Marina Wildlife Encounters

The Good, the Cute, and the Occasional ‘Oh No!’

Living aboard a boat in Southwest Florida means waking up to sunshine, salt air, and… wildlife. Lots of wildlife. Some mornings we sip coffee on the deck while dolphins swim by like it’s no big deal. On other days, we’re trying to convince a pelican to please stop supervising our breakfast. And every once in a while, something scurries, splashes, or swoops in that makes us all go, “Oh no, nope, not today.”

Marina life is never boring—and the cast of characters we share it with keeps things lively in the very best way.

The Good: Our Favorite Marina Visitors

Dolphins

If there were a welcome committee for our marina, it would be the dolphins.They cruise past our slip like neighbors out for an evening walk, popping up with that familiar whoosh of breath that somehow never gets old. On calm evenings, especially in the spring and early summer, you can hear them clicking and chirping under the dock—one of those magical reminders of why we chose this life.

Manatees

Manatees may be the slowest creatures alive, but they bring instant calm to any day.We watch them float by like oversized aquatic potatoes, often with a baby tucked close. Every time they visit, it feels like we’re witnessing a secret, peaceful world we don’t quite belong to—but we’re grateful for the peek.

Ospreys

You hear an osprey before you see it—usually a loud chirp followed by an impressive dive. They perch on pilings like they own the place (and honestly, we let them), scanning the water for breakfast with laser focus.

The Cute: Dockside Friends With Big Personalities

Pelicans

Pelicans have opinions, and they will share them. Loudly. They waddle along the dock like they’re checking your work, peer over your shoulder when you’re cleaning up after a meal and occasionally pretend they’re invited to brunch. They’re part grumpy old man, part comedian, and we adore them.

Jelly Aglow

Once the sun sets, the underwater world wakes up. In April, we discovered we were surrounded by Cone Jellies which are harmless bioluminescent soft-bodied marine invertebrates with squishy bodies and cilia that they used to propel them through the water, which gives the appearance of a "comb." We could lean over the edge of the dock or swim platform and spot the little jellies gliding around like they’ve got all the time in the world. For a few days, this was one of our nighttime rituals —dock “safaris” for the underwater critters.

The Fish Parade

Schools of fish shimmer under the lights at night, turning the water into a moving, glittering galaxy. It’s hypnotic, and we’ve all watched longer than we intended. Getting pictures is often hard because of the reflections so it's something we get to enjoy, and etch in our memories.

The “Oh No”: Surprise Encounters We’ll Never Forget

The Curious Stingray

Stingrays glide like ghosts through the water, and they’re beautiful—until one pops up right next to the boat ladder and gives you a heart-stopping moment. We call them the marina’s jump-scare experts. There has been occasional sightings of gators in the marina so when the ray jump out of the water, it's natural to be worried that its a hungry alligator.

The Sneaky Egret

Egrets look elegant… until they try to sneak into your cockpit and attempt to make off with your breakfast. One once stood so close behind me that when I turned around, both of us screamed. It flew off and left me to sit in disbelief.

The Unidentified Splash

If you live on a boat long enough, you’ll hear something splash that… doesn’t have an obvious source. Big? Small? Curious? Gone before you can look? We usually don’t know what it was. We don’t ask questions.

The Creepy Crab

One day, unexpectedly, I found myself completely surprised to find a small crab, which had made its way onto my brand new and fuzzy rug, in our main head. As I stood there shrieking, my oldest son came running, and he was just as confused as me. We could not figure out how a crab would find its way onto our yacht. He gently escorted our intruder back outside and order once again restored. Our best guess was that he had somehow crawled up the drain. Others suggested that he crawled up the dock lines, then scurried across the aft deck, and then down two sets of stairs, across the head threshold and onto my fuzzy rug. My bet is on the drain.

Living aboard a boat keeps you close to nature in a way a house never could. You learn to expect the unexpected, welcome the regulars, and laugh off the surprises. Whether it’s a dolphin greeting you at sunrise or an osprey giving you side-eye from a piling, the wildlife around the marina is part of our story—and part of what makes this life so unforgettable.

Want More Dockside Stories?

Stay tuned for more real-life moments from our family aboard Cruising Schatzy. Marina adventures, small-kitchen meals, and Florida coastal living—delivered with a little humor and a lot of heart.

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