Editor’s note: This is the conclusion of a four-part series on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Sebastian Inlet District. The following story looks at the people who manage the inlet day-to-day, and the diverse activities, facilities and cultural programming at the Sebastian Inlet State Park.
More than 700,000 beach lovers visited the Sebastian Inlet State Park last year, enticed by the fishing, swimming and surfing. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, according to the enthusiastic state park staff. The 971-acre park has something for everyone – photographers, bird watchers, history buffs, bicyclists, music lovers and theater-goers.
For Park Manager Jennifer Roberts, it’s a quiet place to decompress and enjoy the beauty of nature. “Almost every day, I see dolphins, manatees and gopher tortoises and even otters,” she said, adding, “it’s good to relax and walk barefoot in the sand. There’s nothing better than watching the sun rise and set.”
Photographers are often out at first and last light capturing nature’s twice-daily floor show. Many shutterbugs combine photography with bird watching. The park is on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, a network of 510 premier wildlife viewing sites across the state. The best times for watching are in the fall and spring when migratory birds are traveling what’s known as the Atlantic Flyway. But there are always magnificent birds at the park including Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Wood Storks and Brown Pelicans. The Pelican Island Audubon Society helps the park count birds during the migrations. Printed bird identification guides are available at the ranger station.
“We can be so dependent on electronics and being inside,” Roberts said. “We need to get outside.”
The Annual State Park Pass, she said, is the all-access ticket to every one of Florida’s state parks for a value price. Florida State Parks have won three National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence from the National Recreation and Park Association, she said, noting that no other state has even won twice.
For history buffs, the McLarty Treasure Museum brings to life the 1715 wreck of Spanish galleon ships bulging with gold, silver, gems and other riches as they headed back to Spain. The museum, built on a survivor’s camp of the wrecked fleet, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The museum, just outside the park’s southern entrance in Indian River County, offers a short film about shipwrecks off the coast of Florida and makes one want to pick up a metal detector and search for gold doubloons on the beach. Admission is not a lot of booty at $2.
The Sebastian Fishing Museum, south of the Sebastian Inlet bridge, highlights the rich cultural history of Sebastian’s commercial fishing industry. It features an exhibition on the early families of Sebastian who operated fish houses: Sembler, Smith and Judah. They’ve replicated an original fish house and dock with displays nets, fishing gear and photos of fishing in the lagoon. The entry fee is included in the park admission.
For cyclists, there are bike paths galore. On the south side of the park a two-mile bike path follows the ditches and dykes that were built to reduce mosquitoes.
Mountain bikers can pedal an eight-mile unpaved trail fringed by sea grape and mangroves. The path starts at the state park’s Bayside Marina located two miles north of the state park. Those looking to rack up big miles can grab a trail map and stick to the 40-mile paved bike path than runs along A1A.
For a slower pace, sea turtle walks take place Friday through Tuesday evenings in June and July. A park ranger leads the group on a three-mile walk in search of mothers laying eggs, while talking about wrack lines, sea beans, lobstering, the night sky, bioluminescence, the treasure fleet and beach re-nourishment. The walks, in their 41st year, start at 9 p.m. and can end as late at 1 a.m. They sell out fast and only a few spots are available for this season.
“The Sebastian Inlet State Park is the real Florida and it’s open 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Terry O’Toole, a long-time park services specialist. Among many other duties, Terry books the bands for the popular Night Sounds concert series held September through May.
“I try to bring in as much variety as I can,” he said. “It might be blues, country, folk, soul, Motown, Dixieland, Celtic, Indian. I look for music our clientele will enjoy and we’re always looking for suggestions.”
This will be the final season O’Toole books the Night Sounds concerts as he’s retiring Oct. 31 with 40 years of service to the park. “My plan is to have no plans,” he joked. “I’ll probably volunteer at the park with my wife. I’ve dedicated my life to this park and I want to continue to help.”
For the upcoming season, O’Toole has booked four bands, including:
Sept. 14: Vintage, a talented band from Central Florida, plays classic rock and roll.
Dec. 14: Hot Pink is an electric rock band that plays everything from Stevie Wonder to Elton John, from soul to rock ’n’ roll.
Feb. 8, 2020: Four Shillings Short is a husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama and Christy Martin, modern day troubadours who perform on over 30 world instruments.
March 7, 2020: Vince Love and the Soul Cats plays soul, blues and Motown music.
The state park staff aren’t the only ones generating excitement at the park. Michelle Saia, who runs BG’s Surfside Grill and Adventures, the official concession operator for park, hosts some unusual events as well.
On July 26, back by popular demand, is “Jaws on the Water,” where film buffs can watch the classic movie while bobbing in the cove (the park admission is covered by the $15 fee). Tubes can be rented for $5, or bring your own.
At the suggestion of a customer, Saia recently held a drum circle at the park and plans on doing it again. “It started with six people and pretty soon 40 people were drumming, dancing and hula hooping,” Saia said.
Twice yearly, the South Beach Players, Melbourne Beach’s community theater group, performs original comedies in BG’s Surfside banquet hall to sell-out crowds. The players will perform their next show, “Intelligent Life,” the first two weeks in December.
During snowbird season, Friday night live music events resume on the second-story wrap-around deck overlooking the ocean and the lagoon. Don Sadler, a talented Tennessee musician with a 500-song repertoire, played music every Friday in April.
With all that’s going on at the park, attendance is increasing, with Memorial Day weekend numbers doubling last year’s count of 6,000 visitors. As they look back at 100 years since the Sebastian Inlet District was created, and also to its future, the park staff never loses sight of the core mission.
“Our job is to maintain a delicate balance of people enjoying the park while maintaining a healthy ecosystem,” Roberts said.
