Florida Blue is teaming up with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium to keep you and our oceans healthy.
There is something about the ocean that draws us in. Whether it is gazing out at the sun dancing on its surface; diving into its cool depths to become part of an underwater world of aquatic life or listening to the rhythm of its waves crashing on the shoreline—the ocean soothes our souls, clears our heads, and leaves us replenished and at peace.
Take 5-10 minutes out of your day each Friday at noon with us as we explore Mote’s Aquarium and enjoy the healthy benefits of yoga and our oceans.
Starting Oct. 22, tune in to our Facebook page every Friday at noon for our Friday Flows with Florida Blue. Each week we’ll marry the health of you and the health of our oceans. Registration is not required; videos drop on Fridays at noon on Mote's Facebook page for anyone to tune in.
Our Friday Flows will conclude on Saturday, December 4th, in a special edition in-person yoga class hosted at Mote Aquarium. Registration is required for the final event.
Register for the final flow here »
October 22: Flow with us and our turtles
Sea turtles outlived their contemporaries, the dinosaurs, but they need our help against modern threats. At Mote Aquarium, our sea turtle exhibit explains the traits that helped sea turtles triumph in the past, the trials they face today from hunters, loss of nesting beaches and from run-ins with fishing gear—and the things you can do to help.
One of our turtles, Hang Tough is a blind green turtle that came to Mote's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital in 1992 with severe head injuries that injured both optical nerves. Mote helped Hang Tough recover, but due to blindness, she can’t survive on her own. Mote is honored to provide this ancient survivor with a life-long home and the support needed to thrive. Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program has been documenting sea turtle nesting activity and the status of shoreline habitat for more than three decades along 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches.
Montego, featured in our yoga flow, is an adult female loggerhead sea turtle born in North Carolina in 1977. She was raised in human care and participated in growth and mating studies. When those studies ended, Montego came to Mote to help educate the public about sea turtles.
Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital has treated all five species of turtles found in the Gulf of Mexico. Like Florida Blue, our patients are our priority! We aim to help all our turtle patients return to the wild and contribute to their populations for years to come.
Take 5-10 minutes out of your day and enjoy Montego's antics along with a relaxing yoga flow!
Video drops on Mote's Facebook on October 22 at 12 p.m.
October 29: Strength and Core at the Coral tank
Often referred to as “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs are teeming with marine life. Globally, coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor yet they support more than 25% of all marine life, serving as a haven for biodiversity.
Florida’s Coral Reef stretches 360 miles from the Dry Tortugas at the southern tip of the Florida Keys to the St. Lucie Inlet on Florida’s east coast and offers vital protection to coastal communities by absorbing potentially-lethal storm surges during tropical weather events and hurricanes. Unfortunately, only 2% of Florida’s Coral Reef currently supports living coral, and those corals that do remain are struggling to survive amid growing environmental pressures. Fortunately, there is hope. Mote scientists are using scientific knowledge and restoration expertise to reverse historic population decline among corals and to sustainably restore Florida’s Coral Reef for the long term.
Join us for 5-10 minutes to work on your strength with our yoga flow at the Coral tank!
Tune in on our Facebook on Friday, October 29 at 12 p.m. for the video drop.
November 5: Movement and Breath with the Sharks
As sharks glide below the surface of the ocean, they are able to breathe by extracting oxygen when seawater passes through their gills. The Sharks & Rays Conservation Research Program at Mote is dedicated to studying the biology, ecology and conservation of sharks and their relatives. These fishes comprise about 1,000 species worldwide, many of which are threatened by overfishing and environmental impacts.
Take a breather and join us, and our playful Bonnetheads, for an inspirational yoga flow.
Video drops on Friday, November 5 at 12 p.m. on our Facebook.
November 12: Flow/Meditative for Mental Health with the Ocean
Water is important for our survival. It covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, our bodies consist of almost 70% water, and water makes up more than 70% of two of our most vital organs (our brains and hearts). Logically, there is a deep biological connection between our brains and the sight of water due to our dependence on it as a source of life. The ocean holds about 97 percent of the Earth's water and the scientists at Mote are working hard to conserve and sustain it. Research being conducted at Mote, such as the Ocean Acidification Program, the Ecotoxicology Research Program, and the Benthic Ecology Program all focus on understanding and identifying the challenges our oceans are up against and finding the solutions to keep them healthy forever.
Take a break and let Hillary guide you through a meditative flow with the relaxing view of Sarasota's Intracoastal Waterway.
Tune in on November 12 at 12 p.m. on Mote's Facebook.
November 19: Yoga with the Manatees
Florida manatees seek warm water refuges when temperatures drop below approximately 68 degrees Fahrenheit, their threshold of cold tolerance!
Our manatees, Hugh & Buffett, are two of the most charismatic residents in the Aquarium. You can find them munching on their lunches around noon daily—they eat 72 to 84 heads of romaine lettuce each day! Originally born at the Miami Seaquarium, Hugh and Buffett came to Mote in 1996. As animal ambassadors, these half brothers introduce thousands of visitors to manatees each year and help spread the word about how you can protect endangered manatees in the wild.
But their role at Mote goes beyond being good ambassadors for their species. Hugh and Buffett are the only manatees in the world trained to participate in special manatee research projects designed to help us understand how manatees perceive their natural environment. We have studied everything from their eyesight, hearing, physiology and body temperature to the tiny hairs, called vibrissae, that cover their bodies. Understanding how manatees navigate and experience their world is allowing resource managers to better understand them and protect this endangered species in the wild.
Join us, and Hugh and Buffet, as they gracefully spin in the background as Hillary leads us through our final "virtual" flow on Friday, November 19.
Tune in to our Facebook page at 12 p.m. to join!
December 4: Om for the Oceans (in-person)
Join Florida Blue in-person at Mote Aquarium on Saturday, December 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. for the final session of our weekly yoga flows in a special "Om for the Oceans" class held in Mote Aquarium's courtyard.
BYOM (bring your own mat!) and be prepared to sign a short waiver. All skill levels welcome.
Please RSVP by visiting mote.org/yoga or by clicking the registration link below. Space is limited.
*Please note: Aquarium exhibits are not open during this yoga event. Adult supervision is required for any and all children in attendance.