What Engineers Do on the Beach

Construction Constraints:

1. Kane must not be required to move the location of his buttocks. The initial location of the placement of his posterior shall remain constant through design, documentation, and construction.
2. Angie shall not be required, at any time, to put her feet in the water. Only minimal contact between the lake and her hands shall be permitted to occur.
3. Construction shall begin promptly at 1:30pm and end at or before 2:20pm the same day so that we don't miss our bus ride away from the lake.
4. The construction method is to be “design/build” such that building commences before design is finished to use time most efficiently.
5. Hands and feet are to be the only tools used for construction.

Design Constraints:

1. Two engineers are the only ones available for design of this structure therefore it will most likely be relatively devoid of any architectural worth.
2. Sand and water are the only materials to be used.
3. The general description of the structure(s) must fall into the category of “silica fortress”, more commonly known as a “sand castle”.
4. No parapets are to be used since everyone knows they are ugly and inherently unstable.
5. No documentation shall be required since no forethought need be put into any of the design decisions.

The final product of 45 minutes of harvesting sand and dripping sandy blobs into little piles:

Ok, so maybe regular engineers just sit and enjoy the beach like normal people. Maybe they even get in for a swim even though the weather isn't quite warm enough and the water is too cold. Maybe they don't hate sand in their shoes and pockets and don't sort of wish that someone would build a concrete patio with some deck chairs to sit on.

I don't think Kane and I should be allowed to go to the beach, we're just too ungrateful. But, at least we occupied our hands and minds with more familiar activities, however unconventional. (Lake Mackenzie, Fraser Island, Saturday June 20)