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How to build a lighthouse from sand — a handy guide

Karen Fralich is a 3 time world champion sand sculpter and host of CBC’s Race Against the Tide. In this video, she shows you how to make your own sand sculpture.

Race Against the Tide judge and host Karen Fralich tells you how you can make your very own sand sculpture.

CBC ·
Karen Fralich (middle) is a sand sculpting champion and host of Race Against the Tide. Rusty Croft (left) and Wes Williams (right) are also hosts. (Race Against The Tide Season 2)

Race Against the Tide Season Two premieres on CBC Gem Sunday, July 10. 

Anyone who's spent time near a beach knows that building sand castles is one of the most popular seaside activities. 
But "sand sculpting" is a little different. In CBC's Race Against the Tide, sand sculpting artists create huge and mind-blowing structures from beach sand — all the working against the clock before the Bay of Fundy's tides wash away their creations.

Karen Fralich, one of the hosts and judges of Race Against the Tide Season 2, is one of the world's most renowned sand sculptors, and the only woman to be named the winner of the World Championships of Sand Sculpting in Solo 1st place. 

She wants to help you to give her art form a try. Here's a video and guide to making your very own lighthouse out of sand. 

How to make a lighthouse

  1. Fill a bottomless bucket a quarter of the way up with sand. Add water and then pack it down with your foot or a shovel. 

  2. Repeat this process until the bucket is full. 

  3. Use a shovel to tap the sides of the bucket, and then carefully remove the bucket. This should reveal a tower of sand. 

  4. With your hands, add wet sand to the top of the tower, and then shape it with whatever tools you want. 

  5. Add more sand to the top, and then shape the top of your lighthouse. 

  6. Be creative! For a lighthouse you're going to need windows and a door!