Works of whimsy

Mike Sciacca

Four Boy Scouts diligently carved three large, hollowed-out mounds of

sand during the first hour of the Huntington Beach Sandcastle

Festival contest Saturday at the south side of the Huntington Beach

Pier.

Corino Spitaleri, Frank Harmeier, Keaton Celinder and Reed McCord,

under the direction of Frank’s mother, Gail, worked together like a

well-oiled machine, using buckets, shovels and manpower to combine

sand and water to form the base for their project: a Halloween-themed

sculpture that was to include three pumpkins, a ghost and sign that

read, “Boo.”

In the distance, and overshadowing the work of the 40 teams

competing in the contest, stood the festival’s imposing and

impressive centerpiece, an exhibit titled, “Dragon Devouring a

Castle,” a 65-foot long, 900-ton sculpture which depicted a dragon

named “Spike” sitting atop a castle.

Among the 40 teams, placed in divisions that included family, club

and corporate, taking part in the competition included local teams

Huntington Beach Rotary, the Cub Scouts and Interact HBHS. Each team

was allotted a 15-by-15 foot plot to create either a sculpture or

castle within a four-hour time frame.

Six professional sculptors served as competition judges and

selected winners based on height, detail and how much of the 15-by-15

plot space was utilized.

Only natural items, such as shells or seaweed, were allowed to be

a part of the sculptures, which ranged from humorous to serious in

nature, as well as those that made an environmental or political

statement.

“It’s pretty much up to the teams themselves, what they want to

create,” said Kim Masoner who owns Sandcastle Marketing of Seal Beach

with her husband Steve.

The Masoners, who ran the first-time event, were dressed in

medieval costume as they walked the competition area that had been

cordoned off like a fortress.

“This is our first time staging a sandcastle competition here in

Huntington and the city has wrapped its arms around us,” Kim Masoner

said. “It’s just a weekend of good, clean, family fun.”

Proceeds from the event, co-sponsored by the Huntington Beach

Conference and Visitors Bureau, benefit “Save Our Beach,” an

organization dedicated to improving water quality along the Southern

California coastline.

Eighteen trophies were presented and additional awards included

Most Creative, Best Team Spirit, Most Humorous and Best

Environmental.

“It’d be great to win, but it’s all about having fun,” said Gail

Harmeier, a special education teacher at Edison High who, along with

some of her classes, have won six trophies at previous sandcastle

competitions held in Corona del Mar.

Prior to Saturday’s competition, the Masoners held two sandcastle

building classes at the north side of the pier and two in Seal Beach,

beginning in July and running through September.

The classes were filled to capacity, Steve Masoner said.

“We wanted to prepare the teams the best way we could for the

competition,” said Masoner, who, for the past five years, has put on

a similar competition in Seal Beach every September. “They came to

the classes to have fun but were serious about learning how to create

a sandcastle.”

The plot across from that of Boy Scouts was carved out by a group

named, Beach Bums. One of the Beach Bums’ eight team members, who

ranged in age from 14 o 55, was Huntington Beach resident Mary Ann

Celinder, mother of Keaton Celinder, one of the Boy Scouts.

“We rounded up a group of friends for a fun time out here,” said

Mary Ann Celinder, a glass artist, who was helping to create a

sculpture of gargoyles sitting atop a wall. “I’ve admired the

festival held in Seal Beach and I’d definitely like to see this

become an annual event in Huntington.”

The “Dragon Devouring a Castle” exhibit was started on Sept. 29.

It took 12 professional sand sculptors from Sandcastles Unlimited and

an additional 35 volunteers five, 12-hour days, to create the

centerpiece.

The very top of the dragon had been lightly sprayed with a 10-to-1

ratio of water and white Elmer’s school glue to prevent wind damage.

Named Spike, because of the stud that pierced its tongue, the

dragon sculpture, made only of sand and water stood until Monday

morning. Then, the sand was returned to its normal state at the south

side of the pier.

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.