SEPTEMBER 2026

Superintendent Carmen Thomson with interns and Ranger Ashley Lord (left).

UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Carmen Thomson

As I reflect on another dynamic year at Canaveral National Seashore, I am pleased to share a series of important updates and accomplishments that highlight our ongoing commitment to stewardship, community engagement and innovation.

We have made significant progress repairing and upgrading boardwalks in both the Playalinda and Apollo Districts damaged from Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Milton through Disaster Supplement funds. These enhancements ensure safer access and preserve the natural beauty of our sensitive barrier island dune ecosystem for all visitors.

In addition to boardwalk enhancements, we also replaced three comfort stations in the Apollo District at parking areas 2, 3 and 5. Future plans are to continue replacing the old comfort stations throughout the park with this new design that has received high reviews from visitors!

I’d also like to highlight that the pavement preservation project in both the Apollo and Playalinda Districts is finally complete. This was a critical project that helped to improve and extend the life of our roadways. These combined efforts are part of our broader strategy to maintain and enhance infrastructure across the Seashore.

Another major milestone this past year was the completion of two Historic Structures Reports for both the Eldora State House and Leeper House. These comprehensive assessments will guide future preservation and restoration efforts, ensuring these treasured landmarks remain integral to our cultural heritage.

Our summer Junior Angler clinics were a resounding success, inspiring the next generation of conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts. Thank you to the Friends of Canaveral and all who participated and supported these educational events.

We also had a very successful year with our annual Turtle Watch program and a new twist with the Friends of Canaveral implementing a new reservation system. We were thrilled with this opportunity and are excited to continue it into the future.

Speaking of the future, the draft Storm Adaptive Management Plan will be released in the coming weeks. Public meetings were held this past spring -- both virtually and in person -- in New Smyrna Beach and Titusville to gather valuable input. This plan will help us proactively address future storm impacts and safeguard our coastal environment.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our fantastic volunteers. Whether it’s the Tuesday Morning Maintenance Crew assisting our facilities staff each week during the winter months, the Rocket Crew assisting with visitor education on rocket-launch days, or the early-morning volunteers assisting with sea turtle nest and shorebird monitoring, they are the heart of the Seashore. Their tireless efforts—from habitat restoration to visitor education—make all our successes possible. We extend our deepest gratitude for their unwavering commitment.

In closing, I want to express sincere appreciation for the Friends of Canaveral. Their support is vital to the year-round activities and programs that enrich the Seashore experience for everyone. Together, we continue to build a legacy of stewardship, education and community.

Thank you for your dedication and partnership.

Carmen Thomson

Superintendent, Canaveral National Seashore

CONSERVATION CORNER

Trunk of black mangrove tree uncovered by Hurricane Nicole in 2022. The tree is still holding soil and marking the former Mosquito Lagoon shoreline while the barrier island has moved west.

Photos by Jimi Sadle, Canaveral National Seashore

Disturbance: It’s A Way of Life in the Seashore

By Jimi Sadle

Canaveral National Seashore, Biologist

It’s September and the green sea turtles are still at it, trudging from the sea to nest –leaving craters and trenches and pits from their seemingly indecisive selection of the perfect spot in the dunes to deposit a clutch of eggs.

Dune plants, like sea purslane, sea oats and beach elder, are torn up, uprooted, reburied or left lying on the surface of the sand. I am not upset with the turtles for being turtles, nor do I feel sorry for the dune vegetation. It’s just the way this place works. And in the four short years I have worked at Canaveral National Seashore, one thing I have learned is that it changes all the time and that means it’s running well.

READ MORE ABOUT DISTURBANCES

Occasional frost helps maintain open, sunny, saltwort-dominated marshes by killing back buttonwood and white mangrove trees.

It's OFFICIAL! The SEA TURTLES HAVE BEATEN THE PREVIOUS RECORD set in 2023. With 2 months left in the nesting season, they have laid over 17,000 nests in Canaveral National Seashore.

ACTIVITIES AT THE SEASHORE

September 2026

APOLLO BEACH VISITORS CENTER HOURS

Open Daily * 9am - 5pm

For a full list of activities offered this month, click on the buttons below.

