Wood Stork of Indian Lagoon roosting with chicks

Sunshine Wildlife, Indian Lagoon

The American wood stork nests on an island in the Indian River lagoon in southeast Florida. This island is one of the top ten bird rookeries in Florida. Indian River Lagoon is North America’s most diverse estuary. It is here that ORI’s Sunshine Wildlife director, Nancy Beaver, is working to research and preserve Florida marine wildlife. Contributors to ORI have enabled Capt Nan to transport and plant Spartina grass along the shoreline of the wood storks' natal island to help stop erosion from wave intensity. This is the only place in Martin County where American woods storks nest.

Support a Healthy Estuary

The Wild Dolphin Project out of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is one of Capt Nan’s favorite projects. The Sunshine Lady carries personal and equipment traveling Indian Lagoon from Sebastian Inlet to St. Lucie Inlet. They are now in their nineth year of updating the health assessments of dolphins, helping to monitor sick or injured marine mammals. The dolphins that Capt Nan observes stay in the general area and only travel about 20 to 25 miles a day.

Please Join Us In Recognition of the

11th Year Anniversary of Sunshine Wildlife Tours Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Featured Speaker: Steve McCulloch

Director of Wild Dolphin Project

Cash Bar at 6:00

Dinner at 7:30

Finz Waterfront Grille. 4290 Salerno Road, Stuart, FL Tickets $40/ person (includes salad, choice of entree, desert & beverage)
Attire: Casual Island Style ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Support the continuing education of the public about "The Most Diverse Estuary in North America" and our efforts to restore the health of the Estuary's waters, shorelines and wildlife.~

~ ORI’s Sunshine Wildlife is collaborating with the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center to protect the island from shoreline erosion and to better the overall health of Indian Lagoon estuary.~

~ Dr. Vincent Encomio and Capt Nan collect oyster shells from area restaurants. Fresh shells that need time to age are swapped with aged shells. Oyster shells are transported aboard the Sunshine Lady and deposited along the island’s shore.~

~Dr Encomio and Capt Nan are monitoring the water quality. They hope to soon see some healthy new oyster beds.~

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“Thank you ORI for all you do to help preserve our oceans, rivers and earth's ecosystems. After a lifetime of activism with things in many ways still getting worse, it is easy to get discouraged to the point of despair. I appreciate your tenacity, your goals and successes and your shining light of inspiration to so many who might otherwise believe the corporate sponsored message that it is already "too late."
- Denise Turner of St. Petersburg, FL

Get involved

Attend our Celebration Dinner in recognition of eleven years hard work monitoring, shoring-up shores, and saving Indian Lagoon. Please RSVP to Capt. Nan at sunshinetours@bellsouth.net

Double your impact. Your gift to ORI before January 31 will be matched dollar for dollar.

Support Saving Indian Lagoon Estuary and all who dwell within and beside by making a donation to the Ocean River Institute. You may indicate on the support form that your gift is being made specifically for Sunshine Wildlife and Capt Nan's exemplary environmental stewardship work.

Why, What's Its All About?

Your contribution will support on-water education about North America's most diverse estuary for children, residents and visitors with Capt Nan at the helm of the Sunshine Lady.

Your contribution will support our efforts to help injured marine mammals and birds of Indian Lagoon.

Your contribution will support oyster restoration, shoreline preservation, spoil island clean-ups, and local lobbying efforts to clean up our coastal waters, to stop sliming waters with nutrient run-off, and other sources of pollution.

ORI Partner: Sunshine Wildlife Tours

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