If you are in search of some below-the-surface excitement, look no further than Navarre Beach. Beachgoers can enjoy the tantalizing turquoise waters from above and below at an attraction that benefits both the environment and the local economy.
Just offshore, the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary is thriving around its artificial snorkel reefs. Plant and animal life continue to grow and flourish, attracting fascinating fish and colorful marine species to the area. The sanctuary includes three snorkel reef sites—two in the Santa Rosa Sound and one in the Gulf of Mexico—as well as the One Mile Out Reef, located about a mile offshore in the Gulf and designed for scuba divers and kayak anglers.
As the reefs mature, marine vegetation and crustaceans establish themselves on the structures, creating a thriving ecosystem. According to Mike Sandler of the Navarre Chamber Foundation, “The growth continues as more plant life and crustaceans are growing on top of the reefs and on top of each other. Because of that, more of the animal life comes to feed because it’s an easy source.”
The Gulf reef sites offer an especially diverse array of marine life and vegetation. Visitors can observe a colorful underwater world featuring sea turtles, octopuses, and both juvenile and adult fish, including snapper, blennies, damselfish, surgeonfish, jacks, porgies and spadefish.
In the Santa Rosa Sound, snorkelers may encounter oysters, which help support marine life such as shrimp, crabs, sheepshead, redfish, speckled trout and white trout.
You don’t need a snorkel or scuba gear to enjoy some of the area’s most beloved marine animals. Depending on the season, dolphins can often be seen surfacing just offshore, and manatees occasionally glide beneath the water’s surface.
The Navarre Beach Marine Park is free to the public and open from sunrise to sunset. For more information about the sanctuary, visit www.navarrebeachmarinesanctuary.org.