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River Branch Preserve Overlook
Welcome to the Atlantic Beach Turtle Crawl! If this is the first turtle you’ve found, there are 23 others scattered throughout our park system, in places of historic significance, and even in some unexpected locations. If you’re up for a scavenger hunt to find every turtle on our Turtle Crawl, you can find a map HERE.
Diamondback Terrapins are carnivorous turtles with ring like patterns on their scutes. Like human fingerprints each terrapin has a unique pattern on each scute. They use their powerful jaws to crack open the hard shells of prey such as mollusks, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Diamondback Terrapins are one of the only turtles in the United States capable of living in brackish water like at Dutton Island. Terrapins were once considered a delicacy but are now illegal to cook and eat.
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a 3,000-mile inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, Texas. Some sections of the waterway consist of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, and sounds, while others are artificial canals. It provides a navigable route along its length without many of the hazards of travel on the open sea.
There are three non-contiguous segments. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) runs from Key West, Florida, north to Portsmouth, Virginia. The second segment extends from Brownsville, Texas, eastward to Carrabelle, Florida. The third runs from Tarpon Springs, Florida, south to Fort Myers, Florida.
Located to the east of the Intracoastal Waterway, between Dutton Island Preserve and Tide Views Preserve, the River Branch Preserve was acquired in 2009 for preservation purposes. It is approximately 350 acres of marshes and shallow waterways, with several islands. There are currently no manmade structures in this park with the exception of some canoe/kayak trail signs marking the waterways. The channels are tidal in nature, and most of the waterways cannot be navigated at low tide. At high tide, the waterways provide excellent venues for kayaks, canoes, and ecotourism excursions. The lands have been maintained primarily in their natural state, and the flora and fauna are outstanding.
The importance of maintaining the natural state of the Intracoastal Waterway is due to a combination of factors:
- Habitat preservation: Natural sections of the ICW provide vital habitats for a diverse array of marine life, including fish, dolphins, manatees, great blue herons, egrets, and wood ducks.
- Water quality: Natural water systems help filter pollutants and absorb excess nutrients, maintaining the ecosystem's balance and providing clean drinking water.
- Coastal protection: Wetlands along the ICW act as natural buffers against storms, reducing shoreline erosion and safeguarding coastal communities and infrastructure. In fact, one study showed that wetlands reduced storm damages by over 22% in some areas.
- Carbon sequestration: Salt marshes and other natural habitats along the waterway efficiently capture carbon dioxide, helping to reduce greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change impacts.
- Flood mitigation: Natural waterways play an important role in controlling water supply and mitigating flood
Spencer’s Midden and Timucuans
Europeans arrived in Florida in 1562. For over 10,000 years before Jean Ribault first sailed down the St. Johns River, people lived right here, in what would later be called Timucuan territory. Hundreds of archaeological sites dot the landscape in our area, helping scientists and historians reconstruct the culture of the Timucua.
The oldest known coastal village site on the American eastern seaboard is Spencer’s Midden, just north of Dutton Island. Radiocarbon dating indicates the site was occupied 5500 years ago. The village harvested oyster, coquina, small estuarine fish, and deer. The site was permanent or multi-seasonal and most likely inhabited by a number of related families.
Fishing
Kayaking and Paddleboarding