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    The Best of Show sand sculpture, “Tale of the Plastic Whale,” neared completion with the help of Northcoast Environmental Center volunteers Taylor Zenobia (left), Casey Cruikshank (right) and NEC Coastal Program Coordinator Madison Peters.
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    The Fog People’s Jean Weil, of Sacramento, applies the final touches to the Most Imaginative award winner, “Every 10,000 years a creature emerges.”
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    Eliana (3) and Roenne (1) Powell, of Eureka, came with their mother Ashley to the event to practice their sand-sculpture skills.
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    This seahorse sand sculpture was created by U.S.F.W. Refuge volunteers and employees.
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    The Accountable’s crew (including Alice and Jason Caria, of Arcata) began work at 7:30 a.m. on their “Ducks in a Row” sand sculpture.
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    Dean Kessler, of Fortuna, said this was his fifth year volunteering at the event. The “Hungry Hippo” sculpture won the Photographer’s Choice award.
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    Theo Burges (right) and Lily Morrow, part of the Manila Community Resource Center’s sand-sculpture team, play along side their “Octoworld” sculpture that won the Youth Sculpture award.
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    Madison Peters, the Northcoast Environmental Center’s Coastal Program Coordinator, filled time by playing in the sand while awaiting results of the judging. The NEC entry, “Tale of the Plastic Whale,” won Best of Show.
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    Artist Jason Haase, of Arcata, said he partially attributed winning the People’s Choice Award for “Grendel’s Castle” to including a sand castle in his sand sculpture.
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    Celia Haro and Israel Orosco, both of Arcata and members of the Los Pulpos team, climbed on their Octopi sculpture for photos after the judging was over. Their team’s sculpture won the Dedicated Diggers award.
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    The Golden Shovel Trophy (for the Best Business Sponsored Sculpture) went to the The Accountables team for “Ducks in a Row.” Its sponsor, Hunter, Hunter and Hunt CPAs, was the only entry.
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    Matt Durham, of Bayside, put the finishing touches on his sand-sculpted dragon.
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    The Old School crew of Bernadette Vielbig and Todd Williamson, of Eureka, placed the finishing touches on their sand sculpture.
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    Thomas Saunders, of McKinleyville, touched up “Otter Joy,” winner of the Cutest award.
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    Artist Olivia Hodgin, of Carlotta, looked over her “Hungry Hippo” sculpture after it won the Photographer’s Choice award.
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    As the ocean neared high tide, tents of Friends of the Dunes and sand sculptures under construction lined the new location for the event at the beach near the Samoa Drag Strip.