What does a VW mechanic from New Jersey, an old motel, and a strip club have to do with sea turtles? Keep reading to find out, also why you should definitely visit the Marathon Turtle Hospital when you are in the Florida Keys.
The Beginning of The Marathon Turtle Hospital
In 1983, Ritchie Moretti was a VW mechanic doing his wrenching in New Jersey. When he started getting chest pains, he decided to ditch New Jersey for Marathon, Florida, where he owned a small motel. That was probably an easy decision for him.
One day he was fishing with his girlfriend, and she caught a tarpon. Unsure if they wanted to throw it back or keep it, they decided to put it in the motel’s saltwater pool for a while until they made their decision. Well, the decision was to keep it in the pool and over time the pool got filled with lobsters, snook, and other assorted marine life for the motel guests to enjoy.
Adding Sea Turtles
After a while, Ritchie decided that he wanted to add a sea turtle to his growing outdoor aquarium and asked about getting one. The reply was that sea turtles are endangered and the only way that you can keep one is if you are caring for one that is injured. Just to be clear, caring meant that all rehab costs including vet bills, medicine, and feeding came out of your own pocket. Deciding that those terms were acceptable, Richie signed up for caring for a turtle injured by a propeller strike and it went so well, that he wanted to do more. According to him, rehabbing turtles is like eating Lays, you can’t stop at just one.
After they got their first permit in 1984, Ritchie and the gang that he had grown along the way were rehabbing turtles while not taking any grant money. Everything was paid for out of the profits from the motel and a chain of video stores that he owned. Then in 1992, Moretti bought the strip club next door and turned it into a turtle hospital. Everything was moving in the right direction. The motel and video stores were paying for the hospital, Ritchie and crew were happy that they could help, and the guests of the motel were loving the sea turtles on the property, until 2005.
Hurricane Wilma Hits the Marathon Turtle Hospital
In 2005 Hurricane Wilma flooded the hospital, motel and grounds. When the insurance money came in it was only enough to pay for the repairs to the hospital. So, they did what any other business would do, they shut down the motel and fixed up the hospital.
Now, the motel houses part-time and full-time staff, visiting specialists, and offices, and of course, the gift store.
If you’ve got time while you’re in Marathon, be sure to check out Crane Point Hammock! Hiking trails, fish pedicures, and history of the Florida Keys!
Visiting the Marathon Turtle Hospital
The Marathon Turtle Hospital is a non-profit that makes its money from donations and tours. And that is where you come in. Tour admission is $35 for adults and $17.50 for children 4-12. Reservations are required and the visit lasts about 90 minutes. Tours are scheduled every 30 minutes from 9 AM to 4 PM. The best way to schedule a tour is online right here.
At the start of the tour, your guide will go over the different types of sea turtles, why they’re endangered, and what risks they face. They’ll also talk about the different turtles that they have rescued and returned to the wild, over 1,500 at this point. The class lasts about 30 minutes and when they’re done if your timing is right, you might even be able to see a turtle getting operated on.
After the classroom presentation, you will go outside to meet the residents. There are multiple pools and tanks, and each one houses a turtle. Some are in rehab from boat strikes, others are there because they picked up the fibropapilloma virus or any of the other problems that sea turtles seem to get themselves into. The guide will stop at each tank and give a little information on the turtle that’s in there.
The final part of the tour is the old saltwater pool, that’s right, the pool that started it all, with the permanent residents. Sea turtles who wouldn’t survive in nature are kept in the big pool. The most famous resident is Bubblebutt, he has been there since 1989 due to an injury that keeps him from being able to dive out of harm, or to feed on the bottom of the ocean. As a bonus, you can grab a handful of turtle chow and toss it down to the turtles, they’ll come to the side of the pool because they love to eat!
When you are in Marathon or just traveling in the Keys, take some time to take a tour. It lasts about 90 minutes, and your entrance fee goes to a great cause. If you feel like you want to do more, you can always “adopt” a turtle. There are different options for you starting at $35, and you don’t even have to go to Marathon to do it, you can do it right online. Just remember, the turtle doesn’t go home with you, so don’t run out and buy things to set up that turtle nursery.
