60 beachLIFE LOCAL PROFILE THE TURTLE LADY : SHARON MAXWELL
“ When I started there was no one but me ! There ’ s not a stretch of beach I didn ’ t walk ,” she said . “ My legs got old , but the experiences never did . There is nothing like seeing a hatchling go into the water . Or seeing those little heads pop up out of the sand . There is no other feeling like that .”
Looking back , she can ’ t help but laugh at how she began her quest to become the official “ Turtle Lady ” of Walton County .
Even though she lived on the north side of the Bay , she ’ d always loved a good walk on the beach . On several occasions she came across sea turtle nests that had either been dug up by an animal , or a curious beachgoer . After learning no one was protecting the nests along Walton County ’ s beaches , ( or documenting them ) she attended a presentation given by US Fish and Wildlife Biologist Lorna Patrick . Inspired by her work throughout the state to document and protect nesting sea turtles , she left
“ Finding a crawl and knowing a mama sea turtle laid a nest that night … I loved every minute of it .”
her phone number with Lorna in case someone who lived closer to the beach needed help monitoring sea turtle nests .
And then she waited for a phone call . And waited . And waited . And thought about making the 30 + mile drive in darkness each morning for six months straight . Finally , she got tired of waiting for someone else to do what needed to be done and she did it herself .
She began walking every day after sunrise . Seven days a week . In rain , chilly weather , and sun she walked Walton County ’ s 26 miles of beach . After a few weeks she got a call from Al Murphy , who had been given her name by Fish and Wildlife . Together , the pair divided up the beach and diligently recorded and counted nests and false crawls when they found them .
“ We went to this end of the year meeting in Panama City and all these people who held official