We knew our trip from Newport to Long Beach was going to be slow since we were driving 101 which goes through all the beach towns up the coast but it got even slower as we approached Tillamook and came upon this hay cutter ambling down the narrow two lane road. It took us a while before we could finally safely pass him and be on our way.

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As you know, I grew up in a beach town in Connecticut and can remember that merry-go-rounds were almost synonymous with beach towns and Long Beach is no exception. We usually visit this area in the fall when everything is closed down so it was fun to see it in high season.

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Sandsations is an annual sand sculpting event held in Long Beach. For 3-days during the week before the actual competition, professional sand sculpturers (I never knew there was such a profession!) demonstrate their art. The first day is the "pound up" which is when the masters set up their forms and begin filling them with sand and water and pounding it to get rid of the air and make sure the sand is wet enough.

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After the "pound up" was complete (it took all morning and through lunch), it was anyone's guess as to what the finished five sculptures were going to be. At this point they looked kind of like huge layer cakes. When we returned, they had started carving. It was interesting learning all that goes into creating one of these sculptures and fun that we could talk to and get to know them.

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The local Elks Lodge had bingo so we decided to take a break from sand sculpting and play a little bingo. Al was lucky enough to win one game - I was waiting for one number numerous times but never won.

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By the time we returned to watch the sand sculpting in the early afternoon on the second day, most of the artists were well on their way. As you can see, they work from the top down removing each form as they're ready to work on that part. Unfortunately, if the sand isn't compacted enough or wet enough, the layer can collapse making a change in the original design of the piece which did happen to one of these sculptures.

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It was interesting seeing the different tools being used. They each had this "thing" hanging around their necks which we were to find out was used to blow sand out of crevices. There were cement tools for removing large amounts of sand at a time, there were tools like a dentist uses for fine work like carving bricks and windows - each of the artists seem to use different tools and have their favorite ones.

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The expression shown on this sand face just amazed me. Once they finished an area and were happy with it, it would be sprayed with a mixture of water and Elmer's which would help it to hold up to the elements ever present at the beach - wind and mist. The fixative is only used during demonstrations not during competition.

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Since picking the blueberries last week we've eaten them several ways but not in a cobbler so I decided it was time for our first cobbler of the summer. YUM!

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Today was the last day of the demonstration sand sculpting. It was incredible to see what these guys could do with sand. The turrets and steps, the windows with curtains and the doors slightly ajar - it all was like a magnet to me drawing me back again and again to have something pointed out to me that I had missed earlier.

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This sculpture was entitled "Rat Fink" after one of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's characters. Roth was best known for his grotesque caricatures driving representations of the hot rods that he built. This was not my favorite sculpture but Al sure did like it and knew exactly what it was by yesterday which made the artist very happy.

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All the demonstration pieces were done by about 5:00 and then several of the guys gave lessons to anyone who was interested in learning the art for tomorrows competition. It was so cool watching them work with the kids and teach them some of the fine points of sand sculpting.

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The sculptures done in competition are with time restraints. Today's event started at low tide about 8:00 am with form building and "pound out". All of the sand and water was carried in buckets by the 8-member teams. The team then began work on their part of the sculpture which would be all tied together in time for the 1:30 judging just before the tide began to wash the sculptures away. We left for lunch and unbeknownst to us, the schedule had been revised because of an exceptionally high, fast moving incoming high tide. It was too late for us to see the finished products by the time we returned - too sad but we did totally enjoy our experience this week.

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We have been to this area several times but never really ventured off the main highway going from point A to point B. What we discovered this trip were some beautiful homes in Seaview from the late 1880's through the early 1900's. This area was originally established as a summer retreat for the Portland elite. Because there were no street addresses at that time, the cottages were identified by their nicknames. The Jeri Lou was built in 1895.

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The Strand family from Aberdeen built "The Sandcastle" in 1898. They were in real estate and banking and enjoyed the fact that the Clamshell, a narrow gauge railroad line which ran up the Long Beach Peninsula passed right in front of their house.

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The Collie Shulderman House was built in 1888, is a Gothic Victorian and is the only house here that is on the National Register of Historic Places. It's interesting that I wasn't able to find any information on line about any of these wonderful homes and their history.

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Today we traveled from Seaview, Washington to Astoria, Oregon over the Astoria/Megler bridge to go to the Sunday Market. It sounds like a long trip, especially since we crossed the mighty Columbia, but it was actually only 15-miles. We always enjoy this market and added to that, we got to have lunch at one of our favorite Japanese restaurants.

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Ilwaco was settled in 1851 and owes it's early development to the Clamshell Railroad. Fishing has been Ilwaco's major industry since the late 1800's. The boat basin here at the port is a major hub for both commercial fisherman and charter boats.

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The Sou'Wester Resort is a historic lodge and vintage RV park on the Long Beach Peninsula about 15 miles North of the Columbia River. The history of the property dates back to 1892 when the first vacation cabins were built. It is now a collection of rustic cabins, vintage travel trailers and RV sites.

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