Bright white hair tumbled out of his cap, the strands seeming to fight their way out, landing somewhere around his ears. His eyes were covered by a pair of black sunglasses, which seemed fitting for the day because the grains of sand that would’ve blown into his eyes stuck instead onto the rims of his sunglasses.
The sand by his feet, however, stayed where they were.
It had been molded and shaped for more than a handful of hours, forming a castle that seemed to be shifting into flames.
It was Valentine’s Day and Bill Pavlacka – the Sandcastle Man – was carving out words like TRUE LOVE and KISS ME in the base of the castle.
The letters were written in perfect calligraphy as Pavlacka, a mainstay on the beach near the Hotel del Coronado, created his latest masterpiece. He’s been honing his craft for more than a decade to the delight of beachgoers and corporations that hire him for special events at the resort.
A couple walking by stopped and pointed at the castle, pulling out a phone.
With a cheerful greeting, Pavlacka asks if they need help taking a picture with the sandcastle.
His cheeks, red from the biting wind, were round with a smile with every passerby that admired or exclaimed in whispered tones about his sand sculpture.
“I get messages in my dreams.”
-Sandcastle Man Bill Pavlacka
“I actually dream of building, sometimes. I get messages in my dreams,” Pavlacka says.
He doesn’t always build with a purpose, but to clear and unclutter his mind – content with coming out to Coronado just by himself, he says.
His inspiration
Pavlacka walks to the beach, his children by his side.
It’s fifteen years ago, but as much as times change, he’s doing the same thing he does today: build sandcastles. He used to spend his weekdays plastering and building houses, and his weekends at the beach honing a skill he didn’t know he’d ever use.
This artistic ability of his was a secret to everybody, including himself.
Pavlacka didn’t like to draw or to paint, and he truly wasn’t that interested in art as a young boy, he says.
But now, his art is his job.
His children continue to be his inspiration and his support.
Sandcastle building endeavors
Apart from being a local legend, Pavlacka participates in competitions for sandcastle building, and he’s not alone.
“[My children and I] have won quite a few competitions, so we work well together,” he says.
As well as providing art to the community, Pavlacka uses his talent to make meaningful pieces with strong statements.
A recent competition in Imperial Beach had a theme of “Under the Sea” and contestants used their creativity to come up with what that meant to them.
Pavlacka and his family decided on a sand sculpture that depicted the polluted waters and the trash in the oceans.
They won first place.
A happy life
“It’s definitely a passion. I have a lot of good outlets in my life. I like to garden…I have this beach…and so I have an enjoyable life,” Pavlacka says, his tone quiets and lightens near the end.
Another couple approaches, this time with a request.
They want their names written in the sand for Valentine’s Day.
Pavlacka gets on his hands and knees, scraping away at the sand.
Every once in a while he picks up a straw hanging on his neck to blow away the sand, revealing his perfectly written letters.
“Pretty happy, pretty happy with my life,” Pavlacka says, his lips slightly turned up in a small smile.
