Sea Turtle Hospital Hotel????

Added: 2026-05-11

[00:00:36][snorts] >> Good morning. We are up early trying not to wake up our neighbors cuz they're in a tent beside us.

[00:00:46]Um actually we have tents on both side of sides of us.

[00:00:49]We are up early to get ready to go to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon this morning to like the tour of the hospital.

[00:00:57]Hopefully we'll get to see some sea turtles, too. Um I don't really know. I'm assuming.

[00:01:03]Um and see like the facility where they take care of the injured turtles.

[00:01:09]Um and then I think we'll probably make a little something for breakfast but do it quickly. Josh is trying to get a film of the um sunrise.

[00:01:20]So, it's a little bit cloudy. It rained last night in the four-wheel camper which was different. It uh is very loud.

[00:01:26]The tin roof is what me up. I was like, "Oh my gosh."

[00:01:30]But I'll just have to get used to that.

[00:01:31]I'm sure I'll get used to it.

[00:01:33]Um but other than that it's pretty uneventful night other than a little bit of rain.

[00:01:39]It's pretty quiet. Um I just wasn't as tired yesterday, so um I probably could have stayed up a little bit later, but they were ready to go to bed.

[00:01:53]No, I'm tired um this morning, so I'm going to get ready and then we'll start the day with the turtles and see what else we can find.

[00:02:06]All right, I'm on dish duty. Josh has been doing a lot of the dishes, but I guess I'm back on on the clock.

[00:02:13]>> [laughter] >> He's been doing good. He's helpful when we're camping cuz he knows like we even have like stuff we have to do.

[00:02:22]Although this camper is really easy. Um So, I'm just turning on the water pump and the hot water heater.

[00:02:31]And now I can have hot water to do my dishes.

[00:02:36]As you can see, I've got a sink.

[00:02:39]Everything's laid in here.

[00:02:42]Everything's a little bit wet.

[00:02:45]There's Closing up the windows here.

[00:02:59]I love this thing. It's so easy to pack up.

[00:03:03]Like it's so incredibly easy to pack up.

[00:03:07]Um It's actually a spongy.

[00:03:11]Over.

[00:03:13]And then I'm going to There's a couple of things on the counter that I have to put down.

[00:03:18]I have to put up the step stool and then I can pull everything down.

[00:03:27]And now I'm going to fold up.

[00:03:31]Everything looks good.

[00:03:36]So, you do the opposite when you're pulling it down, you do this part first.

[00:03:45]The wind's keeping it up.

[00:03:54]You know what's happening, right? The wind. It's pushing the >> I know.

[00:03:58]It's the wind. Here.

[00:04:01]Josh is going to close the door to see if it helps.

[00:04:08]Yeah, it didn't.

[00:04:11]I got it. So, he closed the door and it was able to close. The wind was just keeping it up.

[00:04:18]It's actually really easy um to do this.

[00:04:22]I got to move you guys down here.

[00:04:28]I'm having to pull, but most of time it just comes down without a problem.

[00:04:33]It's just cuz the beach wind and where we're sitting.

[00:05:04]We were excited to tour the Sea Turtle Hospital in Islamorada. We were able to go the night before and book the tour because they do fill up and they definitely recommend reservations for this. Um we were able to go through the entire history of the turtle hospital, um how it started as a hotel, and then um the the folks that owned the hotel would rehab turtles and have guests stay as well, um and actually get to swim with the turtles that were uh being rehabbed. Eventually, they ended up using the hotel rooms as staff accommodations because they have so many staff uh that live on the property and take care of the turtles and like our tour guide, she was getting her masters in education and comes down over the summers um to do like education about turtles to different school classes. We even had a I think a first grade class with us during our tour. Um you can see how they have different pools for the different turtles and their different like needs and energy levels as they are healing.

[00:06:18]Uh and we talked about the different types of sea turtles that they save, the different potential injuries they could have from boat injuries to having what they call bubble butt where they have um air trapped in their shell and that prevents them from being able to sink um in the water the way that they should and be able to swim. So that's very very hard for them to come back from without assistance. So people can call the sea turtle hospital at any time to get uh a turtle saved and they will go out um and meet the person to get the sea turtle um however far they need to go. I think they even had some turtles that were in the northeast area that had they swam too far north and then if it's too cold and the water is too cold, they freeze and they can't they literally can't move or get food the way that they should. So they have to be rehabbed in warmer water and and recover to be able to be then set free.

