Are YOU a performance beach goer?

[keiratwiceknightly]

At the beach yesterday. So many families arrived with bags and bags of stuff - some even with festival trolleys. Shelter up, double rugs on sand, windbreak, chairs, elaborate picnic. Kids into sun suits, then sun cream rubbed into all exposed bits approx every 10 mins.

40 min set up. Sit for an hour. Then dismantle and clear off.

Great spectator sport.

I think I might be a minimalist. Everything I need for a day trip, no matter where, needs to fit in my daypack. But I’m the same with camping. And at mother and baby groups I get stares because a lightweight pushchair and changing wallet is all I take.

Same here - I hate over-packing, hate feeling weighed down by a full bag, hate having to keep track of all the stuff and worrying I’ve left something behind, hate coming home having not used stuff (because then I didn’t need to bring it), hate unpacking and repacking.

Pop up sun shelter, two blankets, towels, chilly bag with morning/afternoon tea or lunch, drink bottles, sunblock, bucket and spades/trucks, hats, swim nappy, regular nappies, wipes, sand free easy outfit for the dc afterwards. And yes the dc are in sun suits with sunscreen top ups all day. But we are in Oz and 10mins is enough to leave you burnt on the right day.
However when dh and I sneak in the odd child free day at the beach it's much simpler. Water bottles, hats, towels, kindles. Maybe a coffee we've picked up on the way.

Yep! Full-scale military expedition. Tent, windbreak if the wind is high, bag of snacks and drinks, change of clothes for the toddler, sun cream, hats, beach blanket, bucket and spadea.

Then we fortify by digging a big hole, and a sandcastle, so no one can encroach on our patch.

Last time we upped the ante with a couple of folding beach chairs.

It's the only way to do it!

Owners of festival trolleys - do they work on pebbles?

I've been determined to get my beach kit perfect. The latest addition is a sun tent thing which folds into a bag that goes over shoulder, a gamechanger because I hate the sun so much.

For the trolleys - I think one with fat squishier tyres would be better on sand/pebbles :)

Beach tents are also great weather shelters - for when the inevitable shower/storm comes over!

Ooo, if we've moved on to picnics at national trust properties, it's the people who set up their picnic in their boot in the car park that get me. I mean, why would you?!

@mummarama

Owners of festival trolleys - do they work on pebbles?

I've been determined to get my beach kit perfect. The latest addition is a sun tent thing which folds into a bag that goes over shoulder, a gamechanger because I hate the sun so much.

No not really p. They don’t actually work very well on sand unless you have very chunky wheels 🤣. We just carry the cart over the sand tbh.

I watch with envy and wish I was that organised and had a trolley.

@SouthOfFrance Have you never been to Ascot, or Henley, or any of the other seasonal events? De rigueur to have picnic and champagne from the boot of your Bentley in the VIP parking area :)

Like if you've come with chairs, a table, toys (like genuine toys not bucket/spade/ball), a gazebo etc why the beach? Why not the back garden? If you don't like the beach why go?

You can't paddle board in the back garden

I live in Australia right by the beach and you just don't see this at all. Kids turn up in their wetsuits if they're surfing or swimming etc, zinc on, parents in suits too...towel left on beach and that's it.

Probably because it's warm there and you don't need multiple layers, wind breakers and things to do when it's too cold to even paddle 😆

We put sun cream on before we go (it still drives me nuts people don't know it must be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure!).

I do know, but at 10am in Scotland it's not really a problem if dc aren't fully covered for 20 minutes. It's good for them to get a little exposure outwith the hottest parts of the day.

We have seen people do this at the beach and also at parks.

To be honest though I think it looks great. They appear to stay all day and have comfort and shelter (from sun and showers) and so much to do. They stay far longer than I manage - probably as they are far better equipped for a long stay.

Re suncream - I never understand why anyone would use suncream that needs reapplying constantly. Once a day stuff here. Never been burnt, used all over the world and always been a success, just top up once if been in sea/pool and had to rub dry.

@SouthOfFrance in a shock twist, can I introduce you to the concept of west wittering beach?

Gorgeous sandy beach, clear shallow water, picturesque sand dunes. Behind the dunes is West Wittering beach car park to which people drive, park the car, set up camp (by which I mean gazebos, BBQs, sofas, fridges, the whole lot) next to the car and stay there all day. They MAY go and look at the beach for a minute or two.

