 On a recent
Monday morning, barely before I could ask my intern, “How
was your weekend?” she burst out, “Syndi you need to
do some tips on beach etiquette.” Thank you, Laura, for inspiring
this tip of the month:
- Allow
a minimum of five feet between groups. Take time to consider where
and how you set up your space. Spot
your larger groups as
far away from other people as possible. When bringing half your
house to the beach—from boom-box to boogie boards to beach
chairs—make every effort to consolidate your items in
a small area that will not take valuable beach real estate
from others.
- Let
everyone enjoy the view. Part of the pleasure of going to the
beach is
relishing the water vista. Be sensitive
not to
place your umbrella and other high items directly in front of other
people’s sight line.
- Monitor
noise levels: Especially in large groups, continually be aware
of how loud your party is getting. Many
people go to the
beach to rest and relax in peace and quiet. While you’ll
want to be cordial, give your neighbors their space: some people
may not wish to talk to anyone, only enjoying the sun and a book.
- Supervise
children: While an expanse of beach is an inviting
space for free play, both waves and dunes can
be dangerous. Unsupervised children can get lost in the crowd
or may annoy your beach neighbors by kicking sand or being
disruptive. Instead of depending completely on free play, bring
plenty for children to do—and join in the fun—building
sand castles, creating art from found objects, searching for the
most unusual sea shell, or reading the latest best-seller.
- Play
responsibly. Both adults and children need to be careful
when playing catch not to toss a ball or a Frisbee into someone
else’s area. When setting up for badminton, volleyball,
or other games, keep the outer boundaries as far away from other
people as possible.
- Keep
it clean. Secure all items from blowing away in the wind. When
items do blow away, go after them, otherwise, the item becomes
litter and will pollute the beach. Keep all your belongings as
close to your blanket as possible.
- And
your language, too. Refrain from using any form of foul language.
Conversations should be quiet and controlled. You never
know who may find your words offensive.
- Be
mindful of how you behave in the water. Look out for others in
the water before you engage in vigorous splashing, dunking,
yelling to friends who are several yards away, and other horseplay.
Maintain control of boogie boards and other water toys so that
everyone has a safe day in the sun.
- Sunbathe
with discretion. Topless and nude sunbathing is not customary
in the United States. Instead, there are designated
beaches—and
areas of beaches—where this is allowed. Otherwise, nudity
is not only inappropriate, but may be against the law.
- Take
only good memories…leave only footprints. Be sure
to pick up all of your belongings. When shaking out your blanket
and other items, take note of which way the wind is blowing and
make every effort to prevent sand from blowing into other people’s
eyes and space and leaving them annoyed. Patrol the area all around
your beach party scene for litter, lost items, and leftover food.
BONUS:
Under no circumstances should you bring glass of any kind to
the beach. All items should be plastic or paper so they will
not break and cause injuries to anyone.
Happy practicing at the beach!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
FINAL CALL FOR TEA
We have a few spaces left for our annual Afternoon
Tea and Etiquette seminar on Monday,
6 June from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the
Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Please see www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/Schedule.htm for a description and enrollment details.
SUMMER YOUTH AND TEEN SEMINAR
Our once-a-year combined Youth Manners and Dining Etiquette
and Teenage Etiquette Savvy will take place on Saturday,
9 July.
Kids ages 9 to 13 attend from 10:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. learning
the basics. Teens spend 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. learning the
basics plus everything they need for that first job interview,
college recruiting session, meeting their date’s parents,
and more. Check the website link above for full details.
ADDED SUMMER SEMINAR FOR ADULTS
Enjoy a special TGIF by enrolling in our World-Class
Business and Social Etiquette and Protocol seminar on Friday,
29 July from
8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at The Warwick Regis Hotel in San Francisco.
One more time, see the above link for complete details.
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