turned to his wife and exclaimed: "I don't believe it -- Bermuda even has sculptures on the beach!'' Most years since 1971 Hidden Beach on the South Shore in Warwick has harboured a secret, discovered only by walkers filtering through from Horseshoe Bay or strolling along the clifftops above.

For about two weeks each June this gem of nature plays host to a variety of animals and reptiles, including honey bears and alligators. Park Rangers know of their existence, and don't mind in the least that they're violating regulations about animals on the beach during the summer season. Why? Because they're not only extremely well behaved but cute as buttons.

An alligator cute? A bear docile? A dog benign? Yes indeed! For each of these creatures is a sand sculpture. Poised perfectly around the natural rock pedestals which skirt the little beach, they strike adorable poses which make children in particular want to pat them.

And that's the trouble -- packed wet sand doesn't take to patting very well, which is where US visitor Mr. Kevin Kirkpatrick comes in. His job is to distract potential patters by "showing'' them how to create things from wet sand while the real sculptor, his wife Lorraine, holds her breath.

It's not that Lorraine is possessive or a temperamental artist, but since it takes her hours to create the pieces, she kind of likes them to spend more than a few hours charming beholders.

Mrs. Kirkpatrick's beach sculpting "career'' arises from her real profession in York, Pennsylvania where she is a high school art teacher, and it is an integral part of her long love affair with Bermuda and Hidden Beach.

In fact, Mrs. Kirkpatrick and her husband are "perfect visitors'' as envisaged by the Department of Tourism.

"I first came here during College Weeks,'' Mrs. Kirkpatrick related, "and when I got married in 1971 I insisted we come to Bermuda, which my husband had never seen, for our honeymoon. He fell in love with the place too, and we've been coming back almost every year since.'' Like many repeat visitors who have "done'' the regular sights, the Kirkpatricks have now settled into a routine of doing the things they like best. They're hardly off the 'plane before they head for Hidden Beach, and it is there that they spend almost every day of their two-week vacation. Pretty much the only thing that keeps them away is rain -- which sand sculptures don't like either.

For Mrs. Kirkpatrick, the daily creations are a pleasure -- not only for herself, but for those who view them.

"One honeymooner, thinking the display was permanent, came around the rocks, turned to his wife and exclaimed: `I don't believe it -- Bermuda even has sculptures on the beach'!'' Mrs. Kirkpatrick related.

Still others, returning to their roosts on Horseshoe Bay, have been heard to pass the word: "Don't miss the sculptures around the corner -- they're beautiful.'' Taking advantage of the lovely rock formations which are conveniently placed to avoid the ravages of high tides under normal circumstances, the Kirkpatricks begin their day by transferring bucket after bucketful of heavy, wet sand onto the rocks' surfaces. Until that task is completed Lorraine never knows what she will create.

"The way the sand is piled, together with the rock, sort of suggests a shape,'' she explained, "and I just work from there.'' On the day of our visit, a life-size baby bear was catching the rays on his back, a vodka and soda at his side and a perky blue rope bow around his neck.

Keeping a sleepy eye on him from another vantage point was a loveable mutt whose face was protected from sunburn by a visor. Around the corner, a large alligator appeared to be chewing up the remains of a balloon with spiky black teeth fashioned from an old comb -- or could it have been the remains of a passer-by, of whom all that was left on the rocks above was a series of sandy feet? In embellishing her sculptures, Mrs. Kirkpatrick uses things which have washed up on the shore or been dropped by litterbugs. The plastic straw in the bear's drink, the alligator's teeth, the rope bow, the aqua plastic "eyes,'' the sun visor and the dog's lead are all recycled junk.

"Whatever I don't use we collect up, along with the rest of the litter we find, in the plastic bag we bring down with us every day, and then we dump it in a trash receptacle. So we're keeping the beach beautiful as well as creating visual interest,'' the sculptor said.

That her work is so transient doesn't bother Mrs. Kirkpatrick in the least -- in fact, she sees it as a bonus, for she never knows, when she arrives at her personal paradise, what she will leave behind.

Occasionally, the elements -- human and natural -- are kind, and the sculptures survive for more than a day. In one exceptional case, friends arrived two weeks after the Kirkpatrick's departure and were delighted to find Lorraine's work intact.

And where does Mr. Kirkpatrick -- who admits to "no artistic talent whatsoever'' -- fit into the daily workings of this outdoor studio? "He helps me to carry the wet sand to where I want it, and when I get through with the sculpture, his job is to brush away all superfluous material because I like it to look nice and neat so the animal stands out,'' is how the artist explained it.

And if that seems simple enough, spare a thought for the willing husband when his wife sets her sights on a awkwardly placed but high rock.

"It took him three days to get enough sand up there,'' she said pointing skyward to the site of last year's grand finale -- a supine pappa bear cooling out on a rope-trimmed dais.

And just why does Lorraine Kirkpatrick do this? "You know those horrible compositions kids have to write about `What did you do on your vacation?' -- well, the students want to know what teachers did on theirs, so I have to have something to show them!'' she joked, referring to the photographs she takes of her work.

More seriously, this faithful friend feels she's giving something back to the Island that has given her so much pleasure.

The fact that her work is so well received by those who happen upon it is a bonus -- a bonus she would dearly love to translate into a summer job here.

"My dream is to be able to work here during my summer holidays giving sand sculpture demonstrations on the South Shore -- wouldn't that be a fabulous job?'' GRIN AND BEAR IT! -- Sand sculptor Mrs. Lorraine Kirkpatrick stands by while her companions, a smiling dog and honey bear catch the rays at Hidden Beach on the South Shore in Warwick.

SEE YOU LATER... -- Ally the alligator sleeps off his meal of a burst balloon, chomped with teeth fashioned from a discarded comb. He is one of many sandy animals created by regular visitor Mrs. Lorraine Kirkpatrick.