Mortgage Broker in Cocoa Beach, FL

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Banana River Aquatic Preserve is located in north central Brevard County, separating Merritt Island on the west and the beach barrier island on the east. The surface water area of the aquatic preserve is approximately 30,000 acres. The aquatic preserve begins at State Road 528 (Bennett Causeway), extends almost to the southern tip of Merritt Island, and includes Newfound Harbor and Sykes Creek as far north as Hall Road. There is no visitor center in the area or official trails managed by Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves.

The incorporated cities bordering the aquatic preserve are Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach and Indian Harbor Beach, north to south respectively. In addition, Patrick Air Force Base lies along the Banana River Lagoon between Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach.

The aquatic preserve is accessible from the east by U.S. Highway A1A and from the west by State Road 3. Numerous parks and boat ramps provide direct public access to the aquatic preserve. Please check the Brevard County Parks and Recreation website for parks and the FWC Boat Ramp Finder for ramps.

The northern Banana River has been the most important spring habitat (300 to 500 individuals/survey day) for the east coast population of manatees, and large numbers of manatees use the Banana River almost year-round. In addition, the Banana River supports the largest pelican rookery on the Atlantic Coast, a significant population of alligators and diamondback terrapin turtles.

The Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves are a proud partner of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and were selected as a 2017 and 2018 Leave No Trace Hot Spot. To learn more about Leave No Trace in the Indian River Lagoon contact Matthew Anderson, 772-448-5930.

The Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves provide a variety of volunteer opportunities from projects in ecosystem science, restoration and spoil island activities. Volunteers help with activities such as wildlife monitoring, annual seagrass monitoring or microplastic sampling. The Shoreline Restoration Project enables volunteers to get involved in shoreline stabilization through native plantings. On spoil islands, volunteers take a hand in improving visitor access through activities such as invasive plant removal or installing picnic tables, fire rings or human waste bag dispensers. For more information, please contact our office at IRLAP@FloridaDEP.gov or call 772-448-5930.

For other opportunities to help preserve the Indian River Lagoon and surrounding aquatic preserves, consider joining the Friends of the Spoil Islands.

Counties

Brevard

A 10-foot great white shark surfaced off the Space Coast of Florida in what could be considered a prime viewing area for a planned Friday, Dec. 13 SpaceX launch.

The shark, nicknamed Penny by the OCEARCH scientist who tagged her, pinged southeast of Cocoa Beach at 9:48 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12.

The satellite tag attached to Penny's dorsal fin emitted a ping with location information when it broke the water's surface and sent it to the OCEARCH tracker.

It's Penny's second ping off Florida's east coast this month. The animal surfaced off Amelia Island on Dec. 3, the first ping of her current overwintering journey around Florida.

North Atlantic great white sharks spend summers up North and migrate south to spend winter in warmer waters with more abundant food sources, including around Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

Penny left the Gulf of Lawrence near the Canadian province of New Brunswick on Oct. 6 and headed for the North Atlantic Ocean, then south to Florida where she first pinged off Amelia Island on Dec. 3.

During Penny's last overwintering in Florida, the shark pinged around Florida numerous times, including:

Here's what to know about Penny, OCEARCH and sharks in Florida:

What to know about OCEARCH great white shark Penny

Penny, a female juvenile great white shark, measured 10 feet 3 inches and weighed 522 pounds when it was tagged on April 23, 2023, off Ocracoke, North Carolina.

The shark has traveled 8,977 miles since then.

Penny was the 92nd white shark tagged by OCEARCH in the Western North Atlantic and named after the group's friends at Salty Penny Canvas in Morehead City, North Carolina.

How many sharks does OCEARCH track?

As of Dec. 11, 2024, according to the OCEARCH shark tracker, the group has tagged 373 sharks, with great white sharks leading the pack:

The group has also tagged alligators, dolphins, seals, swordfish and turtles.

What does OCEARCH do for great white sharks?

OCEARCH is a nonprofit research organization studying the ocean's giants.

The group studies keystone species, including great white sharks, essential for the health of the oceans.

"At OCEARCH, we’re on a mission to solve the Global White Shark Puzzle. There are nine populations of white sharks across the globe and OCEARCH’s goal is to assist regional scientists to better understand the life of the white shark in each of these populations," the group's website states.

