Introduction: Dribble Castle Sandcastle

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About: Professionally I have been a summer camp counselor, a Draftsman/designer, salesperson, bicycle mechanic, laminate flooring machine mechanic, teacher, and designer of the OP Loftbed. Personally I am a human tha…

I was taught how to make dribble castle sandcastles when I was young. There was someone making one on the beach and they showed me the technique, which is easy to learn. In this Instructable, I will show you how to make a Dribble Castle, so next time you are at the beach, you can make one.

Step 1: Dig a Hole

You want to pick a spot on the beach where the biggest waves only just reach. It is better to pick a time of day when the tide is going out. This way your castle will hopefully survive a couple of hours. You want the big waves to be able to reach the hole to get the sand in the hole wet. Too high up the beach and you will not get wet sand. Too low on the beach and your castle will be destroyed by the waves.

Step 2: Make the Base of Your Castle

Make the base of your castle by making a pile of sand, that you dig out of the hole, by placing it on the uphill side of the hole. You want the hole to be closest to the ocean. Pack the sand down so that it makes a strong base for your dribble castle.

Step 3: Put Some Smooth Sand in the Hole

Some beaches have smooth sand on top and coarse sand and shells further down. Once you get your hole and base the size you want, scrape some of the smooth sand from the surface into the hole. This smooth sand works best for the dribble castle.

Step 4: Wait for a Big Wave

If you picked your spot well, a big wave will wash up on the beach and get water into the hole.

Step 5: Grab a Hand Full of Sand and Make a Blob on Top of the Base

Grab a hand full of wet sand out of the hole and drop it on top of the base. This blob of wet sand will give the wet sand, that you are going to dribble, a place to stick. If you try and dribble wet sand on to dry sand it does not work that well, and the wet sand may just fall off.

Step 6: Start the Dribbles

Pick up a hand full of wet sand and make a fist. With your thumb pointing down, let the wet sand dribble off your thumb and onto the wet blob that you put there earlier. You can also let the wet sand dribble off your fingers, but I think it is easier to make accurate drips with my thumb down. Experiment with different amounts of sand. After a while you will figure out the right amount of sand and how wet the sand should be to make the best dribble castle.

Step 7: Video

I made a video showing how to make a Dribble Castle. I was very lucky with the timing of the big wave.

As always,

Thanks for watching and enjoy.