CANCELED: Tufts Alumni Miami: Boca Chita Island Experience and Private Tour

With the continued spread of COVID-19 worldwide, and increasingly in the United States, Tufts University President Monaco announced the preventive measures that the university will be taking in the near-term. As you can read in his message, one of the steps is to cancel all University-sponsored, connected or funded events, both on and off campus, taking place through April 30. Regrettably, this affects our event, scheduled for this Saturday, March 14.

Although this was not an easy call to make, we are taking the necessary precautions to prioritize the health and safety of our attendees and special guests. We regret any inconvenience that this change causes for you. We will reimburse your registration fee by the end of next week,  Mostly, we will miss reconnecting with you and other alumni and friends in person this Saturday.

We remain deeply grateful for your understanding and continued support of Tufts University. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at amanda.tramont@tufts.edu.

P.S.: Tufts continues to carefully monitor COVID-19. Please refer to the Tufts coronavirus webpage, which is updated regularly with information for visitors, travel guidance and other relevant news.

Tufts Alumni Miami invites alumni, parents and friends of Tufts to an island paradise! Please join us for a private guided tour of Boca Chita Bay and Biscayne Bay. During the tour, which will be lead by a Biscayne National Park Institute Naturalist, you'll learn about the history surrounding the area, the habitats and ecosystems protected by the National Park and story of how and why Biscayne National Park was established.

Aboard our catamaran, the Sawfish, the trip accross the Bay will take approximately one hour. Once we arrive, you'll have one hour to explore Boca Chita. During this time, climb the lighthouse (you must be at least 42" to do so), explore the Island or go on a hike. The trip back to the Visitor Center will be one hour as well. 

The Vessel:
The Sawfish is a 45’ Corinthian which is a catamaran that is mostly covered but not in-closed. Sawfish has bench seating around the edges of the boat and is wheelchair accessible.

What to bring:
Remember to bring your reef-safe sunblock, sunglasses, a hat, insect repellent, water bottles, and snacks. You are welcome to bring your lunch or purchase sandwiches, sodas, snacks and many of the above items at the Park Store.

Amenities on the Key:
There is a picnic pavilion and picnic tables on the island along with bathrooms. We have drinking water available, please bring a refillable container to minimize trash. There are no guest sales on the island, please everything you will need to enjoy your visit with you.

Admission:
Admission for those 21+ is $20. Those who are 2-20 years old will pay $15 and those under 2 years old are free, but please register them. 

Driving:
If using a GPS, please type in "Dante Fascell Visitor Center" in Homestead. Using the mailing address of 9700 SW 328th Street, Sir Lancelot Jones Way often redirects you to the wrong location.