Do you enjoy walking along the beach, watching sand artists create masterpieces in the sand, only to have those works of art washed away at the next high tide? Sand sculptures, or castles, are as intricate and breathtaking as a fine oil painting, maybe more so, due to their short life span.

If getting to the beach is difficult or impossible for you, you can view these unique pieces of art on the Internet.

We'll begin our tour at the Human Touch Experimental Museum Sculpture Garden, where you'll not only find pictures of amazing sand sculptures, but you'll also learn how to begin creating sculptures yourself. An insightful commentary is provided with each sculpture, which lets you know what the artist was thinking when creating that particular piece of art. To learn tips for creating your own sculptures, click on Library from the main page, then look for the Reference Desk.

Last September, I went to the Mississippi Gulf Coast with the hopes of being able to watch this next artist at work. But, one of our infamous hurricane scares prevented the sand sculpture contest from being held. At the Beach Buddies Sand Sculpture page, you'll find pictures of remarkable sculptures, such as the Biloxi lighthouse, a majestic lion, and even a bear sitting in the woods, which earned them first place in a recent contest.

Now here's a site that will make you want to pack your bags and head for the beach: Sand Castles by DC Sand and Fun Club. The sculptures are unique and different, such as "Lady Hideous," who they claim is Medusa's not-so-well-known sister. These folks create sandcastles extraordinaire, complete with living (yes, living) mermaids. Their work is totally amazing.

At the South Padre Island Sons of the Beach Sandcastle Page, you can view an animated sandcastle slide show that will show you the different stages of how the castle was created. Click on the World Record Page to see a picture of the tallest indoor sandcastle, which measured 33.5' tall. You'll find reviews of sand at different beaches, and a 1999 Sand Sculpture Contest Schedule.

For some tips on building a sand sculpture yourself, visit Sand Castle Tips for Beginners.

Finally, visit Sand World and click on Cool Photos, where you'll be astonished at the quality of these works of art. The picture of the horse heads is amazing, as are all the pictures in this collection. Spend some time clicking through the site and see for yourself the work that goes into creating these breathtaking sculptures.

Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

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