Castles in the Sand

Several beach communities along the Oregon and Washington coast host a sandcastle competition during the summer months.  Many years ago we checked out the Cannon Beach competition.  It was amazing.  Thus, when we learned about the one in Ocean Shores, we had to go.  We were on the road heading west before noon on Friday.

You can drive up and down the beach on the hard packed sand in Ocean Shores.  Of course, we had to do just that!

There were really two competitions going on in Ocean Shores.  One was the sandcastle event and the other was a chainsaw art event.  We figured we’d check them both out.

Many of the hotels were already full.  After all, it was summer, the weather was predicted to be gorgeous and it was at the beach.  We found a condo available with trails behind it to the ocean. That's not saying we had an ocean view.  The vegetation kept the view limited unless you had an upper floor room and that we didn't have.   Being on the bottom floor gave us the opportunity to get a welcome visit from one of the locals. 

Just like at our cabin, this local showed up at the patio door and asked for handouts .  I wouldn’t have expected such an extremely friendly deer at the beach but there she was!

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Saturday was the big day but there weren’t as many castles being built in Ocean Shores as we remembered at the previous event we had been too.  It was still nice watching the building in different stages of completion.

Big puddles of water were created when much of the sand was dug out.  Kids took advantage of the water holes and went swimming .... brrrr.

The tide was out but you can still see the tide line here.  The castles were being built mighty close to that ocean.

Alice in Wonderland

The castle builders and chainsaw folks were busy competing for that first place ribbon.  

The sun was out, the beach was packed and vendors were lined up in the convention center to make a few sales.

Tammi and Robert drove up Saturday morning and spent the day wandering around the festivities.  It was a great day.    

Sunday was to be another day of competition but we had a seafood buffet we wanted to enjoy.  It seems that the castles built in the sand on Saturday were too close to the tide line and  didn’t do well overnight.  I would have thought that the organizers would have checked out that tide.

We also spent time wandering around the chain saw art.  The artists had brought pieces to sell but the ones they were working on would be entered in the competition and then put up for auction on Sunday.   

The bear and cub piece was selling for $3,000.   I wanted it but I can't always justify purchasing what I want.  Besides that, I had no way to get it back or even a place to put it.

  Every one of these chain saw artists were winners in our opinion.

(Janice, you need to enter next year !)

By late afternoon we were on our way inland.  We didn't want to miss the seafood buffet at the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester.  Tammi and Robert followed us in their car.  The casino was half-way back for us and we were looking forward to a seafood feast.   Even Lee and Sabrina drove up to join us.  All I can say is that this buffet was amazing!  Check out this feast !

Summer is definitely a busy time.  The 4th of July is just around the corner.  Before you know it summer will be over.

‘Tis life on the road.