Canopy on the beach

Seriously, sun damage has nothing to do with these tents....any local knows with the biggest and best, our sand is so light that yo gonna get yo arse fried...We play in the sun here all year long, beach, rivers, sports.....and work in the sun...the answer is SUNSCREEN and coolers

I'm on a mission, researching the number of people who are actually sitting in the shade of their tents. pictures will be taken and numbers counted as I spot check. Anyone want to take a wager on my findings?

Oh me!!! I'll play. I'll bet that most of the tents are unoccupied AND I'll even go as far as saying there will be a bunch of crap stored in them as the folks are either in the water or back at their rentals.

Let's see a number of 5 to 1 maybe?

So that's five tents to one person under a tent, or, 20% of the tents with at least one person in the shade of the tent? I won't announce which beach section I will conduct the unscientific, just for fun study, nor the day and time, but I will do it sometime in the next seven days. I may even do more than one section of beach and at different times of the day.

Scooterbug,

Say the rule causes someone to opt for no canopy rather then haul it up and down everyday. Are you saying that you would feel no remorse if that someone got skin cancer because of this rule? These are not morons that visit the beach. Most of the people that I talk to on vacation down here are upper middle class professionals.

Oh come on. Do you think the people who post here are stupid? If you are harmed by the sun, stay out of it! I, not only would feel no remorse, I'd pity the MORON

hmmm....I'm starting to rethink my numbers. 20% seems low, I would think it would be more like 35%.

And if you factor in the time of day, say around lunch, I think that number would go up to 80%.

I can't wait to see the pictures.

I have to say, I am a reformed tent person. Until 3 years ago we used to leave it up, we didn't know any better. Now, if we want shade, we get beach service. This year, I made my son move his chair from under the umbrella because the cooler was in the sun.

I do think its great that the word is getting out. Having said that, I think there are a lot of local people who work on the beach that need to help spread the news. When I told one family of the rules, they told me the lifeguard said it was ok and they were going to leave it up.

scooterbug

No remorse, hmmm, now I know what you are all about. Thanks for the comment...thinking only of yourself. As a local, I have often set up canopies for my children and that of my visiting friends. I leave it up for five or six days sometimes. I leave no trash and have cleaned up after others (locals included). It seems that the sins of a few have are hurting everyone. You know, the beach is not here for you to create your own version of it. It is for everyone to enjoy...if you don't like the crowds or the tourists you should not live here in the first place. I knew what to expect when I moved here, maybe you did not.

I don't know, maybe there's an upside to the canopies left on the beach overnight. Since we know most of the people leave all their stuff under the canopies overnight, I think I'll look at the canopies as little beach shopping malls.

I don't know, maybe there's an upside to the canopies left on the beach overnight. Since we know most of the people leave all their stuff under the canopies overnight, I think I'll look at the canopies as little beach shopping malls.

Can't beat the prices!

I don't know, maybe there's an upside to the canopies left on the beach overnight. Since we know most of the people leave all their stuff under the canopies overnight, I think I'll look at the canopies as little beach shopping malls.

Heck, yeah. However, I don't confiscate stuff during the week -- just on checkout day. I clear out everything at our private beach walkover and replenish our stash of stuff for our renters' use. The week before last, I confiscated so much stuff that there was too much for the closet where I keep all of this stuff. There must have been 25 noodles and 15 boogie boards. I put the excess by our garbage cans on the street, and the next AM it was gone. It's good that it's being recycled.

scooterbug

No remorse, hmmm, now I know what you are all about. Thanks for the comment...thinking only of yourself. As a local, I have often set up canopies for my children and that of my visiting friends. I leave it up for five or six days sometimes. I leave no trash and have cleaned up after others (locals included). It seems that the sins of a few have are hurting everyone. You know, the beach is not here for you to create your own version of it. It is for everyone to enjoy...if you don't like the crowds or the tourists you should not live here in the first place. I knew what to expect when I moved here, maybe you did not.

How is refusing to accept blame or feel sorry for others getting skin cancer because of their laziness creating my own version of the beach?

BTW my pre-cancerous self goes to the beach w/ protective clothing or sunscreen, not a canopy ......... because a canopy isn't the best sun protection.

Thieves and turtle advocates? Interesting.

Savethe beach, great observation. The same people who want to run me out of town for a canopy advocate stealing from us tourist.

scooterbug

No remorse, hmmm, now I know what you are all about. Thanks for the comment...thinking only of yourself. As a local, I have often set up canopies for my children and that of my visiting friends. I leave it up for five or six days sometimes. I leave no trash and have cleaned up after others (locals included). It seems that the sins of a few have are hurting everyone. You know, the beach is not here for you to create your own version of it. It is for everyone to enjoy...if you don't like the crowds or the tourists you should not live here in the first place. I knew what to expect when I moved here, maybe you did not.

While I realize this is off the track of the thread, I must say it to straighten out Savethebeach's blame of a wrong party. Andy A. is the one who said he would feel no remorse only pity. I, too, am a local and made my statement and certainly was thinking of EVERYONE who uses the beach and not myself. Setting up tents during the day is fine but taking them down at night is now required by county ordinance. AS IT SHOULD BE! It has nothing to do with me personally. It has to do with the esthetics, care and use of the beach for all as you stated. It has nothing to do with crowds or tourists, it has to do with proper, reasonable and acceptable conduct by all who use the beach.

Just for the record, I only confiscate abandoned items.

