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Original poster

Are YOU a performance beach goer?

332 replies

keiratwiceknightly · 04/08/2021 21:38

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.

OP posts:
HalfTermHalfTerm · 05/08/2021 08:43

Last time we went to the beach (with two primary school age children) we took a bottle of suncream, a plastic backed picnic blanket and some towels. They had their swimming costumes on under their clothes so were quickly good to go. Buckets and spades are nice, but we don’t take toys. The idea is to get the children in the sea, if they just want to run about in the sun and throw a ball etc we’ll go to the park and avoid the sand!

Most people are actively choosing to take so much crap stuff to the beach, so it seems silly to get so defensive about the OP finding it amusing.

I think a lot of it is what you’re used to though. My mum grew up by the coast and swam in the sea for a lot of the year, on her own, in just a bog standard costume. No windbreaks, chairs, tents, wetsuits (she’d be horrified Wink) when I was young!

whatswithtodaytoday · 05/08/2021 08:46

@EccentricaGalumbits

I'm going to save my beach rage for:
  • people who set up their shelter or chairs directly in front of people who are sitting on the sand watching the waves
  • people who play their music loud enough for everyone to hear - I want to close my eyes and listen to waves, gulls, children laughing... not your shit tunes
  • people who smoke on the beach. and leave the butts in the sand.
YES.

Also, people who come and sit right next to you on a lovely empty bit of beach that you've trudged for miles to get to.

LolaSmiles · 05/08/2021 08:47

Hadenoughofthisbullshit
People set up camp at country houses? Shock
I've never seen that, but love your plan to sit too close. How odd of them. Near me the most that happens are a few picnic blankets.

CruCru · 05/08/2021 08:50

@bigbluebus

Back in the days when we used to go to Wells next the Sea for a week every year (before it was completely over run with Mumsnetters) we were always astounded by the amount of stuff people took down to the beach, but in particular the amount of beach they claimed as their own by erecting a series of windbreaks. It was like the adult equivalent of a dog cocking it's leg on a hedge! We, on the other hand, had to take minimal kit as we had to carry DDs wheelchair across the soft sand so needed 2 adults with free hands. Thankfully my DS was more than happy to entertain himself with a bucket and spade and a small ball. Picnic, suncream and any other necessities had to fit in a rucksack or stay at home!
I was going to say something similar. I’ve seen people here pretty much claim half the beach between two groynes just by erecting a bunch of tents and spreading their paddle boards out.

If the beach is massive then it doesn’t matter but some beaches are quite small.

hudagee · 05/08/2021 08:51

My one and only time going to a big English beach with beach huts, it was like looking at a medieval army encampment.

🤣

namesnamesnamesnames · 05/08/2021 08:56

Yup.

Sometimes.

We have a large beach tent and set up with blankets, chairs (albeit v small), some toys etc. Otherwise our smallest child will not sit still for a moment. It's nice to have a 'base' to watch the older beach-loving child run in and out of the sea.

Most of the time, we make impromptu visits to go for a walk, with nothing much at all, and end up as minimalist beach goers.

I'd hate to think we're judged as performance beach goers.

What horrible times, when parents judge other parents on such trivial matters.

namesnamesnamesnames · 05/08/2021 08:58

I think it's horrible and will make me feel watched next time we go to the beach, well organised for a whole day out.

Nietzschethehiker · 05/08/2021 09:00

Meh I live by the beach (well I've just moved 10 minutes away but before that was in walking distance ) usually you could spot the locals because obviously we pottered around with minimal but I don't really think we could pride ourselves on that because we could just pop home for something.
Its not really a thing to rate peoples performance behaviour or otherwise by their kit ? It's just never come up with anyone in years ?

I mean you will get rolled eyes from most of us middle aged when young women are using tanning oil and winces when you realise the poor bugger is going to burn. And god help if someone sees you actively littering. It's rightly like a mob crossed with neighbourhood watch.

That said we are on the train route from London and its very common to have large influxes on nice days from there. Now they have organisational skills I would kill for.

I saw a group quite recently that damn....they were better organised than when I move house , large plastic boxes packed with food (may I say organised so well and so neatly it was one of those really satisfying sights) . About 15 of them and clearly everyone had a job and a task to carry , the DC were carrying the chairs, the adults were being directed by the leaders with an efficiency that would have made Rommel weep. I mean yes they had enough stuff for a week but fair enough. I tell you if whoever organised that is prepared to come and organise my house I would give them my left kidney. I was left in awe with the planning. But versions of that are often the case with the London groups. It's not looked down on unless the groups get in the way of dog walking locals really.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 05/08/2021 09:00

We are in Wales on a beach holiday this week.

We take the festival trolley , four chairs , sun tent , parasol , paddle boards , picnic basket and blanket, spare warm clothes.

It is a 2.5 km trek down to the beach from our campsite and we do stay all day.

SpottyTablecloths · 05/08/2021 09:03

@amymel2016

This will be us next week!! I bloody hate the beach so anything I can do to make it bearable I’m going to do!
Yep
SpiderinaWingMirror · 05/08/2021 09:03

People watching is one of the joys of life and the beach is a great place to do it.

qualitygirl · 05/08/2021 09:06

@Nietzschethehiker that's odd because I am a local but I take everything, in fact we have a constant supply of "beach stuff" in the car and van (which has the surfboards and kayaks on the roof) I hate the idea of having to go home to get something.

