Building Castles in the Sand

I found this elaborate castle on the Fort Morgan, Alabama, Gulf Coast beach one morning this summer.

A fun way to spend a day at the beach is build things -- castles or sea animals or other amateur artworks.

A morning walk along the beach is a good way to see the work of children and adults from the day before.

Anyone can build a sandcastle. All it takes is sand, water, a bit of imagination, and a willingness to have your hard work wash away in the surf.

If you want to be inspired, check out some work in the sand by professional artists at the Popular Mechanics magazine website.

But if you want to try your hand at and want some instruction, there are several options. You can sign up for a class at the Sand Castle University in Gulf Shores, Alabama, or Orange Beach, Alabama, by calling 251-600-9771 or email sandcastleu@gmail.com.

This castle was found on the Gulf Shores beach in the summer.

There are also options for teaching yourself. The Guardian has an article about how to build great sandcastles. In fact, they promise to teach how to build the perfect sandcastle.

But sandcastles aren't the only artwork available. I've found numerous sea life sculptures on the Gulf Coast beach. I've found turtles, sharks, and an alligator.

This was found at the Fort Morgan, Alabama, Gulf Coast beach.

Whale, this isn't too bad a sculpture, is it? It, too, was found on the Gulf Coast beach.

Probably the most celebrity beach sand artist is Andres Amador of San Francisco, who uses a rake to make large organic patterns on beaches along the coast of California. I don't think he's made it to the Gulf Coast yet. So that gives you an opening on the beaches of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.