Nobody seems to know beach etiquette anymore. On certain east coast shores you may even be referred to as a “shoobie”… a newbie at the beach who looks out of place, annoys people and doesn’t know beach rules.  If you have any doubts, here’s a refresher that will not only ensure that your day is enjoyable, but the people around you as well. 

1. Steak out a space before you head into the masses. Nobody likes to have a bunch of people parading all around with their gear looking here and there to find room.
2. Don’t be a space invader, especially if you arrive to the beach late. People get there early to pick out prime spots.  Since you’re the latecomer, don’t crowd them, don’t go right in front of them to get the best view and block theirs. Look around and find an open space that has enough room for your group. Try to keep at least one towel length between you and the people around you.
3. Keep your music on low. I know we all think we have the best playlist or have the best taste in music, and maybe you do, but still… play it low enough to not distract the people next to you  who might just want to chat,  read a book or a magazine.
4. Clean up after yourself. The beach saying is “Take only photographs, leave only footprints.” Living in California, especially certain beaches, there is nothing that upsets me more than seeing the landfill left after a day at the beach. It’s infuriating that some people think it’s magically going to be cleaned up for the next day of beach babies because in actually, a lot of it washes into the ocean when high tide hits. Always keep our environment in mind.
5. Take care when shaking off your towel. Either step away from everyone, go downwind or keep your towel low to the ground. Nobody wants your sand sticking to their sunblocked skin, food or beverages.
6. Babysit your own kids. Don’t expect others to keep watch on your children. Unless they are with your group, you can’t count on them for your kid’s safety. By all means, keep an eye on your own kids especially when they are in the water. Lifeguards are there only for emergencies and if it’s an especially rough day, you wouldn’t want to put your kids in any jeopardy.
7. Wear appropriate clothing and sunbathe appropriately in public. Home may be the place to take off your bikini top while lying on your stomach, but not at the beach. Make sure you’re itsy bitsy bikini isn’t so small that you become the center of a Playboy magazine shoot from every cell phone camera within a mile radius.
8. Make sure to pay attention to the wind when inserting you’re umbrella into the sand and drive it in deep enough. Nothing worse on a breezy day than to have someone else’s umbrella smack you as the wind carries it down the beach.
9. Don’t feed the seagulls. You may think they are cute, but other may not, and once they’ve gotten a taste of food, they will hover and bother and ruin everyone else’s day.
10. If you do wear your flip flops on the sand, take care as they do kick up sand and could annoy those around you.
11. Remind your children not to run when they head into the ocean. Running kicks up sand onto others around them.
12. Make sure you’re children play in areas that won’t disrupt other’s pleasure if they want to toss a football or other ball games. Near the shore is fine or in areas of the beach where people aren’t parked.
13.  No smoking on the beach. People come there for the fresh air. Let’s keep it that way.

I hope you keep these in mind on your next jaunt at the beach, and if there are those around you that don’t follow beach etiquette… well, my friend, I wish you the patience of a saint.

**NOTE: shoobies were weekend beachcombers on the Jersey shore who used to bring their lunches in a shoebox way back when. The name stuck and now refers to anyone acting like a beach newbie.