Three "R's": Part Ia - "Challenge at the Coast"

This is a special edition post for the blog.  Hence, the title is "Part Ia" and doesn't relate to the second or third "R".  This posting concerns a challenge;  the throwing down of the gauntlet, if you will.  This call or summons dates back to the oldest of times.  Ever since man first came to the beach and viewed the vastness of the great waters crashing upon the shore, he has answered the obviously genetic urge to build ... SAND CASTLES!

LOCATION:  The coast of Malindi.

           TIME:   Low tide-morning.

      WHERE:   A stretch of beach not

                         far from Elena house.

WEATHER:   Ideal.  Partly cloudy.

We had hardly settled into our new accommodations then Todd, renowned for his family's sand castles, issued a challenge to Jeff and his family to the construction of castles using as building material "the   more or less fine debris of rocks, consisting of small, loose grains, often of quartz."

The Dubber family strategy quickly manifested itself.  Outline a substantially large castle with the intent of digging down into the sand. This has been a proven formula in the past with many opponents having succumbed to this deft design.  This ground plan requires strength and endurance for digging and removing copious amounts of sand.  Watching Todd and his helpers engage in this endeavor caused this chronicler to begin to sweat in empathy.

Jeff and his family opted for the more traditional sand castle design and construction process.  Outline the wall placement in the sand and begin construction upward.  This plan had centuries of proven architecture behind it.  Castles since medieval times have been fortress bastions consisting of stout walls and corner turrets and towers.  These feudal residences were often surrounded by a moat with drawbridge providing ingress and egress.  The Hazard castle would be of classic design and appeal.

As the morning progressed, the sand castles of both teams began to take shape.  The Dubbers working with buckets (and with buckets of perspiration, I might add) dug deeper and deeper using the excavated sand to form walls and a pool.  The size of their castle was impressive as can be seen pictured at right.  Cassidy, Todd, and Kylie are working hard on their time honored design.  Passersby stopped to watch the competition as the two teams toiled on their respective creations in the hot, tropical sun.

Meanwhile, the Hazard castle also was taking recognizable shape.  The fortress walls were forming and corner towers were being formed using buckets filled with damp sand. As we were on the east coast of Kenya rich with an Arab history, I couldn't help looking at Jeff's castle and being reminded of Moorish castles constructed in the past.  The Moors were a people of mixed Berber and Arab lineage living in NW Africa.  They invaded Spain in the 8th century and remained there until 1492.

As the competition drew to a close, both teams put their attention to details which could mean the difference between victory and defeat.  Here Todd inspects the outer wall of towers while Kylie puts the finishing touches to their castle's inner wall.  The pool with shelled shallow end is to Todd's left.  A protective sloping sea wall is topped with several short towers.  The arduous castle construction project is drawing to a close.  Much time and effort has been expended in bringing this sand castle into existence.

Lyndsey, Megan, and Joyellen observe as Jeff puts the finishing details on their castle.  He has just completed a drawbridge over the protective moat and is now creating a door leading into the castle's interior. Guard towers are in place;  the outer protective walls have been built;  the drawbridge is in place.  The traditional looking sand castle is almost finished.  Much attention to detail has taken place during the construction process.  Will the effort pay off?  Judging will soon take place.  But who will judge?

The Dubber's final entry.  Decorative and protective turrets and towers; a swimming pool with shallow and deep ends; and "carpeting" in the inner, sunken courtyard.  The fruits of a major endeavor involving much manual labor in the tropical sun.  Will Todd's time-tested strategy of digging down result in hands held up in victory?   Only time will tell.  As soon as the teams can find some judges, a winner can be declared.  But who to judge?  Can't be any uninvolved family members.  Has to be someone neutral.

The Hazard's traditionally designed sand castle ready for inspection.  Constructed of all naturally occurring material found on the beach.  Two level fortress;  protective turrets and towers;  a moat between inner and outer walls;  a drawbridge with doored entry;  and the "piece de resistance" - a flag flying proudly in the tropical breeze.  Passersby stopped to observe both sand castles, but only took pictures of one:  the Hazard castle.  The judging dilemma was solved when two young Kenyan men walked by.  Both agreed to judge the castles.  They examined both sand castles carefully; deliberated earnestly with each other;  and came to a decision.

VICTORY!!!


After this special ... there is more to come.