Sandcastle Days 2005 is winding down but if you haven't gotten to the Sheraton beach yet this weekend you best get your hiney over there before Wilma's high tides get a shot at what is left of the sculptures...

Pictured above are the winners of the masters category and yes,your humbel webwiz managed to hang to a medal this year! From left: Kirk Rademaker of CA (5th place, ex boyfriend #2); sandy feet (4th place); Fred Mallett of SPI (3rd place, ex boyfriend #1); Amazin' Walter of SPI (2nd place & peoples choice, ex husband #only) and Carl Jara (1st place and not an ex of mine, though we did partner up for a contest in Italy a few years back.

Thanks to Don Miguel for shooting and sending me award shots so quickly. Over the next few days I will begin posting photos of the actual sculptures on the Sandcastle Days information site. If you have any good ones that you would like to share for photo credit and my undying gratitude) feel free to send them to webwiz@spionline.com - thanks!

Beach Access #6 was the spot to be this morning if you collect shells, starfish and other similar treasures. I heard that some really beautiful big shells - some with the inhabitants still alive - were being harvested earlier today. By the time I got there it was pretty picked over and the beach-cleaning machine was making the rest of the trash disappear quickly. Nonetheless, I managed to score a nice lightening whelk and this photo ;-)

Got this e-mail from Scarlett over at the SPI Nature Center:

Thank you for having the nature center at Sand Castle Days..it was incredible and great to have so many interested in helping to save and protect sealife...thank you for the opportunity to reach out to people

Also I too was on the beach this morning and it was awesome that so many people offered up their live shells and sea creatures to the sealife nature center while I was there..we saved starfish, many many live shells, hermit crabs, sea anemones and other wonderful sea creatures in need of help. The bamboo was raking them off the bottom and they needed help. Most everyone helped and you can see everything at the center...

Last year you made a thoughtful donation to the center and this helped inspire us to keep on and that our center can make a difference.

We just had an eagle scout start his eagle project to make fishing line disposal containers for the jetty area and boat ramp and fish cleaning areas..

Here is a photo of three children that helped save some of the creatures today ....
Scarlet
spinaturecenter.com

Longtime Islander Randy Baker passed away unexpectedly today. Randy was a handy guy to have around and his house-painting skills were widely appreciated. He was only 45 years old, and he will be missed by many. Amazin' Walter - his neighbor - snapped this photo just a few days ago.

Happened along this colorful site on my morning bikeride.

While some are complaining about the unseasonably warm weather we have been having, I for one would be happy if it stayed like this all winter long.

Sadly, predictions are for cooler temps by the middle of next week.

Do you know this sweet girl? She was found near Kelly's (E. Morningside), has a collar and local vaccination tags, and is a bit messy but otherwise healthy. I bet someone is missing her and vice versa. If you know who she belongs to, please e-me at webwiz@spionline.com - thanks!

Update: The PI Animal clinic people say this poor girl has been running loose for a couple of weeks and was likely abandoned. My neighbors have cleaned her up but can't keep her. She will probably end up at the shelter where we can only hope she will find a good home...

The Sons of the Beach Sandcastle Wizards have created another lovely Christmas Tree at the SPI Visitors Center.