The annual sandcastle competition, a fixture of Bermuda’s Labour Day weekend, took over a section of Horseshoe Bay Beach Saturday, with teams of up to six apiece pitting their imaginations against what could be achieved with sand, water and patience.

Chef Michiko Campbell and his co-workers “Only the Family” from Chiko & T’s restaurant in Devonshire confronted the puzzle as a team.

“We were trying to research it and figure out what to do ‒ we entered in the family category,” Mr Campbell said. “At first, we were going to do a family of turtles.”

The group, first-timers at the free competition begun in 1995, ultimately settled on constructing a treehouse as a team-building exercise that reflected their closeness as workmates.

A mid-afternoon downpour largely spared Horseshoe Beach, where competitors started building at 10am.

A team of visiting students spending part of the summer at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences opted to build a replica of Bermuda itself.

Team member Stuart Robertson said the group of teachers, teaching assistants and intern researchers, being scientists, did their best to keep the island and its reef platform accurate to scale, at 1 to 13,500.

The team, from Britain, Canada and the United States, called themselves Sandemonium.

Pete Faverio, from Delaware, back for his third year, went literal with his creation of ― a sandcastle.

“My castle is called Scarlet,” Mr Faverio said. “A young lady came down here, looked at it and said it reminded her of a movie she’d watched called Scarlet, so I called it that.”

He said the beauty of the island and the warmth of Bermudians kept him coming back, adding that Horseshoe Beach was “fabulous”.

Mr Faverio, a veteran sand sculptor, noted the differences in the types of sand at various beaches on the island, with the medium offered at Horseshoe Bay coming in especially powdery.

“Usually I like to go big,” he said. “Here, I’ve got to be careful.”

Ultimately it was Mr Faveriuo who took the “best in the beach” prize.

Michelle Lindo, a regular entrant, took top prize in the adult category with her team member, Bryce Pantry, as team Tyrannosaurs Max.

Tony Cusicanqui, visiting from Long Island in New York, came second.

Tara Sapien from St George’s as team Star Gazer came in third, despite having to salvage her entry from a midday collapse.

Sandemonium topped the visitor category, followed by returning contenders Bri and David Mayes as the Dune Duo.

Coming in third place were “Sandcastle Dreamers” Tim and Bernadette Farrell, regulars to the island who took a prize four years ago when they happened upon the competition and decided to join in.

Mr Campbell’s team topped the family category, with Coral Crushers, comprising Lindsey Leman, Lucy Leman, Isla Mutch, Betsy Mutch and Griffin Benavides, coming second.

An interpretation in sand of the Bermuda Triangle by Sand Bosses came third, designed by Ruby, 12, and Holly Cook, 9, building with their parents and grandmother.

Best friends Cole Heffernan and Marcus Furbert took first place in the teenager category, followed by Katia Williamson and Alice Haworth of Sandy Pirates, with repeat builder “Mr Grookey Jac” ‒ Jackson Larita ‒ coming in third.

Evangeline York as Sand Star came first in the children’s category, followed by Tyler LaHuta as Skibbidi Ohio Sigma, with Freya Card winning third place.

Adiah Jennings, who attended all the sandcastle workshops ahead of the big day, took honourable mention for her rendering of a mother turtle with eggs.