2025 Shrimp Festival Kick-off
The annual Shrimp Festival in Fernandina Beach celebrated their 60th year with the theme, “Diamonds are a Shrimp’s Best Friend!” On May 1st, the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors and their 30 foot whale arrived all dolled up in diamonds, ready to walk the parade route!
A 30 foot whale swimming down Ash and Centre Streets
Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors’ volunteers walked along the parade route from the Central Park area, down Ash Street, and back up Centre Street.
Bubbles filled the streets, sea life plushies and whale tattoos were handed out, and our thirty foot whale swam along, helping to spread awareness about the North Atlantic right whale.
Our mission is to protect North Atlantic right whales through education, awareness, and collaboration. What better way to help share awareness about our whales with the community than at the Shrimp Fest Parade? The streets were lined with people, and it was such a blessing to be able to share the news about the whales with those we passed. It became apparent that word about the whales has been spreading, as we heard people cheering for the whales as we walked by! A thirty foot whale is also a great conversation starter for anyone who might not have been aware that the North Atlantic right whale migrates south each year to have their calves right here, in the waters off Amelia Island.
North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered. In the summer, they spend their time in the waters off the northeast United States and Canada. In the winter, potential mothers (a few others too!) travel south to warmer waters off the Carolinas to Florida to give birth to and nurture their calves. The calving season is November 15 – April 15.
Two of the biggest challenges these whales face are entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes. In our area, vessel strikes are the primary threat to these enormous creatures. While it may be easy to spot a 30 foot whale swimming down Centre Street, it actually isn’t that easy to spot an even bigger (up to 52 feet!) real whale in the water. The North Atlantic right whale does not have a dorsal fin, it rests close to the surface of the water, and their dark color can blend in with the water. One of our goals is to spread awareness of their presence in our area. Hopefully anyone who may be out in a boat while they are near will learn what to look for in order to spot them. A vessel strike is harmful to the whales but also harmful to the boats… So an increased awareness can help both our whales AND our boat owners! Knowing they are around is the first step!
Thank you so much to our volunteers who helped organize the event, handmade the whales on our shirts (each diamond!), who showed up to walk with us, and to everyone who helps spread the word about the North Atlantic right whale! Your efforts matter!
Our group won the Most Unique Float Award for the 60th Annual Shrimp Festival Parade!
