'Proper' Beach Etiquette

[Difficile]

AIBU unreasonable here?

We've been at a beach since earlier this morning, set up our little beach shelter (for baby naps) and chairs a respectful distance from the next people to us.

The beach is busy, but very large, and there is plenty of space, albeit in a less favourable place (you'd have to move when the tide comes in).

Several very large families have since come to the beach and put themselves directly next to us, moving our things to do so, and also directly behind us even though all that is behind us is rocks. They've literally surrounded us on all sides.

It's left us feeling incredibly hemmed in, especially with them all speaking very very loudly and screaming/swearing.

Their children are also stealing our things and the parents are just ignoring them, and they're playing football right in front of us and keep kicking the ball into our tent.

AIBU to expect a bit of beach etiquette? That you leave a bit of space between you and the next family (especially when there is plenty or space!), you don't shout and scream, you don't play games that will disturb others when you could play it elsewhere, and you teach your kids not to nick stuff?

They sound very inconsiderate, you’re definitely not being unreasonable.

I’d hate to give them the satisfaction, but I’d move if I were you. They sound awful.But I wouldn’t have let them move my things.

They shouldn't be touching or moving your stuff, but you're being a bit naive to not expect it to be crowded and noisy during this weather.

Setting up next to you is fine since other spots will be affected by the tide. Moving stuff, taking stuff, kicking ball into your tent is not ok. I'd be annoyed at all of that.

this

Crowded and noisy I have no problem with, but the beach has masses of space, they've just chosen not to walk to it and have moved our things to sit down.

We've sat quite close to one of the main entries onto the beach as we have a baby and lots of stuff/pushchair/equipment. These families are all older children and whilst I appreciate there may be hidden disabilities, I get the feeling, considering they're climbing all over the rocks, that actually they just can't be bothered to sit anywhere else and are trying to force us to move by making us feel uncomfortable.

To add, high tide is in about 6 hours, so it's not soon.

I'd be annoyed by that too. On our last holiday a couple and their teenage daughter were next to us but with a metre or two between us. The couple went inside and the daughter, for some unknown reason, decided to move the blanket so it was practically touching ours. It really irked me!

Being noisy and playing is fair enough on a beach but again there should be some consideration.

Why did you let them move your things? Or were your things blocking the way?

I’ve posted before about sitting on a large bench with lots of space, just me and DS on a towel so not taking up a large area, and a family plonking themselves down so close to me their child was actually sitting ON my bag. They physically couldn’t have been any closer to us. I was gobsmacked! It wasn’t a prime area either, just the same as every other spot on the beach.

You sound new to the beach. Having grown up by the sea this practically is beach etiquette. 1. Always plonk your stuff down right next to another family even though the beach is empty.

1. Run across people's blankets spraying them with sand
2. Bring your dog and let it run wet across people's picnics stealing food even though it's a no dog beach in summer
3. Dig a big hole for people to fall into
4. Get drunk and fall asleep so your back goes red and peels off
5. Start a game of frisbee/ball game right in front of where people are sitting and the easiest path to the sea
6. Let your kids wander off and join other families and take their buckets and spades
7. Fail to supervise your kids in the sea until the lifeguard loud speakers at them
8. Feed your leftover sandwiches to the gulls

10. Don't forget to half bury your litter before you go home

It sounds really unpleasant for you and your family OP.
Unfortunately I think there has been such a breakdown in what used to be considered normal civilised behaviour in public- where people were considerate of other peoples rights to enjoy themselves as well as their own - that this is the new reality.

I was feeding the baby in the shelter and didn't directly see, but I turned back round and they'd pushed one of our blankets as they unrolled theirs to make space, and another have folded our potty up (which was behind the shelter for a bit of privacy) and moved it so they can sit on the rocks behind us. That's how close they are.

Why don't you move? It sounds like you are near the car park, if there is tons of space move to the other side of the beach

They sound very annoying and inconsiderate, especially rude moving your things.
Next time windbreaks and mark your boundaries!
People sitting close to you is to be expected on a busy beach.
Especially if the free part of beach has hard wet sand as its where the tides goes in and tbf they may not know that high tide is 6 hours away.

Ha! I love this.

Sadly don't live as near the sea as we'd like, but we have a family holiday home we've had for 30+ years in the same location.

@ConflictofInterest 😎

Yell at them when they touch your stuff.

Kick the ball back. Dodgeball time.

Walk through their area when you're going somewhere.

Because we have a baby, cart full of stuff, picnic bags, older child, chairs... And we'd been here 4 hours before these families turned up.

I'd get that, but the sea is literally about a mile away from us at the moment, you can clearly see you have plenty of time before high tide.

And there's plenty of dry sand further round where the sea doesn't reach. They've just chosen not to walk there.

Awful behaviour. It looks as though you have a choice: move, or get into an argument.

Your post reminded me of the time my then boyfriend and I found a secluded, deserted beach on Crete. Nothing and no one for miles. One solitary tree. We put down our towels, unpacked the picnic and prepared to enjoy the solitude and the scenery.... along the road above the beach came three scooters with two people on each one. They got off their scooters and climbed down the rocks and came and sat practically on our laps. It was as if we were invisible to them! They talked loudly, stretched out beside us, it was infuriating! We were going to leave but then they buggered off first.
So I do understand your annoyance and frustration. Some people are just dicks.

What you need is a few "show" empties and used cigarette butts. Throw them down on the sand around your blanket (but make sure you carefully gather them up at the end of the day, littering is not acceptable!)

Maybe when the toddler is engrossed in a rock pool and not listening, you and your OH could have a bit of a slanging match with plenty of swearing? Should do the trick.

Proper beach etiquette? As many crates of Stella as you can carry, at least one pack of superkings per person (do not pick up cig buts), a really tinny speaker to play Scooter at max volume, and at least 5 rowdy unsupervised kids.

People can set up where they like. If you want more space, move to the "less favourable" areas yourself. Babies don't need so much stuff at the beach that you couldn't possibly walk a little bit further away. If you set up camp near the main entrance, you should expect to be crammed in.
They shouldn't be taking your stuff though, although kids do to tend share toys at the beach and that wouldn't bother me personally.

Feeling hemmed in at the beach in a heatwave on a weekend is to be expected. However I wouldn't be having anyone touch or move my stuff why didnt you say something?