Chelsi Smith, Miss Universe, takes the SOB pledge:

"Amazin' Walter" Cornelius McDonald, who turned 60 in December 2001, came to his Wizardship by a circuitous route. Born and raised in Orange, Texas, he began his professional career as an oilfield/underwater photographer (in Morgan City, La.) then went on to be a staff photographer for major newspapers first in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and then the Dallas Times Herald. After leaving newspaper photography he owned and operated a commercial/advertising photography studio in Dallas.After "dropping out" he spent several years traveling around the states in a VW Van, writing songs, making jewelry and just generally entertaining folks everywhere he went. He arrived on SouthPadre Island in 1978, "to visit a good friend", and soon found himself drawn to the Island's abundant supply of superior sand castle building material, and the general party atmosphere. He was fascinated by the process of discovering the limits of what kind and size of structures he could build with it, and the parties he could start. See where this has taken him by clicking here to see sandcastles... http://amazinwalter.com/sand

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Have Fun.... Will Travel....
 Amazin' is available to entertain at your next social gathering (provided it's in the Rio Grande Valley or you have a large budget!)
Mail to:wizard@amazinwalter.com

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His daughter Christy is following in his clown shoes and was keeping the city of Dallas laughing as Christy The Clown. She had her own TV show and everything! After working for Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth" for 5 years, spent the summer of 2001 in England on a 10 week tour of resorts.. and is now employed by Schlitterbahn Beach Water Resort at South Padre Island, Texas in the capacity of events coordinator. She is in rehersals for the new summer show that she is directing and performing in starting June 15th.
And did you know that Amazin' was featured in a full length (if low-budget) spring break movie filmed right here on South Padre Island - back in those zany '80's - called "Thinking Big"? That's right - he played a drunken old beach bum with style and authority. Watch for it in the late late night movie lineup on the USA channel.

His one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces ( http://amazinwalter.com/jewelry ) have sold well around the state for several years, and, as "The SOB Traveling Stage Show," he and Sandy Feet perform their own brand of original Texas Beach Music.

In the good old days.....

 I became the old "Son of the Beach" in about 1981 while living at the Boatyard (Windsurf the Boatyard). One morning sitting out on the back deck of the 40' cat playing my guitar and having a cup of hot coffee, Indian Patty (?) in reference to me said "you old son of the beach you"... well i had written a silly song... or at least started one that was looking for just such a hook... thanks Patty... the Sons of the Beach came to be known as a loose knit bunch of misfits (though the truth be known it is and always has been peopled by fits , misfits, and counterfits...) dedicated to having fun, helping others have fun, and unlittering.... a word I made up one day (well maybe assembled out of parts of other words lying around in my vocabulary) when I was doing nothing better... it has become a campaign... so remember... UNLITTER!, you promised!!!