Surf, sand and sculptures at Horseneck Beach

Surf, sand and sculptures at Horseneck Beach!

EverythingWestport.com

Saturday, August 16, 2008

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Shaylee Jones, 11, of Berkley held the dripping, wet sand in her little fist, and dropped the sand/water slurry, globule by globule, on the sand sculpture below. The water rapidly wicked away leaving each blob of sand in place. The effect was enchanting. “Those are the trees,” she said. The result would have been the envy of more experienced sand sculptors.

“I was very pleased with the turnout at our first sand sculpting contest,” said Sarah Gomez, Park Interpreter. “The Department of Conservation and Recreation has held contests like this one in the past,” she said. “But my summer job of Park Interpreter had been open for many years. One of my first tasks was to organize the Sand Sculpture Festival.”

12 groups of adults and children competed for prizes donated by area businesses. Unlike major sand sculpture contests like U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition at Imperial Beach, California that brings big dollars to big name winners, the competitors at Horseneck Beach only had a few hours in which to complete their entries.

The best sand for sculpting is found just below the high-water mark of the ocean, and is of the right consistency 10 minutes or so after the last receding wave has left. The challenge with most beach sand such as that found at Horseneck is that the sand has been “surf-rolled” for centuries, making it rounded and “stick-resistant”, except between kids’ clothes and car seats!

There is an ocean of fun-thing opportunities to do at the beach, but by far sand castling has been a favorite for centuries. “We’re having so much fun,” said Shaylee’s mom, Wendy Jones. “The time just flew by! We’ve been at it since 11:30.”

“We really didn’t have a plan for the sculpture,” Ms. Jones said. “It just sort of came together.” “The trees were my idea,” Shaylee piped up.

From the left: (1) 1st place winners – Mixed Age Group; (2) 1st place winners – Adult Group; (3) 1st place winners – Children’s Group; and (4) EverythingWestport’s honorable mention (Taylor Rogers – age 10 and Morgan Rogers – age 6).

Using nature’s material close at hand, the competitors decorated and costumed their creations with seaweed, polished stones and discarded quahog and clamshells. Moats were a natural addition as were towers, steeples, minarets and embankments. “It never hurts to add a flair or two,” said Ms. Jones.

Four DCR personnel were the judges: Renee Gagon, life guard; Barbara Mullen, summer worker; Neil Pacheco, Park Ranger; and Mark Piche, full-time park personnel.

They started the Olympian task of judging at 2 p.m. They used a point system based on five criteria: Originality/creativity; design/aesthetics; construction technique; quality of construction; and effort. “It wasn’t a cut and dry situation,” judge Gagnon said.

Each contestant group took a moment to answer questions and explain their sculpture to the judges. “We weren’t expecting U.S. Sand Sculpture Open entries. But in only two hours using sandbox tools and pails, these groups, especially the children, made a great effort to produce worthy sculptures.” They were all winners!

“We hope to make this an annual event,” Ms. Gomez said. “There was a great turnout for our first event, and we’re all very happy.” Ms Gomez paused a moment. “Especially the park personnel who had a great time!”

From the left: (1) All Ages Group 1st place winners. From left: Shaylee Jones – age 11, Seth Jones – age 16, and Kaitlyn – age 15, all of Berkley (mom Wendy Jones not shown); (2) Adult Group 1st place winners: Kristy Cabral and Casey Mahoney of Westport; (3) Children’s Group 1st place winners: Allison Daisy and Caroline George, both age 9, of Raynham; and (4) Sarah Gomez, DCR Park Interpreter.

Prizes were generously donated by: Lees Market, Sticks, Stones, & Stars; Village Pizza; Not Your Average Joes; Handy Hill Creamery; Calico; Partners Village Store; New York Bagel; Perry’s Bakery, Elaine’s; Woods Ice Cream; No Problemo; and more. Sponsors for the event include the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

1st place All Ages Group prizes were: $20 gift certificate to Partners Village Store, $10 gift certificate to No Problemo, and a bike helmet from DCR.

1st place Adult Group prizes were: $50 gift certificate to LeesMarket, and a $25 gift certificate to Not Your Average Joes.

1st place Children’s Group prizes were: Ice cream pizza from Handy Hill, and a bike helmet from DCR.

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