A Brevard County Almanac

The Indian River Lagoon and Canaveral National Seashore were surprises to me, moving to Brevard County, Florida in 2017. I found the Atlantic beaches a place of solace and learning. The lagoon delighted with amazing creatures and opportunity to connect with many local conservationists. Come with me on a journey from the wetlands east of Orlando, through Titusville, out into the seagrass beds and oyster reefs of the lagoon, and on to the sandy beaches of Playalinda. We'll meet the Titusville Big 5: sea turtles, manatees, alligators, dolphins, and bioluminescence. You will learn a little ecology along the way as you experience these habitats and creatures through the work of conservation.

The final quarter of the book develops a sea ethic in the spirit of Aldo Leopold's land ethic. Concepts and practices based around my experiments in a contemplative, experiential life provide a framework for you to learn to love your place more fully. I explore creatureliness, sacredness, and humility particularly through the lens of my Christian faith. Join me as I share practices of gratitude, contentment, and lament which led to a place-based sea ethic. You certainly will want to visit and you may just catch a glimpse of the sacred.

Robert Sluka published 70+ scientific articles in marine conservation, and his global adventures are documented in his substack and book both entitled Connected by Water.