During the expeditions, researchers collected previously unattainable data on the animals' migrations, reproductive cycle, genetic status, diet, abundance, and more.

"If we lose the apex predator (sharks) then we lose all our fish and then there are no fish sandwiches for our grandchildren," OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer told the Courier Journal. "That's oversimplified, of course, but the idea is important because many shark species are threatened by overfishing and a demand for shark fins in Asia. Their dwindling numbers jeopardize ocean habitats."

Are there great white sharks around Florida?

Yes. Great white sharks migrate south when the water gets cold and food sources become scarce up North, according to OCEARCH chief scientist Dr. Bob Hueter.

Think of them as the snowbirds of sharks.

Most of them tend to stay away from the beaches in continental shelf waters, Hueter said.

Great white shark facts

Here are some things to know about white sharks, according to NOAA Fisheries:

5 shark attacks in Florida during summer 2024

Florida saw several shark bites this summer:

Most shark attacks happen in Florida

There were 69 documented unprovoked shark attacks around the globe in 2023, according to International Shark Attack File.

The U.S. led the world with 36 attacks and Florida again was the state with the most bites at 16, none of which were fatal.

A great white shark has not been identified in a Florida shark bite since 1926.

U.S. shark attacks in 2023:

While the U.S. has the most attacks, South Africa has the most shark-related fatalities.

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The popular Cocoa Beach Air Show will return on July 12-13, bringing an array of military and civilian aircraft to the barrier island city's oceanfront.

The Air Dot Show Tour announced the Cocoa Beach weekend event as part of its eight-city entertainment lineup for 2025. The company last organized the Cocoa Beach Air Show in April 2023, with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds headlining that aerobatic lineup and helping attract tens of thousands of spectators.

"It's always a great venue, right along the waterfront there. We're excited to be returning to Cocoa Beach, that's for sure," said Chris Dirato, air show spokesperson.

No details have been released yet on performers and participants in the upcoming July air show. Dirato said periodic announcements will occur after the new year.

Rocket photography:FLORIDA TODAY's 2025 Space Launch Calendar is here

The Air Dot Show Tour includes two other Florida shows: Fort Lauderdale Beach on May 3-4 and Orlando Sanford International Airport from Oct. 25-26.

“Air Dot Show Tour events appeal to a diverse audience far beyond just aviation enthusiasts, encompassing destination travelers, families, thrill seekers, and people of all ages," CEO Bryan Lilley said in a press release, adding the event fuses "outdoor festival vibes" with "high-flying aviation."

Messages seeking comment about the Cocoa Beach Air Show were left for Lilley, who is attending the annual International Council of Air Shows convention in Las Vegas.

The prime air show viewing area typically extends along the beach from Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier southward to Minutemen Causeway.

During the 2023 Cocoa Beach Air Show, Melbourne native and Florida Institute of Technology graduate U.S. Air Force Capt. Lindsay "Mad" Johnson commanded and piloted the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale atRneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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Grab your Santa hat, sunblock, and surfboard, and make your way to Florida's Space Coast! There, you can join hundreds of other Santas surfing Atlantic waves while a cast of elves, reindeer, snowmen, and gingerbread people cheer you on from the sunny shores. This is not some strange Christmas-Spring Break fever dream but the actual scene for Surfing Santas in Cocoa Beach, Florida, an event that's grown into a global phenomenon and raised over $300,000 for charities since it began back in 2009.

Since its humble beginnings as a small affair founded by resident George Trosset and his family, Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach now attracts thousands of participants and spectators from near and far, all in the name of holiday fun and giving back to the community.

Held annually on December 24th from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 3 Minutemen Causeway Beach in Cocoa Beach, the event is free to attend. Whether you're eager to don your best Santa wetsuit and catch a wave or prefer to watch the spectacle from the warm sands, there's no better way to kick off your holiday beachside.

This year marks the 16th anniversary of Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach, and with it comes a costume contest to add even more fun to the day's festivities. Participants of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite winter-themed outfits, with categories ranging from babies to groups and men to women. Be sure to arrive on time, as the contest commences at 8:30 a.m., followed by Santa surfing out at 10 a.m. Showcase your creativity for a chance to snag a prize.

