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Area Rugs & S t air Runners

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Clubs and Classes

Clubs and Classes

Seashells and corals also offer an endless variety of shapes and patterns and are fun to observe and collect. Sea glass, which may have any number of origins, is also a sought-after beach find. Smoothed by sand and water, sometimes for decades, it turns up on the beach as colorful pieces of glass that may be collected or used in art, decor or jewelry.

On July 31, 1715, a fleet of Spanish ships sailing from Havana loaded with gold, silver, emeralds and other precious jewels encountered a fierce hurricane. Only one ship survived, and precious cargo was strewn from Jupiter to Sebastian.

Dedicated beachcombers, often armed with metal detectors, continue to search for bits of treasure. They find items such as Spanish coins, musket balls and the occasional centuries-old shoe buckle. The jewel you discover may trace its origins to a swashbuckling sailor or a hapless vacationer.

Local experts are notoriously secretive about their favorite treasure-hunting spots, but they are willing to share a few tips. For example, the best times to hunt include during a full moon and after a storm, due to the robust action of the tides. Specific contours of the beach, such as “bowls” (indentations in the sand) and “cuts” (small cliffs formed by the erosion of a section of sand) are always worth checking out, as shifting sands may have revealed new treasures.

Of course, even the experts find plenty of bottle caps along the way. Many of our beaches are stocked with blue baskets to make it easy to carry out and dispose of any less desirable “treasures” you may find.

To see relics from the wrecks and learn more about the 1715 Fleet, visit the McLarty Treasure Museum on the site of the original survivors’ and salvors’ camp at 13180 Hwy. A1A, south of Sebastian Inlet State Park.

Indian River Lagoon

The Indian River Lagoon National Estuary runs 181 miles along Florida's east coast, from the Halifax River in Volusia County to Sewall's Point in Martin County. Fed by five ocean inlets and five freshwater rivers, the brackish waters of the lagoon comprise one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the United States.

For the early settlers of our area, the lagoon was the main thoroughfare for travel and commerce. It was also important for both commercial and private fishing. Today, the lagoon serves as a playground for anglers, boaters, sailors and paddlers of all sorts. Wildlife enthusiasts enjoy spotting dolphins and manatees.

The lagoon, which also serves as a nursery for both fresh and saltwater fish, boasts

370 species of birds, and 2,100 species of plants. Its average depth is just 4 feet, though a 10-foot-deep channel was dredged in the 1950s for the Intracoastal Waterway. The soil resulting from this process was used to create the many spoil islands that dot the lagoon.

Visitors and residents play a vital role in maintaining the health of the lagoon. The choices we make, from landscaping to litter, make a difference. We hope you'll join us in becoming good friends to our beloved lagoon.

Sebastian Inlet

Boaters, anglers, surfers, paddlers, picnickers and wildlife enthusiasts have made the Sebastian Inlet one of Indian River County's top destinations for outdoor fun. The inlet was cut nearly a century ago to provide a passageway for boats between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean; it also facilitates water exchange between the two. Dolphins and manatees cross back and forth freely, and neither visitors nor local residents ever tire of watching them.

Sebastian Inlet is one of just five navigable inlets along the Indian River Lagoon — two natural and three man-made. Sebastian Inlet State Park, established in 1971, is one of the most popular state parks in Florida. It protects 755 acres around the inlet from development and ensures public access to this true gem of the Treasure Coast.

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