Beach Manners

Clearly the beach season is upon us and it would be a good time to review some of the basic rules of beach etiquette. Because you live here I would hope you are aware of these but you might have relatives or friends from out of town coming in for a visit some remind them of the do’s and don’ts.

• Do not wear socks with sandals because it’s like a neon billboard
announcing you’re a tourist.
• Do not bring your backyard lounge chair to the beach. It’s too
heavy to carry, makes you stand out for all the wrong reasons
and was made for your backyard only. Purchase a beach chair,
there are plenty to choose from.
• Do wear a bathing suit that matches your body. Gravity does
things to us as we get older so if you’re going to wear a Speedo
or bikini PLEASE take a good look in the mirror first. Also thongs might be nice for the French Riviera or your backyard pool but are not right for the Jersey Shore beaches.
• Do not set yourself up right next to another group especially if
there is plenty of room on the beach. This is not Coney Island
or Jones Beach so seek and respect space.
• Do learn how to properly operate a beach umbrella, especially
on a windy day. Make sure the base is dug in well, angle the
umbrella into the wind and keep it as low as possible. When
It does take off like as javelin and nearly kills someone don’t
laugh and put it back up the same way you did the first time.
• Do not bring a boom box so the entire beach can hear your music.
IPod’s are great on the beach.
• Do fill in any holes you dig. For some reason many people have
this obsession to dig when they come to the beach which is fine
for little kids with pails and shovels. However many fathers now
come with an assortment of shovels and supervise digging projects
which often lead to deep holes which if not filled could have negative results.
* Do not think the ocean is the same as swimming in a backyard pool
pool because it’s not and can be very dangerous. When you arrive
at the beach look for the designated swimming areas and pay
attention to the lifeguards as they know the water and you don’t.
* Do enjoy the beach…it’s the best part of being at the Jersey Shore!