The first light of dawn hasn’t yet broken over South Walton’s sugar-white sands when a dark, sloping shape moves with steady determination toward the foot of the sand dunes. A loggerhead sea turtle pulls herself from the Gulf of Mexico’s gentle surf, flippers scooping the sand in rhythmic sweeps. The only sounds are the whisper of waves lapping the shore and the soft squeaking of the shifting sand beneath her weight. She pauses midway up the beach, her wide, glistening shell catching a faint blush of pre-dawn light, then begins to dig a deep, careful hole where she will leave the next generation to the mercy of chance.

By the time she finishes and begins her slow retreat to the water, her tracks, two parallel grooves etched in the sand, tell the story of her labor. Moments later, a volunteer stumbles upon the scene: the smooth indentation of the nest and the unmistakable trail leading back to the water. She kneels to mark the spot, the morning quiet around her, aware that she’s arrived just after one of nature’s oldest pilgrimages has ended. Out beyond the breaking waves, the turtle has already vanished into the soft, emerald expanse of the gulf.

For Lacie Wegner, president of South Walton Turtle Watch, mornings like this are both familiar and extraordinary. Each dawn patrol begins with quiet anticipation, scanning the sand for the curved tracks and soft mounds that mark a nesting site. For Lacie and her team of volunteers, every discovery is a reminder of why they walk these beaches: to protect one of the gulf’s oldest and most vulnerable locals.

It was Sharon Maxwell who first alerted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that four species of sea turtles — Loggerhead, Green, Leatherback, and Kemp’s Ridley — were nesting along northwest Florida’s beaches, a discovery that led her to found South Walton Turtle Watch in 1995. With a mission rooted in sea turtle conservation, the South Walton Turtle Watch focuses on conducting sea turtle nesting surveys and inventories, and on responding to sick or injured sea turtles. Composed of 58 volunteers and four staff members, each participant follows a careful process of discovering, marking, and monitoring nesting sites, ensuring as many hatchlings as possible reach the water’s edge.

Upon discovering a turtle crawl, it is first determined whether nesting was completed or abandoned, also known as a “false crawl.” If the crawl is determined to have resulted in a nest, the direction the turtle was crawling is notated, the species is identified, and stakes are placed with flagging tape to protect the nest from human obstruction. Additionally, the volunteers will note the nest’s measurements and GPS coordinates in the event of a disturbance. Over the course of 50-80 days, the hatchlings will incubate, and what happens next is nothing short of miraculous.

Under the glow of the moon, tiny baby sea turtles break free from their eggs and begin to wriggle upward through the warm, shifting sand. With each small push, they inch closer to the surface, driven by instinct toward the shimmering horizon where the gulf awaits. But their journey is perilous; ghost crabs and birds lurk nearby, eager to snatch the vulnerable hatchlings before they reach the safety of the waves. However, man-made dangers also loom, posing the greatest threat to the hatchlings. Bright coastal lights confuse their sense of direction, leading them inland instead of seaward, and holes, beach gear, or trash can block their migration. Yet, despite the odds, many persist, guided by the rhythmic pull of the sea and the moonlight above until they tumble into the surf, beginning their life in the vast waters.

The nesting season begins in March and runs through October, with the South Walton Turtle Watch holding educational programs like Wild Sea Turtle Wednesday from late May through July. This Diamond Award-winning “Perfect in South Walton” program includes “turtle talks,” educational displays and materials, merchandise, and crafts. The watch’s mission during these events is to not only educate the public about the protection of sea turtles during nesting season, but also to engage the community in positive outcomes by keeping the beach clean, dark, and flat, as well as turning beachfront lighting off at dusk, closing window shades, and only using red or amber turtle-safe lights on the beach at night. Additionally, symbolic nest adoption packages provide fundraising opportunities by including the public in conservation efforts in a meaningful way. 

Looking ahead, the South Walton Turtle Watch strives to achieve full compliance from the county on light pollution and enforcement of keeping the beach clean, dark, and flat. 

Wegner’s outlook on the future of partnering with the county and community is positive, stating, “The community support gives me the most hope about the future of sea turtle conservation. Anything is possible when we all work together.” 

Reflecting on the history and incredible wildlife that call this area home, she hopes each visitor will take one thing in particular to heart: “Keep it #CleanDarkFlat and respect the true locals – nature.”

For additional information and ways to get involved, visit southwaltonturtlewatch.org.