Each must be involved in six successful turtle rescues before becoming official team members.

A typical day involves dressing in the distinctive purple t-shirt, working shifts on the Navarre Fishing Pier, and being on watch for turtles in peril.

The team is at capacity this year, but there are other opportunities to volunteer at the education center or on the first impression team. Volunteers must be 18 years old and can apply online.

Dexter says her strand team has a great working relationship with local fishermen “who know how to avoid catching turtles,” or quickly call for help if they do snare one. Recreational fishermen and tourists are not quite as savvy. The main rule for catching a turtle is, “Don’t cut the line.” Let the strand team come in to help.

Pulling a 100-pound or more turtle to safety is a sight to see.

“We triage them. We are the ambulance,” Dexter explained. Rescued or injured turtles in Navarre are sent to either the Gulfarium in Ft. Walton Beach or to Panama City for treatment, then rehabilitated and released back into the Gulf.

If the turtles were hatched locally, their internal radar typically sends them straight back to their home beach. Dexter says locals often spot rehabbed “Chuck” or “Tank” swimming around local waters. The big loggerheads have satellite trackers on their backs.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission recently recognized the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservatory as the most successful in a five-state area. Efforts are underway to model other strand teams after them.

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