I once went for the day as an adult with my parents and my kids. My dad built a second home next to the car and the neither of them would leave their stuff to come to the actual beach bit of west wittering beach. “But that’s what you do at West Wittering!” apparently.

@Fitschkels OMG thought it was me, I don't get it?

@eightyfourandahalf

It's a bit sad if you are at the beach and can't find better to do than watch other people.

But people watching is a great activity.

I don't mean to judge people. But just watching others is a great way to spend time p be it in a beach, sat outside a cafe, etc. Love a bit of people watching and considering various scenarios of what they are up to`1

Many beaches are sometimes close to car parks where you can only park for an hour or two ( unless you want to pay an absolute fortune) so I'm sure many trips are cut short to avoid the fines and having to faff about paying for a few more hours or whatever , including the long walk back to do all this.
Plus I get bored on a beach very easily , maybe 40 minutes is all some can bear of sand and other people ?

Re suncream - I never understand why anyone would use suncream that needs reapplying constantly. Once a day stuff here. Never been burnt, used all over the world and always been a success, just top up once if been in sea/pool and had to rub dry

Kids are in and out of the water constantly so it needs reapplied frequently

Boots Once is fabulous stuff and water resistant totally lifesaver when DS was young and hated having sun screen applied.

@liveforsummer

Re suncream - I never understand why anyone would use suncream that needs reapplying constantly. Once a day stuff here. Never been burnt, used all over the world and always been a success, just top up once if been in sea/pool and had to rub dry

Kids are in and out of the water constantly so it needs reapplied frequently

Not all once a day needs to be reapplied frequently. It's only if it's getting rubbed off with a towel after.

Honestly, we have used once a day stuff all over the world, in very hot humid climates, for almost 20 years now. Never once have any of us ever burnt, in the slightest, when using it.

But people watching is a great activity.

I don't mean to judge people. But just watching others is a great way to spend time p be it in a beach, sat outside a cafe, etc. Love a bit of people watching and considering various scenarios of what they are up to`1

I am actively trying to avoid having people to look at

Put my towel as close to the sea as possible, don't want anyone between me and the waves. I HATE when people plonk themselves in front of me. Same for the cafes with a view.

Fitschkels
Gorgeous sandy beach, clear shallow water, picturesque sand dunes. Behind the dunes is West Wittering beach car park to which people drive, park the car, set up camp (by which I mean gazebos, BBQs, sofas, fridges, the whole lot) next

YES! Why?!? Great as that one person less on the beach, but.. why?!??

It's a tenner to park there as well, it's not that even cheap to spend a day on a .. car park?

team people watching here

I've read all 10 pages but no one has broached the subject of how you get the windbreak and/or shelter to stay up .I may have to start another thread .

[quote Fitschkels]@SouthOfFrance in a shock twist, can I introduce you to the concept of west wittering beach?

Gorgeous sandy beach, clear shallow water, picturesque sand dunes. Behind the dunes is West Wittering beach car park to which people drive, park the car, set up camp (by which I mean gazebos, BBQs, sofas, fridges, the whole lot) next to the car and stay there all day. They MAY go and look at the beach for a minute or two.

I once went for the day as an adult with my parents and my kids. My dad built a second home next to the car and the neither of them would leave their stuff to come to the actual beach bit of west wittering beach. “But that’s what you do at West Wittering!” apparently.[/quote]
@Fitschkels I will be holidaying in the South Downs in a couple of weeks. I am now going to have to pay a visit to West Wittering beach to witness this spectacle!

@peridito A good rubber mallet for windbreak, also pegs and sand pockets on beach shelter :)

Thanks Double ,I'm a seasoned camper and no stranger to a rubber mallet but have never successfully erected a windbreak on the beach .

I guess the beaches we've frequented have had the wrong type of sand .

Wow a lot of sensitive people. Pretty sure OP was making a lighthearted joke.

I feel the same when I see a family of 4 taking 6 suitcases on holiday with them.

Personally I like travelling light but if people want the struggle of extra baggage for all those "just-in-case" moments then that's up to them. The OP was referring to the fact that the people in question didn't stay long for all that effort.