'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?

Time to spread your stuff out more and shoot a few glares
Or just move whilst giving them a glare
They're doing it because they want to sit there you sit and are waiting you out/making you annoyed enough to move.

Some people are space invaders but touching your stuff and stealing your toys, sitting on your blanket... they want you to move
Harness your inner Eastenders and bellow at their kids to stop touching your stuff

Ah sorry, very tired, baby not sleeping too well, pushchair, loaded up, not a cart and then husband carrying baby in a carrier. 🙂

If only we could all be as tolerant and perfect as you.

Hah. Me, tolerant? Lol. Didn't say though did I?

The second they touched my stuff they would have got a very loud “what the fuck do you think you are doing”, in a manner that meant they wouldn’t do it a second time.

But the sand gets everywhere!!

That sand gets everywhere and trying to feed little people with little sandy hands who have no concept of keeping them clean for eating.

Part of the fun!
And, genuinely, if you go to the beach for a whole day and there aren't or you don't want to go to cafes or anything, what else are you going to do?

dunno, never been inclined to sit on a beach all day! So it’s never come up

Could you possibly use your imagination?

I’d probs leave the food in the car, then walk back to it at lunch time.

Eating on the beach is not my thing, and that’s okay!

I think if you set up next to the entrance onto the beach you're being a bit daft expecting peace and quiet. They've set up where they want to, just like you have, and it isn't for you to dictate how far they should want to or be capable of walking. I wouldn't want to set up somewhere and then have to move for the tide. And obviously the tide will be creeping in before high tide so your 6 hours doesn't mean they could sit where you want them to sit for 6 hours.

They shouldn't be touching your stuff and they shouldn't be kicking a ball into your tent.

Great if that works for you.
But I don't get why the shock that other people might like it.

I still maintain that a beach picnic with sandy hands and salty crunchy hard-boiled eggs is one of the joys of life. It's OK if you don't want to do it, but it's not shocking that I do.

Why didn't you just talk to them.

Picnic on the beach with a side of sand is perfectly normal! Seriously though, kids wash their hands in a pool before eating, Bob's your uncle. I have regularly gone to the beach half an hour from me for decades, with my children and then with my grandchildren. We always stay for around 5 or 6 hours so need some food. There are no facilities to buy anything to eat there apart from an ice cream which is partly why I love it, so you have to take your own food, never had any problems with picnics, it's surely perfectly normal to take a picnic there?

The irony of you getting offended when you were the one who expressed utter bewilderment that OP would have a picnic on a beach.

This thread is classic mumsnet.

Ah! It's difficult if you can't walk far OP and means you're stuck near the bear pit of the Beach Entrance.

We're a 'let's walk just a bit further ... just a BIT further ... just a leeeetle bit further' family so we end up about 25 miles away from the car park in the end 🤣

It does help with the crowding risk though. Very few trek as far as us with as much gear as us.

We have 2 windbreaks and get them up quick and fling DCs toys all around asap too to sort of mark an area. Once we're all set up i tidy up and our area shrinks a bit. We tend to sit really close to the sea as well. Otherwise someone ALWAYS comes and sits on your sandcastles in front of you! 🏖️

The entrances to beaches are usually crowded. Most people are lazy and don’t walk further than they have to. If you want privacy you stay in your house or walk a few hundred metres. Some people have no concept of personal space so will encroach on yours. These people tend to be lazy so if you plonk your family near the beach entrance whatever your reason for doing so you will get surrounded by trogs

I have lived on Anglesey half my life and never had linch on the beach. Tbh, I rarely go to the beach in the summer. They are best for winter walks with the dog…. Empty usually!

I wasn’t offended, she just kept going on because she didn’t like what I said

Does a question mark count as utter bewilderment?

It wasn't a single question mark though: picnic? On a beach?!! It clearly did express bewilderment at a very normal thing btw.

And you clearly were annoyed about it as you pointed out you don't like it 'and that's okay.' Strange you didn't apply the same thought process before you judged OPs preferences.

Obviously I’m not annoyed by other people’s choices. You’re making it a bigger deal than it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!