We are always beach ready I suppose. We could be at home and randomly decide to go for a swim/body boarding at 7 in the evening.

Clocktopus · 05/08/2021 09:08

I read someone on mumsnet say they take talcum powder to the beach to help dry off their feet, I mean wtaf?!

The talc isn't to dry your feet, it's to remove the sand when you leave. Sit on the wall, sprinkle talc on feet, dust off and the sand falls off with it, shoes on and away. It's ideal for the kids because there's no rubbing to get the sand off and no sand from their feet gets in their shoes, no need to find somewhere to rinse feet either.

I live near the beach. I don't have a windbreaker, no trolleys, no fancy rugs, no tent, minimal toys (just a bucket and spade each for the DC), no chairs, no picnic bag, no barbecue because they're not allowed on most beaches here, but the one thing I do take every time is talc.

ShadowsInTheDarkness · 05/08/2021 09:10

We live near the coast and don't take anything to the beach. I don't get it personally, all the stuff. Towels are pointless unless you are going to swim on a cold day, just sit in the sun on the sand for a minute and you'll dry off. Dry sand rubs off feet and then shoes or sandals can go back on. There's usually w spade in the car but DC don't make many sandcastles these days. They're much more interested in finding shiny rocks or jumping the waves. We always have the dogs with us, so it's a walk along the shore line and then park up on the dunes for 20 mins while the DC and dogs play. We can usually spot the locals because they are doing similar and not laden down with bags. We tend to avoid the beach this time of year unless we go in the evening anyway, as it gets so busy. We will be back on a regular basis come September. It's my favourite place.

OrangeSharked · 05/08/2021 09:11

I grew up next to the beach and would just take a towel or beach mat, some sandwiches and a big bag of crisps, underwear and suncream. If I'm just popping down in an evening just a towel. This would all just fit in a small beach bag or rucksack

The beaches near me are quite small and so someone setting up a massive encampment is a bit selfish, it also blocks the view for those on the back row. Encampments have been getting bigger as the years go on tbh

My absolute pet hate is people who drive onto the beach and set up camp with their car. It again takes up half the beach, blocks a load of space that could be used by people. No one wants to sit next to your car, there are small children and dogs running wild so you risk hitting them. Ends up squashing a small child's sandcastle so someone gets upset and just ruins the feel of the beach. If you want to sit in your car sit in the carpark. I do judge people who take their cars onto the beach, it just feels inappropriate. Beaches are natural and cars have no place on them

With the festival trolleys I keep getting stuck behind someone slowly manouvering it down the steps, then dragging over the sand etc. I cant believe they are really convenient? It looks like a good idea but I've never seen one successfully in action. Maybe if your in Bournemouth or somewhere where its all pavement from car to sand

hudagee · 05/08/2021 09:13

But versions of that are often the case with the London groups.

How do you know they are from London? Or do you mean that's just their start point?

Carrotca · 05/08/2021 09:13

Yeah probably, so what though? Why is everyone so bothered about what everyone else does. I have a 3 month old baby who i don't want to get burnt so we have a pop up tent thing, plus food etc for my 4 year old is always hungry Shock

also I would love to know WHERE TO GET A BRILLIANT FESTIVAL TROLLEY. NEED ONE haha

WeatherwaxOn · 05/08/2021 09:13

Not a performance beach goer but I don't like sitting there all day (DC, on the other hand will spend hours digging a hole or throwing pebbles into the sea).
Suncream, aftersun, sandwiches, towels and windbreak/shelter + a good book for me.

Goatgate · 05/08/2021 09:13

Oh God, this is me! GrinBlush Enormous fold out trolley, tent, beach blanket, picnic blanket, buckets, proper spades, windbreaks, wet suits, swim suits, towels sun cream, cool box, fly bat for annoying insects, books, scuba masks, cricket bats, Velcro catch things, flip out beach seats.

I think it’s because deep down, I hate sitting on the beach and I’m trying to make it well, less beachy…

hudagee · 05/08/2021 09:16

What horrible times, when parents judge other parents on such trivial matters.

You've only just realised this?! 😆

Tbh I love people watching but it doesn't mean i'm judging.

chocolatesaltyballs22 · 05/08/2021 09:19

God why are some people piling into the OP? This was clearly meant to be lighthearted. Some people are offended by bloody everything!

bendmeoverbackwards · 05/08/2021 09:21

Why are UK beaches so crap? I wish they would provide sun beds and umbrellas like any other country! I hate lugging all the stuff to make it vaguely comfortable.

liveforsummer · 05/08/2021 09:22

@bendmeoverbackwards

Why are UK beaches so crap? I wish they would provide sun beds and umbrellas like any other country! I hate lugging all the stuff to make it vaguely comfortable.
Because it's usually too cold to lie on them 😭. They'd just perish in all the rain and salt filled wind.
Hadenoughofthisbullshit · 05/08/2021 09:23

I think it’s because deep down, I hate sitting on the beach and I’m trying to make it well, less beachy…

Does it work? I think I’m coming around to this now.

MintyGreenDream · 05/08/2021 09:24

Are festival.trolleys the big pull along things that people take to alton towers etc? I always look at them in awe.You can fit most.of your house in those.

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