It's art on the beach at Hunting Island Sand Sculpture Contest

Saturday brought the 4th Annual Friends of Hunting Island Sand Sculpture Contest to Hunting Island Beach, and there was a frenzy of concocting, shaping and building in Beaufort’s ever-so-intense summer sun.  With heat indexes reaching 112, onlookers on North Beach near to the lighthouse were treated to a variety of creative sand sculptures including sea turtles, gators, dolphins, mermaids, and even a 2012 Olympic stadium.  One team created a sculpture of a mother and baby to bring awareness to breastfeeding, and there was no shortage of traditional and not-so-traditional sandcastles.  Local artist Terry Brennan was on hand taking a try at the art with an inventive sculpture resembling a human face.
It was quite easy to see that so many had so much fun with what appeared to be the single most busy day of the season thus far on Hunting Island Beach.
36 teams entered in a variety of categories, and tried their best to create a sand masterpiece using only a few allowable man-made tools, and other natural things that can only be found on the beach as decorations.  Entrants were limited to only using buckets, scooping and carving tools, shovels, kitchen utensils, spray bottles, and putty knives. 
Time became of the essence as the winds seemed to push the tide in quite a bit faster than had been anticipated.  Teams were hustled along at approximately just after the halfway point due to the quickly rising tide.  “What are you going to do”, said one sand-sculptor, “you can’t complain about mother nature”.
Here’s your list of winners:
Sand Fleas (up to 8 years old):
1st Elias Garcia Jimenez, Greer, SC –  (Serpent)
2nd Kerney (Honey Bee) Hunter, Beaufort, SC – (Mermaid)
Sand Hoppers (9-15 years old):
1st Noah Ruses, Franklin, NC – (Turtle w/ nest)
2nd Konnor Masell, Perrysburg, Ohio – (Car)
Sand Tribes (families):
1st Tonya Dangerfield, Beaufort, SC –  (gator)
2nd Jennifer Calandra, Beaufort, SC –  (Lady w/baby)
Sand Shapers (adult or mixed teams):
1st Terry Brennan, Lady’s Island, SC – (Face & Hands)
2nd Jenna Guthrie, Griner – Beaufort, SC -(canoe)
Best in Show:
Abe Stem Beaufort, (Lives [turtles] in Hand)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
For dozens of great photos of the Sand Sculpture event, and even tons more of Hunting Island Beach, go to our Photo Gallery.
Check out a short video from the event here…