It's a shore thing: Sand castle contest at Hither Hills

To some, sand is little more than the grainy stuff that gets caught between your toes during a day at the beach.

But to others, it's a gritty, moldable building material that, when mixed with a bit of water and imagination, can be transformed into majestic castles and intricate sculptures.

Who can participate

Young sand-shapers are invited to take part in the 2009 Sand Castle Contest held Thursday mornings at Hither Hills State Park in Montauk . The competition starts at 9:30 a.m. and runs from June 25-Aug. 27.

Hither Hills park manager Tom Dess says the contest draws 60 to 100 kids each week, either out with their families for a day trip on the East End or from the many families vacationing at the park's oceanfront campground (631-668-2554).

Simple rules

According to the contest rules, competitors may use sand, water and any other natural materials found at the beach to construct their castles and sculptures.

A judge - typically a random passerby who gets roped into doing it by the park's staff - decides the winner, who receives a T-shirt and, best of all, bragging rights for that week.

Each contestant who participates gets to take home a certificate.

Here's the secret

So what's the secret to creating the perfect sand castle or sand sculpture? Dess says his only advice is to "keep spraying it down with a spray bottle so it doesn't crumble."

Sand castle-making tips

Here are some steps for building a perfect sand castle, courtesy of eHow.com:

Step 1: Draw a rough sketch of the castle you'd like to build.

Step 2: Choose a square site near the water, but not so close that waves will destroy your castle as the tide comes up. Make sure the square is large enough for your castle plans.

Step 3: Dig a hole down to the water table, where the sand is dark and moist, or bring up large buckets of water from the ocean or lake.

Step 4: Scoop wet sand onto the center of the area in which you'll be working.

Step 5: Work fast so the sand stays wet.

Step 6: Build towers by forming and stacking sand patties about the size and shape of thick pancakes. Place larger patties on the bottom, and gently shake the patties from side to side as you pile them so the sand settles. Seal your towers by gently pouring water over them.

Step 7: Build walls to connect the towers of your castle by jiggling wet sand into brick shapes and laying them on top of each other.

Step 8: Carve the towers and the walls into shapes using tools such as a small trowel, a putty knife or plastic utensils.

Step 9: Dig a moat around the castle to protect it.