Mark Flynn played in the sand for years before taking it seriously. After winning a half dozen north Florida contests, Mark entered his first Masters level event in 1999 in St. Petersburg. The experience of carving alongside the best sand carvers in North America was enlightening, and he wasn’t last. His proudest result was the 2002 Judges’ Favorite trophy at Seal Beach, CA, where he headed up a small team of USC students, including his son Michael.

Retiring from his “real” job in 2003, Mark spent most of that June carving for Sculpta on a big commercial project in Belgium. Afterwards, a decision had to be made: either sign up with Sculpta for a longer third summer or work independently in Florida. Hence, the birth of Sand Odyssey.

Today, Mark Flynn spends most of his time at home in Northwest Florida’s Walton County doing specialized sand sculptures, sandcastle lessons, and sandcastle experiences for people both local and from around the world!