CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Sandcastle Contest Now Underway

Dozens of sandcastle artists were hard at work early this afternoon at Big Corona State Beach, building their creations for the 48th Annual Sandcastle Contest. Members of a Cub Scout troop from Harbor View were working on their entry, and nearby spectators debated what another entrant’s creation was going to be — “A turtle!” they decided after several minutes of watching the rounded shape emerge.

As spectators crowded for glimpses beyond the roped-off stations, mounds of sand were morphing into animals, towers, spires and even a face of what appeared to be Poseidon. Contestants had dozens of buckets stacked by their stations; on occasion, they would grab one and dash to the water’s edge and then lug the sea water back to their stations. Some workers used straws to blow sand away from detailed areas of their creations; others used metal or wooden molds, trowels and spray bottles of water.

“They are really going all out,” one woman said. Thousands of spectators were expected to show up for the event. There was plenty of parking as of noon, although street spaces were filling up quickly.

The judging will begin about 3 p.m., organizers said. The contest is hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce,