Shapes in the sand on the beach in Edmonds

EDMONDS — It took about an hour for Isaac, Sylvie and Ellery Nelson to construct a sand replica of a boat they recently spotted, named “Pazzaz.”

Shells decorated its sides and a nautical flag decorated its stern. Sylvie, 10, carefully crafted the boat’s wake.

The entry into the city’s annual sand sculpting contest at the city’s Marina Beach Park Tuesday was so distinctive that passing adults stopped to take photos.

“It looks like a lot of work,” one woman said.

Brother Issac, 12, Ellery, 8, and Sylvie finished their sculpting about a half hour before judging was to begin. They took turns spritzing it with water to prevent it from drying and collapsing.

Their creation remained shipshape until one of the event’s judges, Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling, wandered by. “Looks great; good work,” he said. Later, it was judged as one of the winners in the children’s category.

It was the first time the three children had attended, said their mom, Kristin Nelson, of Kirkland.

“That sounds like fun,” she said when she heard about the event. “What better way to spend a day?”

The Nelsons were among some 200 people who turned out for Tuesday’s gathering.

The creations took many forms, including the cat designed by Rachel Wechsler, and Izzy Hatzenbeler, both 10, from Edmonds, and the castle with a dragon — a group project fashioned by seven cousins living in Maple Valley, Snoqualmie and Edgewood near Federal Way.

June Heinemann, of Edmonds, smiled as she watched her great-grandchildren at work.

“They came here last year and wanted to come back again,” she said. This year, they were more prepared, she said, armed with shovels.

Carter Christiansen, 10, said he spent Monday figuring out the dimensions of the castle — 20 inches wide and 10 inches tall. His advice to other participants: “Have fun.”

Kisanet Gabreselassie, 13, of Edmonds, called her art work, “Perfect Island.”

Its intricate design included a moat. Its topography was decorated with miniature American and Eritrean flags, her parents’ homeland.

Asked how she got the idea, she smiled. “Trial and error,” she said.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.

This year’s sand-sculpture winners

Children’s Category: “Pazzaz Boat” by Isaac Nelson, Sylvie Nelson and Ellery Nelson, from Kirkland; “Castle Kingdom,” by Isabella Denison and Jackson Denison, from Houston, and Georgia Van Hollebeke and Jude Van Hollebeke, from Seattle; “Seal on the Beach,” by Kian Frazier, from Edmonds.

Family Category: “Big Star Fish,” by Heidi Owen, Sophia Owen, Maddie Owen and Steve Littlefield, from Lynnwood; “Titanic and Iceberg,” by Audrey Mitchell, Beth Mitchell, Joseph Mitchell and Mark Thibodeau, from Edmonds; “It Bites,” (Big Shark Eating a Person) by Soren Tanberg, Auggie Tanberg and Erica Tanberg, from Lynnwood, and Grammie and Pap Moulthrop from Windsor, Connecticut.

Daycamp Group: “Turtle Town,” by the Cheetos #1 team from the Edmonds Boys & Girls Club; “Infinity Symbol Castle Town,” by Starfish #1 team from the Edmonds Boys & Girls Club; “The Land of a Thousand Tunnels,” by Starfish #2 from the Edmonds Boys & Girls Club.

Source: City of Edmonds