LEWES, Del. - Building a sandcastle at the beach can be tough, but one woman is using her 50-years of experience to help others perfect the craft.
Lynda Hicks McKeown, also known as 'The Sandcastle Lady', grabs her shovel and gets to work on her next masterpiece. McKeown spends most days on Lewes Beach just off of Massachusetts Avenue making sandcastles and proves it doesn't take much more than a popsicle stick or a spoon to be an artist.
"I use these very high tech tools...kids lust after them and then I'll tell them, 'You can go to the Dairy Queen and get more'." said McKeown.
McKeown's process for building a great sandcastle all starts with a big mound of sand, "After you scoop it, then you get water and splash it, never pour it. When you pour water it makes a hole so I teach the kids to splash."
Even things like the moon have to be taken into consideration to make your sandcastle last, "I started a little bit closer but the tide is coming in because of the full moon on the 30th." explains McKeown.
She even showed me her techniques on how to shape cottages. Kids come to her for advice and to show off their projects.
Mary Pearl Johnson was one kid that asked McKeown's opinion on her own sandcastle, "I really like building the tunnel...because it's fun to dig under the tunnel and have it be covered."
It is a craft that doesn't always go as planned but yields beautiful results in the end.
"If you think you want to make a long castle and the sand says 'nope' you just have to do it again and it'll be better the second time." said McKeown.
If you're looking for some tips and tricks on how to build a better sandcastle McKeown will be here everyday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as long as there's good weather outside.
More sandcastles can be found on her website.