A seriously sophisticated sand sculpting competition makes waves in Onset
March madness is normally a time to see which college basketball team is the best in the nation but in Onset, March madness is a tournament of who can make the best sand sculpture.
Around 10 contestants lined up on Onset Beach Sunday, March 30 to build castles, cities under attack, octopi and more in the Onset Bay Center sponsored event.
"It's a bit of a grey day but we're happy with anyone who comes out," said Onset Bay Center Director Angie Weldon. "There's some really creative structures going on and a lot of different age and skill levels."
Participants had an hour and a half to collect their buckets of sand and shape it into any creation they desire.
"It's an underground city that has a mermaid that is trying to protect it from the electric eels," said 9-year-old Christopher Spofford when describing his creation.
Christopher was at the event with his two sisters Lilly and Isabel as well as his parents and grandparents.
"It's actually my mom's birthday so we're here as a family and figured we could have some fun and build some sand castles," said Matt Spofford, Christopher's father.
Next to Christopher was Ian Smith who said he participated in the event last year and had so much fun he decided to return.
"I've got an octopus going on and he's going to be building a sand castle," Smith said.
On top of heading to Onset beach for an afternoon of fun, Carlos T.B. Fragata, a member of the Buzzards Bay Coalition wanted to spread some empathy for the horseshoe crab, which he made out of sand.
"Horseshoe crabs are under a lot of pressure from fisherman as bait and for many other things," Fragata said. "The more people know the more they can made educated decisions."
At the conclusion of the hour and a half long sculpting period, Onset Bay Center staff counted up the votes to see which sculptures would come out on top.
The staff selected three winners: Smith's sand castle building octopus, an octopus holding a crab made by Michael Waldron and his daughter Kathy and the castle made by Greta Carroll, Alleca Holness and Gianna Hanscom.