APOLLO PROGRAMS

PLAYALINDA PROGRAMS

Park to Show “Postcards from Canaveral” Documentary in September

If you haven’t yet seen “Postcards from Canaveral,” you will have an opportunity to view this very moving documentary three times during September at the Apollo District Visitors Center at Canaveral National Seashore.

A presentation by the Young Sound Seekers program, “Postcards from Canaveral” highlights a special journey to create an audio tour of Canaveral National Seashore.

In the documentary, students from Conklin Davis Center for the Visually Impaired in Daytona Beach lead viewers on a tour of the national park in the film, describing how visually impaired individuals experience and interpret the natural world.

The students worked with local videographer Brent Eite of Focal Point Photography, as well as Stetson University staff and students to produce the film -- made possible through National Park Service grant funding to Atlantic Center for the Arts in collaboration with community partners.

Viewings of the 25-minute film are scheduled at the Apollo District Visitor Center on: Saturday, Sept. 5; Saturday, Sept. 12; and Saturday, Sept. 26. All showings of the film will be at 2 p.m.

Help Clean the Park During International Coastal Cleanup

As an annual tradition, September is the month for International Coastal Cleanup -- the world’s largest annual coastal clean-up event. This year’s cleanup will be held on September 19, from 8 a.m. to noon.

There will be two cleanup locations in Canaveral National Seashore, located at Apollo Beach and Playalinda Beach. Trash bags provided at each site. Bring work gloves, sunscreen, a hat for sun protection and a refillable water bottle.

Commemorative T-shirts will be given to the first 100 participants. These shirts are handed out IN PERSON on a first-come, first-serve basis and is not correlated to the online sign up. This applies to both locations in Canaveral National Seashore.

The Apollo Beach address is: 7611 S. Atlantic Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Meet at the Visitors Center.

Playalinda Beach is located in the park in Titusville. Meet in Parking Lot #1.

There is no entry fee to the park for this event in both districts.

A volunteer agreement must be signed to participate, either in person on the day of the event, or in advance online by clicking below.

For more information about International Coastal Cleanup at Canaveral National Seashore, please call 386-428-3384.

APOLLO BEACH REGISTRATION

PLAYALINDA REGISTRATION

National Program Offers Free Park Passes for Fourth Graders

To help get more kids outdoors, the National Park Service offers a program each year called Every Kid Outdoors. This government program offers fourth graders and their families free access to more than 2,000 federal lands and waters, including National Parks, National Forests, Wildlife Refuges and conservation and marine areas.

That free exploration is offered to fourth graders for one year, starting on September 1 through August 31 in the following year.

Fourth-grade students only need to visit the Every Kid Outdoors website, participate in a short educational activity and then download a paper voucher to print and bring along with them to visit public lands and waters throughout the United States.

Parents and grandparents may direct young family members HERE to apply for their free pass this month.

VOLUNTEER VOICES

Mark Spradley

Photos by Jabez Coggan, Canaveral National Seashore

Canaveral National Seashore volunteer Mark Spradley’s childhood nickname was “Mud” because he was always in the water and somewhere getting dirty. That stands to reason for a kid who grew up playing outdoors year-round in Florida. Get to know Mark here:

Where were you born?

On Key Biscayne, an Island off Miami. I spent my childhood swimming in the ocean, fishing and water skiing on Biscayne Bay. We were feral children who spent every day outside.

What is your career background?

I am a retired Chiropractor. I began volunteering at the Marine Discovery Center when it was still housed in the city’s former water treatment plant building and eventually became a full-time employee there for about 10 years, leading kayak tours, working as docent, working in marketing and running the center’s welcome desk. I am now fully retired.

PROTECT WHAT YOU LOVE

Friends of Canaveral support the National Park Service, and now, more than ever, your membership is vital in helping our mission to preserve, protect, and interpret the 57,000 acres of pristine shoreline, dunes, and wilderness that comprise Canaveral National Seashore.

Protect What You Love! Renew your membership today.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership card that entitles you to 15% discount at the CANA gift shop
Subscription to the monthly e-Newsletter
Invitation to our annual meeting
Volunteer opportunities
Gifts included for new memberships at all levels, including a FREE Turtle Watch ticket at the $100 Sea Turtle level of membership

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888-404-FWCC (3922).