Nesting turtles may hatch elsewhere

     As crude oil continues to gush from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, many residents are now wondering "when," not "if," the oil will wash ashore.

Among the concerned are a small group of volunteers who wake before dusk to trek along the Navarre Beach shoreline in search of turtle nests.

"We go out so early because we can see the mother's tracks of where she's gone up, dug her body into the sand and then gone back into the ocean," said Cinnamon Holderman, who has exchanged her morning rest for turtle protecting over the past four years. "It would be nearly impossible to see during the day, once everyone has gone out to the beach."

For more on this story, see the July 8 issue of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.