The Georgia Sea Turtle Center

15 March 2013

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Here is one of our favorite Jekyll Island spots...

You walk in the door and look up into a vaulted ceiling hanging with a huge fossil turtle from the ancient seas...

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center has a hands-on museum room where you can learn more about how turtles reproduce and grow as well as the impacts of humans on their lives.

There is also a window where visitors can see into the turtle clinic.

There's an aquarium with a baby turtle too.

One clever thing that Eli especially enjoyed is that each visitor is given a "My Sea Turtle Journey" sheet to let them imagine being a turtle. There are circles drawn on the sheet and kids choose one of several embossers at each learning station to determine where their nest was laid, gender, migration place, and how old you lived to be. Eli Turtle ended up migrating to the Azores and he was terribly excited because one his buddies moved there a few months back. (Hi, Robynn and Mama Tiffany!)

Visitors are also welcomed into the Rehabilitation Center. A raised platform, stepping benches, and tilted mirrors above the tanks help kids see what is going on.

We learned a lot about the dangers turtles face in the wild and how the Center cares for them.

Each of the turtles has an information book, which teaches about treatment options but also helps visitors empathize with these amazing creatures.

Eli loved watching the hatchlings swim about. They will be released before long, so we wished them long and happy lives.

One Mama's Two Cents:
This place is well worth the stop. It is designed with kids in mind, so even pre-readers will find lots to capture their imagination. Adults will love it too, though. If you visit, keep in mind that there is a $6-per-car fee when arriving on the island and the Center charges an entry fee as well. (Both fees, however, support upkeep and conservation.) A picnic lunch might be nice as there are few eating spots on the island open to the public and they tend to be pricy. Besides, there are many shady spots with amazing views within walking distance of the Center.

If you are too far away to visit, the Center's website has some great information. (Click on the "Education" tab.) Information about the impact of litter was particularly helpful and it has already changed the way Eli and I shop! During our trip to the island, we were also vigilant for beach litter we could pick up. Click HERE for a great chart that gives you a pause to think.