'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?

Out of curiosity, when did beach trolleys become a thing. Was at a lovely sandy beach during the week and saw quite a few. I imagine there would have been alot more at the weekend. Don’t really recall seeing do baby before. In my day, you carried your bag full of towels and snacks, and a bucket and spade each. Your mum would have a thermos flask of coffee.

I think some people do it deliberately. I’m really not sure why though.

During the weird Covid times when you were meant to stay distanced I’d gone to a park with a friend for a chat and some drinks. Now we really didn’t care about distancing for Covid reasons but generally just like to stay away from people so will always look for quieter areas anyway.

We went to a local field and set up our little picnic. There wasn’t any other people as far as the eye could see in this absolutely huge field. About an hour later a family turned up. No word of a lie they put their blanket down within a metre of ours. As they did it they kept staring at us and kind of smirking. Then they got a football out and the kids and dad started playing. The dad twice kicked the ball right at us so it hit us/the drinks etc. And he made sure he walked right over our blanket to get it. We just packed up and moved as I have no interest in dealing with people as weird as that. We walked the entire length of the field and sat down. Sure enough the dad and kids started playing their football game closer and closer to us. We just left in the end. I don’t know whether the dad was trying to prove a point about the Covid distancing or was just a twat who wanted to intimidate us. But these are the types of people that are out there.

This is why i have wind breakers.

I set up with tent. Windbreakers from rack side around the side and put our inflatable canoe in front.

I live on the coast and luckily most people here have etiquette when it comes to plonking themselves down but I like an insurance policy!

They shouldn’t be moving your stuff (where were you when they moved it? Didn’t you say something?

BUT you can’t expect people to be sitting where the tide comes in. Respectfully I suspect you being unreasonable about the distance you expect to be from others on a public beach

My 1st thought was, I bet you’re near the entrance’ That’s were all the families who don’t want to cart stuff go to. It’s the worst place to sit on a beach!… In fact a beach os just the worst place to sit in general. Beaches are for winter walks imo

I had this last year in a big open grass area! My youngest is 11.l…. Their 4ish yr old kept coming over as if my dd needed to entertain her. I shooed her away a few times then gave up and moved. It’s bizarre!

Same in carparks too!

Picnic? On the beach?!!

Move along the bus please!

Something about big family groups just seems to make people lose all manners and common sense.

Walking dog earlier DD walked quite a bit ahead and dog followed her. By the time I caught up we'd gone past a large family group with two young boys literally chasing my dog and then screaming when she turned to come in their direction.

And before I get piled on for dog not being on a lead, they'd set up their large picnic in the dog agility area

You COULD have gone further. You chose not to and to set up camp at the entrance

And the stuff behind the shelter...

So go and use some of that space not near the entrance

Again, setting up for the day, you don't want to be near the sea because you want to be away from the tide

This has me pissing myself.

This is a ploy. Make things uncomfortable and you'll move. They want your space.

I've had this done to me on a park bench and on a bus for the front seats. I was naive to it the first time but my friend told me it happens to her regularly. A large family wants your space, and they're bullying you out of it.

I live in Spain and this happens daily. Drives me nuts

At least they're not all shouting over each other and smoking furiously so that the smoke drifts across your pitch on the beach, making you feel sick.

Hmm sorry after your updates sounds like you sat by the entrance, brought half your house contents and spread it all around.

No sympathy if people set up close to you and move your stuff in that scenario.

They still shouldn’t nick your stuff obviously.

They sound rude and sounds like they crowded you on purpose hoping you would move and let them have the prime spot all to themselves

Are you actually saying this is odd? Around the world picnic on the beach is a very normal thing

I mean... We were there all day, what else do you eat?

I don't know where you've got that we had a cart, we don't own one.

Without going into lots of details we couldn't have gone much further because I can't walk too far, nor can the toddler, or the baby, so we stopped as far from the entrance as was manageable for us all with all our things.

Not sure how one beach shelter and two chairs equals the entire house contents, but, OK!

@Difficile you have my utmost sympathy! It was the same for us 15 years ago - early arrivals to the beach, 3 young children, 2 dogs, lots of kit so we set up camp, two windbreaks, surfboards, beach mats, bags.
Within an hour you could guarantee a large (in number) family with even more kit than us had hammered their windbreak in 6 inches from ours. We never stayed near the ramp but were mindful of tides so usually near the rocks. it always astounded me and sounds like things haven't got any better!!

Hope you managed to enjoy your day at the beach anyway xx

YANBU.

I'd have moved a bit though while accidentally spraying sand everywhere over them.
I know its a pita to move though but some people are just bloody awful on the beach.

You said:

"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."

What's your point?

I don’t think there is any beach etiquette nowadays - if there ever has been?
It really annoys me when ‘people’ (usually men) start playing football in the sand right next to where other people are. It’s inconsiderate and an accident waiting to happen.