MBC & Nature​​
Turtles Rule...  
Manasota Key, FL

On a mid-summers eve, as the sun slowly moves toward the horizon, the natural surroundings of the Manasota Beach Club located on Manasota Key in Engelwood, FL come to life.  As the evening breezes relent and the rolling surf subsides to become a tranquil swish on the sand, a host of new sounds of wildlife emerge, signaling that nature  is on the move.   

The Gulf of Mexico comes alive with the splash of seabirds dipping for a evening snack, while pods of dolphin chasing dinner are frolicking about off-shore.  If you listen close you'll hear a rustle, off the beaten path.  Look close, and you can watch the sea oats do an unmistakable dance, as one of the resident gopher tortoises lumbers through the foliage on his way back home to his nest nuzzled under an ancient live oak tree root.  These gopher tortoises rule this land. Each has their own personalities and daily patterns.     Visitors love to watch them race across the lawn behind the MBC Clubhouse.  Most are surprised at how much ground they can cover...  Slow and steady really does win the race...  

After nightfall one of the most amazing things transpires during the overnight hours from May through August. Hundreds of sea turtles make their way to Manasota Key to make a nest and lay their eggs.  

Sea turtle species that nest on Manasota Key's shores are listed as endangered and some species are very rare, so strict regulations apply during the nesting season on light shining on the beach that could confuse them and human interaction with them which may cause them not to nest.  But, if you follow the rules and are lucky, the experience of being at the Manasota Beach Club during sea turtle nesting season is exciting, exhilarating, and will last a lifetime!  

Contact us for more information about the turtles of Manasota Key!  For more information on sea turtle nesting an rules visit www.seaturtle.org.