The mysterious fate of the vanished Tucker Cross, a tribute to Haiti and a celebration of old-school gadgetry were among the 18 artworks that rose from the sands on Saturday at Horseshoe Bay Beach.

The Bermuda Sandcastle Competition, an annual fixture run since 1995, brought an array of visitors and residents undaunted by a little rain.

A team of Instagram artists, Ill My Fun, said they debated combining the Taj Mahal with a yacht theme, but decided they “needed to take it into a different world”, group member Dianni Minors explained.

A cruise ship menaced by a giant fish was the end result, sculpted with Kenszo Iris and Daniel Pinto.

Mr Minors said he had been inspired in art class at the Bermuda College by the concept of ephemeral art – summed up by working with sand.

He added: “I figured I might as well keep it up.”

To see even more pictures of the sandcastles click here.

Another rainstorm proved his point when it swept in just before judges announced the winners at 5pm.

In keeping with tradition, the sculptures are left out for the elements.

A $1,000 prize went to Anna Balada, Lindsey Cubbon, Abigail Kempe and Adrienne Smatt, better known as Monsters, Inc.

Their devil clutching at the sand replica of a giant jewelled cross was What Really Happened to the Tucker Cross, Ms Smatt explained.

The team, which has come together to the South Shore beach for the past few years to compete, took first place in the adult category last year.

Ms Smatt added: “We’re hoping to get the same this time around.”

But they got one better, taking “best on the beach” as organiser Hannah Emmerson read out the results when skies cleared.

This time, the adult category was topped by team White Horse with Hearts for Haiti, a tribute to the troubled Caribbean island hit by a severe earthquake last month.

Ernie Ogalesco, a kitchen artist with the group, explained: “So many things have happened in Haiti and people there need some help.

“This is our way to keep them in people’s minds.”

Participants had from 10am to 4pm to perfect their masterpieces before judges called time.

Fam Bam, a team from Midland Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hamilton Parish, ended up taking third place in the family category.

Their group of creations ranged from a record player to faithful reproductions in sand of a floppy disk, a rotary phone, a Nintendo Game Boy, and other gadgets of yesteryear: Old School.

One said: “It’s just something fun to do – we love to be creative.

“It’s not to win. We came for the love.”