[00:07:21]There are also some turtles here that we saw in the larger pool.

[00:07:27]Um and they are permanent residents of the sea turtle hospital. So they have injuries that they can't necessarily be released back into the wild, but they live an awesome life. People um feed them. We were able to feed them. You can see them eating cucumbers.

[00:07:44]They have a really great life there and are able to swim around in their larger pool that actually opens to the ocean.

[00:07:52]And they get to see people every day.

[00:07:55]So we really really enjoyed being able to go through the hospital.

[00:08:00]See all the different sizes of turtles, the different types, all of their names.

[00:08:05]Each one is named. The staff gets to name them if they're the ones that go and rescue them. So they they try to kind of spread the the love there and and get to name all the different turtles.

[00:08:28]At the very end we also got to go through some of the pools that were separated from this larger pool. And they had some babies, some smaller turtles that needed more care and more assistance. It's definitely like a lot of hard work for the staff that are there.

[00:08:44]You can see the weights on the backs of the shells. Those weights are placed in an effort to help with the air that is in the shells and they have to over time replace those weights because their shells do shed. I didn't know that but they they lose pieces of their shells over time and they grow back underneath. So they'll have to go in and replace the weights as those come off. These turtles are funny when you see them swimming but they they're able to get around and and live a happy life with help of their weights.

[00:09:21]And of course the help of getting food given to them cuz they aren't able to dive down for food the way that they would in the wild if they didn't have the injury.

[00:09:32]So I learned a ton about sea turtles. We really enjoyed getting to not only see them but you know, donate to the cause by buying the tickets for the for the tour.

[00:09:42]Um and even going to their little store that they have that's um I don't know, about a minute down the road. They have a a large gift shop with a lot of cool stuff. So, we're able to get some some different items at the gift shop just to support the cause uh and be able to, you know, en- enjoy knowing that um these these babies are taken care of.

[00:10:28]We are almost to Blue Hole. It is I guess an observation area with wildlife.

[00:10:35]We just saw a key deer go across the road. Um after we left the Turtle Hospital, we started heading this way because we were hoping to be able to see some more wildlife.

[00:10:46]Um We had a really good morning though. And I think they stopped at a fly shop too along the way, 7-Mile Fly Shop. Uh but now we're going to hopefully see some more nature before we maybe go back to camp for a little bit and then consider going down to Key West for tonight. Um I'd really like to see the sunset. It's cloudy right now, but it looks like it might be cloudy the rest of the week.

[00:11:07]So, at least get in our sunset at some point um at Mallory Square and have dinner in Key West is the tentative plan until we figure out, you know, how the weather is going to look. Um right now it looks like it's about to rain. So, we'll see, but um well, I see lots of people parked over here. Um I'm going to park on a little There's like a little spot to park across the street.

[00:11:35]And then you go across to the observation area. So, I'll take you with us.

[00:11:47]All right. All right.

[00:11:50]Okay, let's go.

[00:11:50]>> Alligators.

[00:11:53]Smells like a skunk.

[00:11:54]>> Smells like a skunk. Look at this.

[00:11:56]It's the tree.

[00:11:57]>> smells like a skunk.

[00:11:59]You smell it?

[00:12:00]I smell it. You never heard of a tree that smelled like a skunk.

[00:12:04]Hilarious. Look at there. I I right away How is it possible that it smells like a skunk?

[00:12:14]Oh, Jackson, come look.

[00:12:17]I can't.

[00:12:18]Why?

[00:12:19]Why?

[00:12:24]No.

[00:12:36]Look at there. There's there. Yeah. Alligator.

[00:12:39]Yeah.

[00:12:40]Right here. How cool is that?

[00:12:43]Crockodile dude.

[00:12:45]He's good enough, huh?

[00:12:49]I saw that.

[00:12:51]Jump the fence.

[00:12:56]What?

[00:13:03]Yeah.

[00:13:12]This tree is poisonwood. I'm going to have to look it up. It says do not touch, but it looks crazy.

[00:13:49]>> We just got done eating at the No Name Pub in right beside No Name Key and now we're actually driving out to No Name Key.

[00:13:58]Um we just went over the bridge and I guess this is the infamous No Name Key. It's funny to me that doesn't have a name.

[00:14:10]But that's become its name.

[00:14:12]Feel like everything out here is like kind of like a I don't know, like an ode to something Yeah.

[00:14:19]outside of what typically people would do.