Beyond the frivolity and fun, Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach helps charitable organizations through Surfing Santas Swag sales. Two nonprofits most directly involved in the event are the Florida Surf Museum, which preserves and documents the history and culture of Florida surfing, and Grind for Life, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families to help with travel expenses while seeking treatment and care.

Trosset says he's excited to have another nonprofit involved this year, Who We Play For (WWPF), a Melbourne, Florida-based organization that aims to prevent sudden cardiac death in young people by advocating for affordable heart screenings, AEDs and honoring the lives of kids we have lost from sudden cardiac arrest.

At this year's Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach, WWPF will attempt to break the world record for the largest CPR/AED training. To do that, the organization will offer CPR/AED classes every 30 minutes throughout the entire event.

Trosset added that Surfing Santas will also attempt for a second time to do a paddle out honoring the life of Jimmy Buffett following the main event. High waves prevented the group from doing their planned paddle out at last year's event following Buffett's passing in September 2023.

As you make plans for this year's Christmas Eve festivities, consider joining this enduring tradition of Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach. Beyond the unforgettable sights and lighthearted fun, you'll be part of a bigger effort to support the local community and make an impact far beyond it.

If you are looking for a place to stay, consider the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, just less than two miles north of the event site.

You can get the full schedule of events on the Surfing Santas website and see the latest news and updates on the Surfing Santas of Cocoa Beach Facebook page.

Let us know if you go to this iconic Florida holiday event! We would love to hear all about your time in Cocoa Beach surfing with the Santas.

Cocoa Beach's Area 142 remains closed amid legal dispute between business partners, as well as an eviction filing against both by the landowner.

In one court filing, the situation is described as a "chaotic" and "messy business divorce" that has become further confused by claims and counterclaims by owners, Edward Rose and the other partners in Cows in Space, LLC: Ryan D'Amato, James Morrone, and Marco Kozlowski.

While the owners of the business are tied up in a legal dispute with each other, the property's owner, Giuseppe Conoscenti, has filed to evict the business from 142 Minuteman Causeway, alleging failure to pay rent and other violations of the lease agreement. Conoscenti's filing claims that the tenants failed to pay the rent for October of this year and removed all of their equipment and fixtures from the building, which served as collateral, going against the lease stipulations.

Because the lease agreement went through the year 2030, the business owners may be legally obligated to pay the full amount, which totals over $1.2 million.

Area 142 opened in December of 2022 and quickly became a spectacle in downtown Cocoa Beach with a large open space that could be used for outdoor concerts and a rooftop bar, all themed after UFOs and extraterrestrials. In September of 2023, the bar paused its live music events while then sole owner Eddie Rose took on new business partners in attempt to grow the business further.

Closed since last month, it's future is now in question.

Rose and those new business partners both dispute who are the rightful owners of the bar. "I brought in partners last September. They were gonna come in and take care of everything. But they did absolutely nothing and they failed tremendously," Rose said. "So I took it back over in March, building it back up to where it was."

"They then came in and claimed they still own the company," he added.

Rose's partners could not be reached for comment as of Friday afternoon. Phone calls to Area 142's listed number are sent directly to a voicemail box that is full.

In a court filing, Rose's partners has alleged that Rose was fired from their company, Cows in Space LLC, in September but was subsequently able to make unauthorized withdrawals of over $140,000 from company accounts, transferring that money to himself.

As part of the litigation against Rose, documents show he signed a separation agreement with Cows in Space in September.

Rose has vehemently denied the claims made in the lawsuit.

After Rose was let go from the business, which he claims was illegitimate, he changed the locks on the building as a way to maintain ownership. D'Amato, a partner in Cows in Space, then changed the locks back.

"The only people hurt by this thing are the building owner and the city while it's closed," Rose claims. "They came in and destroyed it."

Cocoa Beach mayor Keith Capizzi said that whatever may be happening with the venue, which had become a popular hub in the bar and restaurant industry downtown, was unfortunate for the city.

"I'd love to see it open and thriving. It was a great place for people to hang out and have fun," Capizzi said.

"It's unfortunate that whatever happened has happened," he added. "A lot of people including locals enjoyed themselves there."