Sandman fails to bring dream to life

Eva Bradley

While the actual romantically inspired event was unlikely to happen, Hawke's Bay Today columnist Eva Bradley said an Auckland man's pursuit of trying to build something special for his wedding anniversary was a challenge for locals lads.

Last Friday she received what she called "a random email from a romantically minded stranger" who contacted her as he realised that she worked in the world of photography - as did he.

But he was not after a special portrait or advice on scenic locations - the latter he had already settled upon.

He was seeking her Facebook help in finding someone with a creative bent towards sculpture.

Namely, sculpting sand and stones. "It is our 30th wedding anniversary on Monday," he wrote, adding he and his wife would be staying on the Bay waterfront at East Pier.

Their accommodation looked over the nearby beach, and that was where he got his celebratory idea from.

"As a surprise I want to get some creative person or persons to do a nice sand/stone sculpture on the beach in front of the venue."

Something along the lines of a heart shape with a cupid's arrow in it and the initials 'CP loves AP 30 Years' - "or similar".

Ms Bradley was intrigued.

"It's not something you get asked to try and help out with every day," she said, and accordingly posted the request on her well-watched Facebook page.

"Everyone shared it and liked it but no one came back and said they could do it, or knew someone who could do it," she said yesterday afternoon as time began to run out.

Run out in the sense that the best time to create anything on the beach stretch was around 9.30 this morning when the tide was out.

"I don't think it can happen but what a great idea - nice to come across someone so romantically minded."

And therein lay her challenge to local lads when it came to doing something a little different and a little special to celebrate an anniversary.

"Come on Bay boys - get creative, because this is the standard Auckland is setting," she said.

A scan of the foreshore around East Pier late yesterday revealed nothing but stones and patches of sand - cupid was nowhere in sight.

There was a pile of small white rocks on a grassed area but not in the shape of a heart - more the shape of a pile of rocks.