Good Morning from Florida's Indian River Lagoon
Good morning from Florida's Indian River Lagoon in Sebastian, FL. Today is Thursday September 24, 2026.
Welcome to today's Lagoon Life Report, where we explore the weather, wildlife, waterfront communities, parks, local food, and everyday moments that make life along the Indian River Lagoon so special.
Lagoon Conditions
Time: 10 AM
Air Temperature: 84 with a high of 86
Humidity: 73%
Wind Direction & Speed: 16 MPH from the north! Going to be the same get worse for the next few days.
Tide Stage: 8:46 low and 3:41 high
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous - rise at 6:07 PM and low at 5 AM
Water Conditions: Choppy to white caps on the river!
Today's Lagoon Life:
The rain is still with us and the wind out of the north is strong and it's going to get worse. Captain Jimmy was telling me today that he has charters the next 2 days and seas will be at 7 - 10 feet each day. That's some bumpy fishing! It may even be too windy to make dining on the Sebastian Saltwater deck pleasant. Humm.
Lagoon Living Tip of the Day:
Give Your Yard a "Rain Test"
The next time we get one of those proper Florida downpours, don't just watch it from the porch.
Watch where the water goes.
Does it soak into landscaped areas? Rush down the driveway? Carry grass clippings into the street? Flow directly toward a storm drain?
Stormwater can pick up fertilizer, pet waste, oil, sediment and other pollutants on its journey toward canals and eventually the Indian River Lagoon. Creating places where rain can slow down and soak into the ground, including planted areas and rain gardens, can help.
Here's the Lagoon Living experiment: follow one raindrop from your roof and figure out where it ultimately goes.
You may discover that your front yard is more connected to the Lagoon than you realized. 🌧️🌱🌊
Today's Lagoon Spotlight
Today's Indian River County Do-Gooder: Indian River Community Foundation
We've spent a lot of time meeting individual nonprofits.
Today I thought we'd meet an organization that helps fuel a whole bunch of them.
The Indian River Community Foundation was founded in 2008 to connect charitable giving with community needs. Today it manages around $100 million in assets, and the foundation and its clients have awarded more than $130 million in grants, primarily to local nonprofit organizations.
That's a substantial philanthropic engine sitting right here in Indian River County.
But here's what makes it especially interesting for our little tour of the community.
🔎 They Help Us See the Whole Nonprofit Ecosystem
The Foundation has just released its 2026 Indian River County Nonprofit Market Report, examining the size, economic impact and community reach of our local nonprofit sector.
That's worth remembering as we continue featuring these organizations.
The environmental groups, food programs, children's organizations, conservation projects, educational programs and community charities we've been discovering aren't isolated little islands.
They're an ecosystem of their own.
And the Foundation helps donors understand where needs exist and helps connect philanthropic dollars with organizations doing the work.
🌴 A Very Vero Beach Example
Right now, the Foundation is also helping raise private money to rebuild the Humiston Beach Boardwalk.
The City of Vero Beach and Indian River County have already made commitments toward the project, and the current campaign seeks an additional $400,000 from private donors.
I love that as an example because a boardwalk isn't merely lumber beside the ocean.
It's where somebody watches a sunrise.
Where grandparents take grandchildren.
Where visitors first meet our coastline.
Where somebody decides, I could live here.
Suddenly philanthropy, community, environment and even real estate aren't very far apart.
💙 Why They Matter
A healthy community needs people willing to do the work.
It also needs people willing to fund the work intelligently.
The Indian River Community Foundation sits between those two worlds, helping local generosity find useful places to land.
And for anyone following these daily Insights who keeps thinking, I'd like to help around here, but I don't even know where to begin, this is a particularly good doorway into the larger nonprofit landscape of Indian River County.
Money doesn't build community by itself. But pointed in the right direction, it can buy an awful lot of lumber, vegetables, native plants, school supplies and possibility. ❤️🌱🌊
Learn More
Indian River Community Foundation
Lagoon Lifestyle & Real Estate
Don't Forget to Ask What's Not Included in the Sale
Florida homes have a funny way of accumulating things that appear permanently attached to the property but aren't necessarily staying.
That garage refrigerator, patio television, Ring cameras, mounted speakers, wine cooler, generator or even the washer and dryer may look like part of the house. Don't assume.
When something matters to you, make sure the contract clearly identifies whether it conveys with the property. This is particularly important with expensive outdoor-living equipment and smart-home devices, where ownership can get surprisingly fuzzy.
If you'd be annoyed to discover it missing on closing day, put it in writing before closing day. 🏡✍️
Thinking About Life Along the Lagoon?
Whether you're planning a visit, considering a move, or simply enjoy following life along Florida's Indian River Lagoon, I hope these daily reports help you experience one of Florida's most beautiful regions.
If you're looking for local insight about waterfront living or real estate anywhere along the lagoon, I'd be happy to help.
Every report is another chapter in the story of life along Florida's Indian River Lagoon. Thanks for following along.
Chris Norris
Broker Associate | Treasure Coast Realty
Serving Florida's Space Coast & Treasure Coast along the Indian River Lagoon
ChrisNorrisRealEstate.com
SebastianLagoonLife.com
YouTube: @ChrisNorrisRealEstate