Windsor Plywood French Creek: Brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard to source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high quality, responsibly sourced products and are committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one on one service to all of our customers, homeowners, do it yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life, from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood and French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online, or call 752 3122.

Eddie Van Haddock & The Rockfish: In a little town by the sea where the stories never end, lived Captain Dave and his crew, every child's favorite friend. With a smile as wide as the ocean and a heart that's full of dreams, he sails a mellow submarine where magic gleams and beams. Every morning at sunrise, when the world awakes anew, Captain Dave and his crew set sail in waters deep and blue through the ticking clock of time. Where adventures come alive, they laugh and learn and play each day in their underwater dive.

Dave Graham: Captain Dave loved the sea more than anything in the whole wide world. With his bright yellow submarine, he explored the deepest oceans and the shallowest tide pools.

His first mate and best friend was Larry the Lobster, whose shiny red shell and clever claws had helped him out of many tricky situations. "What adventure shall we have today, Larry?" Captain Dave asked one sunny morning as they finished their breakfast of seaweed pancakes and kelp juice. Larry clicked his claws excitedly.

"I heard the dolphins talking about a magical place called Rathtrevor Beach. They say when the tide goes out, it creates the biggest sandy playground you've ever seen." Captain Dave's eyes lit up. "That sounds perfect! I've been waiting to wiggle my toes in the sand!" "And I can practice my sand-digging skills," Larry added with a grin.

So Captain Dave steered the yellow submarine toward Rathtrevor Beach. As they approached, they could see that the tide was very low, revealing a vast expanse of smooth sand that stretched farther than they could see. "Wow," gasped Captain Dave as they anchored the submarine. "The dolphins weren't kidding. Look at all that sand!"

They climbed out of the submarine and felt the warm sand between their toes and under Larry's many legs. Children were playing everywhere, building the most magnificent sand castles Captain Dave had ever seen. There were castles with tall towers, deep moats, and even tiny flags made from seaweed and shells.

"These sandcastles are amazing," Captain Dave told Larry as they wandered among the busy builders. "I wonder how they feel when the tide comes in and washes them all away." Larry nodded thoughtfully. "It must be sad to work so hard on something, only to have it disappear." As the day went on, the beach began to empty.

Parents called their children home for dinner, and soon Captain Dave and Larry were alone on the beach with dozens of abandoned sand castles. "Should we head back?" Larry asked, noticing the sun beginning to set. "Well, just a few more minutes," Captain Dave replied. "I want to watch the sunset. Look how the light makes the sand castles glow!"

Indeed, the golden light of the setting sun cast a magical glow over the sandcastles. Captain Dave and Larry sat down to admire the view when suddenly, "Help! Help! The tide is coming!" Captain Dave jumped to his feet. "Did you hear that, Larry?" Larry's antennae twitched. "I did, but where did it come from?" "Down here, please! You must help us!"

Captain Dave and Larry looked down in amazement. Standing at the entrance to the largest sand castle was a tiny figure made entirely of sand. It was no bigger than Captain Dave's thumb, with a crown of tiny shells on its head. "I am Queen Sandria," the tiny figure said, bowing gracefully. "This is the kingdom of Granular. We need your help."

Captain Dave rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "You are real?" "Of course we are," Queen Sandria replied. "All sandcastles come alive at sunset, but only those with imagination can see us." As if on cue, dozens of tiny sand people emerged from the sandcastles all around them, waving and calling out.

Larry leaned closer. "How can we help you, Your Majesty?" Queen Sandria pointed toward the ocean where the tide was slowly beginning to come in. "Every night, the tide destroys our kingdom. By morning, our homes are gone. We must rebuild when the children return, but we're tired of starting over. We want our kingdom to survive the tide."

Captain Dave thought hard. He knew all about tides and waves from his years of submarine captaining. "The tide is a powerful force," he explained. "It would be impossible to stop it completely." The sand citizens' faces fell with disappointment, but Captain Dave continued with a smile. "We might be able to work with the tide instead of against it."

"What do you mean?" "Larry and I know all about ocean currents. If we redesign your kingdom with special channels and barriers, we might be able to direct the water around your homes instead of through them." The sand people cheered and Queen Sandria clapped her tiny hands. "That sounds wonderful, but we must hurry! The tide is already coming in."

Captain Dave quickly organized everyone into teams. "Larry, you and your strong claws can help dig the channels. I'll work on reinforcing the walls of the castles." A group of sand children asked, "What about us?" "You have the most important job," Captain Dave told them. "You need to gather shells, pebbles, and seaweed to strengthen our defenses."

Everyone set to work as the sun sank lower in the sky. Larry dug deep channels that connected all the sandcastles, creating a network of waterways. Captain Dave showed the sand people how to pack their walls tighter and build them at an angle that would better withstand the waves. "Water always finds a path of least resistance," he explained as they worked. "So we'll give it a path that goes around your homes."

The sand children returned with armloads of shells, which they used to line the channels, creating natural barriers. Tiny pieces of driftwood became bridges connecting the different sandcastle neighborhoods. As they worked, Captain Dave taught the sand people about the rhythm of the tides. "The earth, moon, and sun all work together to create the tides," he explained. "They're not your enemy; they're just following the dance of nature."

Queen Sandria listened carefully. "So the same force that threatens to destroy us also brings the children who create us?" "That's right," said Captain Dave. "Without the tide going out, there would be no beach for building sandcastles." The sand people began to understand that they were part of a bigger cycle. Instead of fearing the tide, they could learn to live with it.

