Shelly the Loggerhead: Guardian of the Pass

An ancient sea turtle.

A quiet captain who listens to the sea.

And a Gulf full of stories most people never hear.

When Captain Eric meets Shelly the loggerhead sea turtle near Pensacola Pass, she begins sharing the hidden stories of the ocean: stories about survival, storms, history, and the choices people make that shape the future of the sea.

Shelly has been swimming the Gulf for decades. She has seen storms reshape the shoreline, watched ships pass through the narrow entrance to Pensacola Bay, and survived a world that is changing faster than the tides.

Together they explore the hidden life of the Gulf:

- How baby sea turtles race from sand to sea

- The mysterious lost years when young turtles drift across the ocean

- The historic forts and lighthouse guarding Pensacola Pass

- The USS Massachusetts resting beneath the Gulf as a living reef

- How storms shape barrier islands and beaches

- The dangers turtles face from plastic, oil spills, and boats

Along the way, Shelly shares an important truth: protecting the ocean begins with the choices people make every day.

Blending an imaginative story with history and real marine science, Shelly the Loggerhead: Guardian of the Pass invites readers ages 8-12 (grades 3-6) to discover the wildlife, history, and fragile beauty of the Gulf of Mexico.

Ideal for families, classrooms, libraries, homeschool readers, and children who love sea turtles and ocean animals. Readers who enjoyed Half Tail: A Gulf Coast Legend can return to the same coastal world through another standalone adventure in Tales from the Pensacola Pass. No required reading order.

Because every tide carries a story, and the ocean remembers everything.

Captain Eric Paull is a licensed charter boat captain, writer, and lifelong boater and fisherman. He grew up in the Portage Lakes of Ohio, where his father entrusted him with the family boat at a young age, sparking a lifelong passion for the water. That passion eventually led him to the Gulf Coast, where he now operates Saltwater Serenity Charters out of Navarre, Florida. Eric's days are spent guiding families on dolphin-watching trips, fishing excursions, and documenting the lives of the dolphins in Pensacola Pass. His encounters with marine wildlife, commitment to marine safety, and deep respect for conservation all inform his storytelling. Eric holds a Master's degree in Elementary Education. This background helps him create engaging, educational books that blend adventure with lessons encouraging young readers to respect and protect marine life. You can follow his ongoing stories and adventures through his Facebook group, Half Tail and Friends. Eric lives in Navarre, Florida, with his family, balancing his love for the water with his dedication to teaching, storytelling, and marine conservation.