Just a short drive up A1A north of Fort Pierce sits the barrier island state park of Sebastian Inlet. This is the area know as the treasure coast but the last week the focus has changed do to the strong smell of dead fish. A ranger explained to Gary that the kill is a result of the bait fish entering the inlet in large numbers at the time when the Gulf Stream that sits close to these shores pushed into the inlet deep sea waters that have low amounts of oxygen, killing the fish. It is a smelly situation and takes away from the otherwise great park.
It is also the area that hosts the largest turtle nesting population at 25% in the US. In just under a month the nesting will begin lasting into summer as several different species use these beaches to bury their eggs. In our explorations today we found several dolphins just offshore, chased by opportunistic pelicans.
This morning after walking the parks nature trails (where we found the very large spider) we stopped at the McLarty Treasure Museum to watch a film on the treasure coast and see some of the recovered coins. The sea in this area is still giving up these treasures today. Much of the treasure in this area comes from a 1715 Spanish fleet containing gold and silver coins and the Queens Jewels that was wrecked offshore near the campground during a hurricane. Part of the treasure included the Queens Jewels which have yet to be found, I searched the beaches for some treasure but found only sea beans, still a good find. According to history, the Queen refused to consummate the marriage until she had the proper dowry which included the jewels. Not sure if the old boy ever got any from the Queen.
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