Just as they finished their preparations, the first gentle waves reached the outermost channel. Everyone held their breath as the water flowed into the channel, and then around the first sandcastle, leaving it standing. "It's working!" cheered Larry, clicking his claws with excitement. The water continued to rise, filling the network of channels. Some of the smaller structures crumbled, but the main castles remained standing, protected by their new designs.

The sand people watched in awe as their homes survived the rising tide for the first time ever. "This is amazing," Queen Sandria said, looking out at her transformed kingdom. "But I'm worried about tomorrow. Will the children understand what we've done, or will they destroy our channels when they come to play?"

Captain Dave hadn't thought of that. "Hmm, you're right. We need to help them understand." Larry snapped his claws. "I have an idea! What if we leave them a message?" Using shells and pebbles, they spelled out a large message on the beach that read: "Please keep the channels. They help the sandcastles survive the tide."

"Do you think they'll understand?" asked a sand child. "Children have the best imagination," Captain Dave reassured them. "They'll understand better than most grown-ups would." As the night grew darker, Captain Dave and Larry watched over the kingdom of Granular. The tide came in fully, but thanks to their engineering, many of the sandcastles remained standing, their tiny inhabitants safe inside.

When morning came, Captain Dave and Larry had fallen asleep on the beach. They woke to the sound of excited children arriving with their buckets and shovels. "Look!" cried one child. "Some of the sandcastles survived the tide!" Another said, "And there's a message," pointing to the shell letters.

To Captain Dave's delight, the children didn't destroy the channels. Instead, they were inspired to improve upon them. They added more sandcastles connected to the same network of waterways, and they built new bridges and barriers. One little girl with pigtails approached Captain Dave, who was pretending to be just an ordinary beachgoer.

"Did you help build these channels?" she asked. Captain Dave smiled. "I had some help from the sandcastle people." The girl nodded, not at all surprised. "I thought so. They come alive at sunset, you know?" "Is that right?" Captain Dave asked, exchanging a secret smile with Larry. "Yep. And I bet they're really happy someone finally figured out how to help them."

As the day went on, more and more children joined in the effort to expand the sandcastle kingdom with its clever channel system. By afternoon, Rathtrevor Beach had transformed into an incredible sand city with waterways connecting dozens of elaborate structures. When it was time to leave, Captain Dave and Larry said their goodbyes to Queen Sandria and the sand people, who could only speak to them when no one else was watching.

"Thank you for teaching us to work with the tide, not against it," the Queen said. "You've changed everything for us." A sand child asked, "Will you come back and visit?" "Absolutely! I promise Captain Dave and the Yellow Submarine will return to Rathtrevor Beach very soon."

As they walked back to their submarine, Larry looked thoughtful. "You know, Captain, I think we learned something important today too." "What's that, Larry?" "Sometimes the things that seem to destroy what we build are actually part of a bigger pattern. Instead of fighting against change, we can learn to flow with it, just like the tide." Captain Dave nodded. "That's very wise, my friend, and that's why you are the best first mate a captain could ask for."

They climbed aboard the yellow submarine and took one last look at Rathtrevor Beach. The sandcastle kingdom was bustling with activity, both from the children playing in the sunshine and the tiny sand people who waited for sunset to emerge once again. "Where to next, Captain?" asked Larry. Captain Dave smiled. "Let's follow the tide and see where it takes us. Every beach has its own secrets. We just need the imagination to discover them."

And with that, the yellow submarine dipped beneath the waves, off to find another adventure. But Captain Dave knew that Rathtrevor Beach and the secret of the sunset sandcastles would always hold a special place in his heart.

As weeks passed, the children of Rathtrevor Beach continued to build upon the channel system Captain Dave had started. They told other children about it, and soon kids from all along the coast were coming to see the famous sandcastles that could survive the tide. Marine biologists and engineers even came to study the clever design, not realizing that the true architects were a submarine captain, a lobster first mate, and a community of magical sand people who came alive at sunset.

The local newspaper ran a story about the Rathtrevor Beach Mystery with a headline: "Who Designed the Ingenious Sandcastle Channels?" They interviewed children who insisted it was the work of the sand people themselves, but of course, the grown-ups just smiled and assumed it was childhood imagination.

But Captain Dave and Larry knew better, and whenever they visited Rathtrevor Beach at sunset, they were greeted as heroes by Queen Sandria and her tiny citizens who had learned that by working with nature's rhythms instead of against them, even the smallest among us can build something that lasts. And the best part? Every time the tide came in, it brought new materials—shells, interesting pebbles, and bits of smooth sea glass—that the sand people could use to make their kingdom even more beautiful.

What they once feared as a destroyer had become a delivery system for treasures. Sometimes the biggest adventures happen in the smallest places, if only you have the imagination to see them. And Captain Dave and Larry the Lobster, aboard their beloved yellow submarine, had imagination in abundance—almost as much as they had friendship and courage.

So if you ever visit Rathtrevor Beach at low tide, look carefully for the sandcastles with their clever channels. And if you stay until sunset, keep your eyes open and your imagination ready. You might just see tiny figures made of sand waving up at you from their forever kingdom—the kingdom that learned to dance with the tide.

Eddie Van Haddock & The Rockfish: When the night falls softly, and stars light up the sky, Captain Dave tucks his crew in with a gentle lullaby. Dreams of whales and mermaids, of treasures lush and green, Await each little sailor aboard the mellow submarine. 

Windsor Plywood French Creek: Brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard to source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high quality, responsibly sourced products and are committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one on one service to all of our customers, homeowners, do it yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life, from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood and French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online, or call 752-3122.