- December 17, 2025
Wildlife Edition: Two teens reel in the catch of a lifetime; a photographer has her camera handy for a wood pecker's annual visit; and, a local catches a turtle crawling the beach.
BY THE OBSERVER STAFF
Holy mackerel: Seabreeze fishermen catch 350-pounder
Two Ormond Beach boys, Jesse Alexander and Jordan Crabb, both seniors at Seabreeze High School, had the best fishing day of their lives Wednesday, July 17, during a trip to Sanibel.
Using a mackerel head as bait, the two reeled in their catch after more than an hour-and-a-half fight. Once they had it, they measured the sawfish at about 14 feet. It was estimated to weigh more than 350 pounds.
The fish was released safely after the teens snapped their fair share of photos with it: proof to back up a "big fish" story they'll be telling friends and fellow fisherman the rest of their lives.
What ‘woody’ you say: A ‘peck’ of lies
Nineteen-year Ormond Beach resident Liza Parchuc snapped an up-close shot of a wood pecker outside of her home this summer.
“This bird is big and loud and usually comes around once a year,” she said. “We have this big oak tree on the side of the property, heard a noise and here he was. Actually, there were two of them.”
Local catches sea turtle on beach
Ormond Beach’s Anne Martin caught a close-up glimpse of a sea turtle on a local beach Monday.
Volusia County Marine Science Center staff also released a rehabilitated Kemp's ridley sea turtle, the rarest breed of sea turtle, as well as one of the most endangered sea creatures, Friday, July 19, in Palm Coast. The juvenile turtle, named Crimson, was stranded in St. Augustine in March, underweight, dehydrated, hypothermic and hypoglycemic. While in the rehab center's care, the turtle gained 2.2 pounds.
*Send your shots of nature and wildlife in Ormond Beach to [email protected]!
