Last month on a job in Outer Banks, I had the same sand nightmare. Taping the ends is a game changer, totally saves the connectors from getting clogged. I used to spend an hour just blowing out dust after each run, now it's maybe ten minutes. That electrical tape trick is the only way I get through those crawl spaces without losing my mind.
Honestly, why fight the sand when you can just block it out? Taping over connections with good quality electrical tape before you pull them through keeps most of the mess from getting in. It's a simple fix that turns a nightmare job into just another day at the beach.