Savethe beach, great observation. The same people who want to run me out of town for a canopy advocate stealing from us tourist.

Also for the record, I was laughing because I understood it was a joke. Nobody is advocating stealing.

For the beach to be such a peaceful place to visit and live, it certainly seems to bring out alot of angst to keep it peaceful.

Hmm, so do trolls use canopies instead of bridges at the beach?

wow.... I'm new to this forum, but I can't beleive what a bunch of whinners there are here.

I have no problem removing my canopy. Actually I think it makes sense....

but the people here bickering (whinning) over whether to remove it or whether to leave it is ridulous.....

As for canopies being taken by the public works crew, that's crazy also.
For first offense, they should get a warning.
second offense (2nd night left up), then remove it.

no sense ruining vacations for a family by taking all their chairs, umbrellas and sun tents for a "first time offense".

Folks need to remember that it's the vacationers that provide the $$$ to the local enonomy.

Recently, the FL Dept of Fish and Game has come to the conclusion that there are many abandoned crab traps in the water around here. They are now requiring people to tag their traps, thinking that the ones which are not tagged, are abandoned, and thus will be removed by the F&G people.

A similar challenge exists on the beach. We constantly see tourists who come to the beach, buy disposable cheap chairs, tents, and toys, with no intention of taking the crap back home, because they don't have use for it. (fryday, there are exceptions as you noted having your tent for 10 years.) Thinking they are doing a good thing, they will leave the stuff on the beach, when they leave, for someone else to use. However, no one knows for sure that it is abandoned so it just remains on the beach as litter until the TDC takes it away. There is currently no way for anyone to accurately know what is garbage and what is being used. Now, if it is left overnight, it is considered as litter or garbage and will be collected. That is not a different procedure from items left on the shoulder of Hwy 98 in Walton County. Park a car there overnight and see what happens. Don't pay the fine to get it out of impound, and it will be sold at auction. This stuff isn't really new. What is new is the fairly cheap crap coming from China, making its way into the Not-so-Super Walmarts of northwest Florida.

Mike_s, so if I trip over someone's tent guidewires, and bust my head open on their beach chairs, can I get a re-do? What about the Seaturtle which gets tangled in the guidewires or holes? What about the person who has to be rescued, but a bunch of unattended tents were in the way so rescue personnel has to go at a snails pace as they have to dodge and remove all of the crap which interfears with them getting to the person needing immediate medical attention? They don't get second chances. One season of enforcement and people will get the message. In fact, people with tents in Grayton are already getting the message, and complying without complaint. It takes only a touch more effort to change the looks from flea market to gorgeous beach. Make the effort. It is really simple.

However, no one knows for sure that it is abandoned so it just remains on the beach as litter until the TDC takes it away. There is currently no way for anyone to accurately know what is garbage and what is being used. Now, if it is left overnight, it is considered as litter or garbage and will be collected.

Exactly. The signs are posted, the laws are in place. Seems pretty simple--if it's left after dark, it's abandoned.
I have heard from more than one person now that the phone calls start pouring in to various offices as soon as the TDC does a sweep of the beach. Interesting, isn't it, that suddenly the lazy beachgoers then have all kinds of energy to spend on their stuff.

You know, I posted this little tidbit a while back, but I just feel compelled to repost and expand on it...

I was in Daytona on business recently, and found it stunning how empty the beach is there. Busy, but free of paraphenalia. During the day, people were out with just a minimum of stuff - coupla chairs, blanket, some sunblock, some drinks. In the evening, the beach was EMPTY. And they have a LOT of folks using that beach.

I'm so happy we have a largely trustworthy crowd of vacationers. It's part of what makes SoWal enjoyable. I'd bet most folks in Daytona expect the same you would get in any urban situation. Leave it out or leave it unlocked, and somebody will take it or mess with it. And that simple commonsense logic probably explains their clean beach.

But it also defies the rationale that "I can't schlep my stuff off the beach every day". They do it in Daytona, we can do it in SoWal too.

For the beach to be such a peaceful place to visit and live, it certainly seems to bring out alot of angst to keep it peaceful.

Agreed.

Same ole handful of people are the most vocal...and some are just flat out mean and proud of it when there is disagreement. Somehow I believe they don't think there's a human on the other end of the exchange.

It actually embarrases me that people here "attack" the occasional do-drop-in folks who visit the beach.

PEOPLE...you (we) will not acomplish ANYTHING by viciously attacking others to make a point here on SoWal.com. Sharing ideas is another thing.

Let the thread die....points have been made.

I now remove our stuff off the beach each night whether I have to or not.

Agreed.

Same ole handful of people are the most vocal...and some are just flat out mean and proud of it when there is disagreement. Somehow I believe they don't think there's a human on the other end of the exchange.

It actually embarrases me that people here "attack" the occasional do-drop-in folks who visit the beach.

PEOPLE...you (we) will not acomplish ANYTHING by viciously attacking others to make a point here on SoWal.com. Sharing ideas is another thing.

Let the thread die....points have been made.

I now remove our stuff off the beach each night whether I have to or not.

and it's the same ole whiners and instigators that constantly feel the need to stir up trouble, sometimes in a passive aggressive way calling people mean for expressing an opinion. Some of them do not even visit our beautiful beach.
You certainly have had plenty to say and at times were even inappropriate and IMHO, outright mean about an issue that you cared about.

I did not see anyone get attacked on this thread, if so, I am sure there would have been intervention. There also is the report post button.

It is more passion than meaness.