Canopy on the beach

[Cheering472]

Perfect! . I loved the "Sweetheart, it ain't all about you" line. I used to tell my daughter she wasn't living on Planet Bethany.

 

[Jdarg]

I'm usually a lurking tourist, but sometimes I just can't contain my two cents.

People want to mark their territory on the beach. Period. They're perfectly capable of taking down the same canopy they just put up that morning -- they just don't want to because they'll lose their spot. I love how magnanimous Fryday sounds by assuring us that they don't leave anything on the beach after their week. Well, honey, what if that's the same week I'm there, and on one of those days I might like to have a chance at that spot you took?

Case in point, our vacation this June. We work hard to save for it every year. We LOVE SoWal -- stickers on car and everything. We visited here before my husband left for Iraq and again to celebrate when he came home. My child is 7 and has moved 7 times as an Army kid. Visiting SoWal is one of the few constants in her life. We don't gloat about how much we're pumping into the economy while we're here -- rather, we thank God every time we visit for this beautiful place He created that we are privileged to enjoy. This year, another tourist and his family set up not one, not two, but THREE giant canopies smack in front of our place at Blue Mtn. Villas. Oh, he took in all his junk every night and even removed the canopy covers (??), leaving only the giant (now invisible to walkers at night) frames. Well, thank you, Captain Canopy -- that was so gracious. The only time we even got a chance to take a picture of the lovely view from our window was Saturday morning, when Mr. Manners had taken down his tent city because he was going home, too. In my view, all this discussion comes down to the simple axiom we teach our daughter: "Sweetheart, it ain't all about you."

What can I do as a frequent visitor? Who should I call or write to counteract the tourists who threaten to take their money elsewhere if their stuff is removed from the beach? Where can I write and say, "Please take anything I am too discourteous to leave on the beach." I feel myself getting on a mission...

Boy, I guesss my two cents was really twelve... Sorry I get a little fussy..

You are not fussy- you are wonderful. Please visit as often as you are able!

I am starting to think that the person that started this thread is keeping up his argument for sport. If, after all the great reasons given for removing all items on the beach at dark, he still thinks he has a right to leave his junk in the sand, then he beyond redemption, as another poster put it! Or now just baiting the majority who think his actions are wrong.

 

[GoodWitch58]

fishcookies...you and your family are the kind of people we love to have come visit. Thanks for caring about our beaches and thanks to you and your husband for his service. We appreciate you both!

 

[lennonsdarlin]

When you hear a complaint.....just say excitedly, "OMG, was that YOUR tent/hole that kid hit last night and broke his leg? Where you from? Where you staying? Do you have vaca insurance? You got a lawyer? I think the county's lookin' for you."

 

[2bohemians]

I'm usually a lurking tourist, but sometimes I just can't contain my two cents.

People want to mark their territory on the beach. Period. They're perfectly capable of taking down the same canopy they just put up that morning -- they just don't want to because they'll lose their spot. I love how magnanimous Fryday sounds by assuring us that they don't leave anything on the beach after their week. Well, honey, what if that's the same week I'm there, and on one of those days I might like to have a chance at that spot you took?

Case in point, our vacation this June. We work hard to save for it every year. We LOVE SoWal -- stickers on car and everything. We visited here before my husband left for Iraq and again to celebrate when he came home. My child is 7 and has moved 7 times as an Army kid. Visiting SoWal is one of the few constants in her life. We don't gloat about how much we're pumping into the economy while we're here -- rather, we thank God every time we visit for this beautiful place He created that we are privileged to enjoy. This year, another tourist and his family set up not one, not two, but THREE giant canopies smack in front of our place at Blue Mtn. Villas. Oh, he took in all his junk every night and even removed the canopy covers (??), leaving only the giant (now invisible to walkers at night) frames. Well, thank you, Captain Canopy -- that was so gracious. The only time we even got a chance to take a picture of the lovely view from our window was Saturday morning, when Mr. Manners had taken down his tent city because he was going home, too. In my view, all this discussion comes down to the simple axiom we teach our daughter: "Sweetheart, it ain't all about you."

What can I do as a frequent visitor? Who should I call or write to counteract the tourists who threaten to take their money elsewhere if their stuff is removed from the beach? Where can I write and say, "Please take anything I am too discourteous to leave on the beach." I feel myself getting on a mission...

Boy, I guesss my two cents was really twelve... Sorry I get a little fussy..

This sounds like the same person we discovered and watched for a few days ... he would take his chairs, junk, multiple tents --- load it up in his giant suv ... in the handicap spot that was closest to the beach access, lock it up .... look around and then he and his family would walk to the subdivision which they were obviously staying at .... every morning between 6 - 7, he would walk over from the neighborhood to his car that stayed parked overnight in the handicap spot (all day and there is only 1 spot), he would begin to set up all of his stuff in his "reserved" spot .... later the family would start filtering down ... each one bringing more stuff ..... a couple of days into this someone must have complained because he moved the car into the regular spot right next to the handicap spot and continued the same routine ...... ok ... rant over ....

 

[ShallowsNole]

I am extremely fair-skinned, and I no longer sunbathe (unless it's just part of enjoying the beach for an hour or so). I adore the beach but don't go that much, as my family doesn't share my love for sand. If my family and I did go to the beach and made it an all-afternoon trip, or if we were staying at a beach for several days, we would prefer a canopy (umbrellas are a PIA, as you have to keep moving them and I've never had much luck anchoring them).

That being said, I would NEVER dream of leaving the tent or any personal belongings on the beach when we pulled up for the day. That is just absurd.

(btw, our office has been getting where's-my-stuff calls...)

 

[fishcookies]

Baiting

I agree that this is probably just someone baiting us at this point, but it sure felt good to get it out of my system!

Let me just share this one last one, in the "you might as well laugh about it" category: A few yards west of Capt. Canopy, we saw another family who took in their umbrella and chairs every night, but left out... drum roll.... a blow up baby pool! Filled with lovely ocean water, which incidentally came from the ocean not 30 feet away! Of course they didn't even have a baby -- just a 4- or 5-year-old who spent most of her time playing in -- go figure -- the ocean! Some nights they would gather up their beach toys and pile them in the pool.

(Is anyone familiar with the term "igmo?" Definition -- a hybrid of the words "ignorant" and "moron"; variation can also be used as an adverb to describe a ridiculously stupid action, as in "Bringing a baby pool to the beach is so igmonic.")

Then again, ya'll are locals. I'm sure you've seen much worse.

 

[fishcookies]

Thanks

When you hear a complaint.....just say excitedly, "OMG, was that YOUR tent/hole that kid hit last night and broke his leg? Where you from? Where you staying? Do you have vaca insurance? You got a lawyer? I think the county's lookin' for you."

This is EXACTLY what I'm gonna do next time...

 

[seagrovegirl]

I was just informed this morning that I lost my tan!!!!! One day I'll get to the beach and lay in the sun and there better not be a canopy blocking my rays!!!

 

[fishcookies]

I'm crabby

I just re-read my own post and realized I sounded even crabbier than I actually am!

Like everyone else, my beef really isn't with what people bring -- to each his own -- but to what they leave. Just please drain, deflate and deposit OFF the beach whatever you bring to it. And maybe ask yourself if you really need a large inflatable pool and/or 3 giant canopies for 6 adults...

Oh, mercy, I'm just saying what everyone else has said a million times. Someobody stop me...