To ask what you do with your belongings when you go to the beach solo?

[drinksdilemma]

I’m not new to solo travel, but I am new to solo summer travel.

I have a few beach visits planned and don’t really know what to do with my stuff if I go to the beach? Do I just leave my bag on the beach and hope it doesn’t get knicked, or do I accept that I just won’t be going in the sea unless I book into a beach club?

You really don't want to risk sand getting inside your camera lens or scratching it. DP is a wildlife photographer and he would never ever take his camera to the beach, even DD's 'cheap' one. I'd seriously reconsider this idea. Can you do half a beach day and half a camera day? I understand you're on public transport but it seems the most sensible to go out with the camera then drop everything off and go back out to the beach.

sweet I've seen surfers do the wheel thing. It's very south west trusting 😂.

I figure that as long as I have my eye on my beach tent then I'll notice if someone goes near it. Although reading this thread is tempting me to get a waterproof pouch.

I second @CakeCupboard’s idea - a tow float like the ones used by open water swimmers.

I use mine in the sea all the time. It is a storage one, so phone/keys/wallet go inside, then inflate it. It is lovely bobbing about using it as a float too!

Yes. I’m a solo female traveller. Not having my phone on me would be utter insanity.

One option is to approach a trustworthy looking family and ask if they would be willing to watch your bag for 10/20 minutes to have a quick dip. I have done this for a lady before, and didn't mind as I had to be sat up to watch my child in the sea anyway.

Depends whether it’s Benidorm or a remote Greek island.

You need an ocean pack dry bag.

Don’t know about this product but i’ve been using the ocean bags for years and it’s never failed. It doesn’t look like it would work but I promise it does.

The swim bags are cheap beacuse they are simple products that actually need huge feats of engineering. Seal (or two seals on some of them) to close, roll top, plus poppers to stop it coming undone. Cheap, simple and effective.

If you really dont want to use one then some people leave their phone and card in a "used" (but not really used obvs) rolled up nappy.

Good idea !

Quieter Greek beaches I tend to put them in a plastic bag, bury them and put the towel over it. I don’t tend to do it then go in water straight away incase someone’s seen me do it. I do it a while before i go in,

tbh I don’t feel 100% comfortable doing that but it’s been ok a couple of times.

Agreed, you can't stop doing everything in life ... just in case. Sometimes in life you just have to accept there is a risk.

Waterproof pouch. I have a small one if I’m only taking keys/card And a larger one that fits my phone. You can also get inflatables/tow float that contain a dry bag to put stuff in which is super handy.

I was coming to say this too. Depends where you are obviously. But I go on holiday with just my kids and these were a life saver so we could all swim at once.

No they don’t 😅

You might but nobody else is. Do you seriously think the cars would all still be there if this was commonplace?

I haven’t read the whole thread, so I don’t know if this has been suggested

Take a clean nappy and put your phone and Keys inside it and do the TABS up

Then put in a nappy bag and tie the handles up leave it under a towel or near a book and hopefully it will not be stolen because they think they’ve got a bag of poo

Lots have suggested this! Now it will be the first thing a thief would go for!

Until they’re dug up, by opportunistic thieves!

Not a great idea!

I think I’ve settled on a tow bag. It’ll be a bit crap to go through towns, back to the Airbnb, and then to the town again but I take on board the point about the camera. My plan was to just carry everything I needed to just stop at the beach on the way back to the Airbnb but realise it might not be feasible

I travelled last year - waterproof bag kept on my person for valuables goes into the water with me. Towel, food, shoes etc can stay on the beach as people don’t want that stuff.

Would the insurance company pay out? Thieves are acquainted with all the methods described on here. The only solution apart from a partner looking after it, is to take the minimum to the beach, use a dry bag, and leave the phone, cards etc in the safe in the hotel room.

😂

Something like this? https://amzn.eu/d/0iUDt2kM

Yes, these. I used to use them when I went sailing on light dinghies, the sort where everything is likely to get wet 😀