[00:14:23]Guess mostly like people that are counterculture moved down here at some point in their lives, like Jimmy Buffett. I don't know.

[00:14:33]Um but it looks like No Name Key is just vegetation from what I can tell. And Key deer. And Key deer, which is cool. So, we're driving out here just to see what it's about since we were right beside it. Um and then we'll head back maybe to camp, I'm not sure. We'll figure it out.

[00:14:52]We really quickly reached the end of No Name Key.

[00:14:58]That's what the end looks like.

[00:15:01]You can see the ocean.

[00:15:03]It's actually cool.

[00:15:08]And that's that. About a mile, right?

[00:15:10]Yeah. Not even.

[00:15:17]He owns the road.

[00:15:19]He owns the road.

[00:15:23]They're mischievous. Yeah. Oh, scared him.

[00:15:35]Organizing his 10,000 things he bought for himself.

[00:15:37]>> I literally bought one shirt, two shirts. Two shirts.

[00:15:41]And a hat.

[00:15:43]Yeah, you can walk.

[00:15:46]That kind of stuff and all that. Keep this stuff and get in.

[00:15:52]Stick that up.

[00:15:56]Is that a fish?

[00:15:57]It's called a pompano.

[00:15:58]>> We're coming. Just You want to come back there?

[00:16:02]We are.

[00:16:05]Hey, Daddy.

[00:16:07]I'm going to win. Good game.

[00:16:10]It looks like What? Come here. In the water.

[00:16:14]Oh, watch. Under the water.

[00:16:15]Come here. What?

[00:16:17]Hi.

[00:16:18]Watch. Come look at Daddy.

[00:16:23]Take a picture.

[00:16:46]Campsite's pretty low-key.

[00:16:51]I think definitely getting it on the water was a big perk.

[00:16:56]You do hear the little bit of bridge noise, and then some of the boats come through there early in the morning, but nothing terrible. But, the view is uh all the all the money right there.

[00:17:09]Just got back from the pool.

[00:17:11]Now, we're going to rinse off a little bit of fresh water, and then uh head into Key West.

[00:17:26]Hot.

[00:17:28]Beach.

[00:17:41]Where are we going to get our stuff?

[00:17:50]Hey, you got your stuff, Josh?

[00:17:52]We just got back from the pool, showered off, got changed back into our clothes.

[00:17:57]Um and we're going to head to Key West.

[00:17:58]We're going to see what we can find this afternoon. We look a little rough. But well, I do. Y'all look great.

[00:18:06]So, I'll fix myself up in the car on the way.

[00:18:12]See you there.

[00:18:20]>> [music] >> Yeah.

[00:18:41]>> [music] >> Daddy, why are you on the phone?

[00:18:56]What house is that?

[00:18:57]>> [music] >> It's a church.

[00:18:59]Very pretty.

[00:19:06]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Sorry, I was trying to get that one.

[00:19:46]What?

[00:19:59]>> [music] >> Oh, this is cool.

[00:20:13]What?

[00:20:15]Look at this.

[00:20:18]Come on, Jackson. Stay with me.

[00:20:20]>> [music] >> Don't lick your hands. There's that hand sanitizer all over it.

[00:20:52]For the grand finale.

[00:20:55]Sit, you can sit down, Jackson.

[00:21:02]>> [music] >> Hey, can you guys pull back a little bit this way?

[00:21:08]Little more?

[00:21:09]Okay, easy.

[00:21:15]>> [laughter] [music] [cheering] >> We're at Mallory Square waiting for the sunset.

[00:21:34]You can kind of see it in the background. We just watched a street performer like climb on this pole.

[00:21:39]Basically, it was just a pipe, right?

[00:21:42]It was crazy. Now, we're just waiting for the sunset. My purse is on.

[00:21:46]This is called the sunset. Stand up.

[00:21:52]Thank you.

[00:22:27]>> [music] [music] >> Yeah.

[00:23:03]All right, that's good.

[00:23:22]>> and film.

[00:23:30]Can you see this straw hat?

[00:23:37]>> [music] >> We just got back to the camper and got all the stuff like organized, well, a little bit organized. I got some clothes hanging behind me.

[00:23:48]Um, we're going to bed cuz we are beat.

[00:23:50]We have been going since like 6:30 this morning and we haven't stopped, so going to get some good rest and then go get some coffee in the morning at Baby's Coffee. We saw them on the way here and go back to Key West to do the Hemingway House and all the sites before it gets too hot.

[00:24:08]Wish us luck.