As summer beachgoers find their sweet spot on the local sands of Venice Beach or Treasure Island, it’s important to remember proper beach etiquette. Common courtesy is always welcome on our beaches, especially when so many are open with restrictions due to COVID-19. To make it easy to remember, here are three M’s for beach courtesy.
Music
These days, people can enjoy their favorite tunes via headphones or small Bluetooth speakers, so there is no reason to blare your music at a volume that disturbs those around you. While noise ordinances vary among public beaches, it’s best to use common courtesy and wear headphones or else keep the music volume at a level where only your group can hear it.
Movement
We get it, running sand through your fingers or watching it glisten in the sunlight has an almost hypnotic effect. Kids love it! But kicked sand often ends up landing on your neighbors. And they don’t share your child’s enthusiasm for sand landing on their towels or food. Be sure to respect social distancing guidelines. And when your kids are finished building the world’s greatest fort, be sure to fill in those holes to avoid causing injuries for future visitors.
Messes
We all have a responsibility to keep our coastlines clean. The easiest way to ensure our beaches stay clear for many years to come is to practice hauling out what we haul in. When packing food, keep snacks simple to reduce trash, and use refillable water bottles to reduce the volume of trash to carry out. All of our public beaches have trash cans, so use them. If you want to help out even more, watch for details on the Coastal Clean-Up Day scheduled around September 26 this year.
Going to the beach is an important summertime tradition. By using proper beach etiquette and remembering the three M’s of beach courtesy, you can ensure other people will have the same positive beach experience.