Wonderful family vacation...discouraged by beach issues
- Thread starter beachma
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If you go back to the first post and look at my picture of our small umbrellas and chairs sandwiched between the wall of vendor chairs and umbrella’s you can clearly see how anyone with their own set up is shut off from the water’s edge...AND there was NEVER a day that all of those chairs and umbrellas were occupied. We were quoted a price of $400+ dollars for the week when we inquired on the price for 2 chairs and an ummbrella. The water’s edge may not be completely necessary for a group of adults...but we are a family with 8 children who prefer the beach over a pool and keeping tabs on them in the water is absolutely necessary.
I understand that the beach chair issue is somewhat separate from the customary use issue, but it is obvious that beause of the signs posted by beachfront owners declaring “private beach property/no trespassaing” that vendors make sure that they claim all of the “undeclared” space for their setup.
I understand that the beach chair issue is somewhat separate from the customary use issue, but it is obvious that beause of the signs posted by beachfront owners declaring “private beach property/no trespassaing” that vendors make sure that they claim all of the “undeclared” space for their setup.
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I understand wanting to be close to the water when there are children involved. I also agree that unoccupied chairs are a problem. My husband and I don’t usually come to the beach until after 10 A.M. and then sometimes we stay for a few hours and then return later, so our chairs would be vacant at times. As far as the cost, we rented from Burke’s this past April for $165 for a week. I don’t know the perfect solution or compromise that will please everyone. However, I do know that as tourists we treasure our time on 30A.
30a is a road. Walton County is the government. The politicians are in the vending biz.
The customary use/beach issue IS the umbrella issue that is the subject of Beachma’s experience in this post because the beach chair vendors are crowding out the beachfront both in front of private property (with or without the permission of the adjacent property owners) AND on 50%+ of the beachfront at the Walton County public beach accesses.
I’ve visited the area for over 30 years and stayed in beach front units, inland condo, and inland homes, and my family, friends and I have set up in front of private properties where we’ve stayed as well as county public beach accesses and state park beaches. In all of these except for the state park beaches, we’ve seen the increasing “taking” of the beachfront by the beach chair vendors! They take up more and more of the beach - at public accessesdue to vendor-friendly regulations that GIVES them 50% of that government land, and in front of private property either with contracts or by knowing which owners aren’t present and/or claiming that “customary use” is also a vendor right!
But this trend is a major contributor to the larger customary use conflict; as the vendors take more and more land, that leaves less beachfront land for non-chair renting beach goers to set up, pushing them into the front of private properties.
No one should have to “pay” $25-$40 per day or $165-$400 a week to be able to sit in chairs with an umbrella on the beach if they bring and set up their own chairs and umbrella, whether it’s at a county-owned public beach access, private condo or home, OR even a full-service “resort” if all of the beach is public! You can buy nice backpack chairs for $25-$30 each and an umbrella for $20-$25 at Costco or Sam’s, and use them again next year! Spend that $165 on a nice meal with drinks at a 30A restaurant!
I know 30A is a road!
I understand the “taking” of the beachfront by the beach chair vendors is definitely a problem, but hauling chairs, umbrella, cooler, etc. to the beach is not my idea of a relaxing vacation nor is it easy to do as you get older (we are in good shape,too). We have backpack chairs that are very lightweight but they sit too low to the sand, Also, we have had too many umbrellas damaged by the wind.
I understand, and to each their own, but for our family of 4, we’re able to haul our backpack chairs, a cooler and umbrella, and whatever boards or floats the kids want, and we actually like the adjustable functions of the Tommy Bahama chairs more than the rental chairs, plus we like the freedom to be able to sit in our chairs until sunset, which you can’t always do with rental chairs since they come through and take them down. Same with Beachma’s group - they wanted to be able to set up how they wanted and per their needs.
I am 65 and my husband is 63, so it used to be easier to haul stuff to the beach. My husband has had a complete shoulder replacement and a knee replacement, hauling stuff and even simply traversing the sand is more of a challenge than it used to be. I feel as though some of you are not understanding this issue at all. We want to be respectful visitors, but we also want to be respected as tourists.
Perhaps the politicians need to be voted out of office. Isn’t this a conflict of interests?