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Wonderful family vacation...discouraged by beach issues

beachma avatar
beachmaBeach Lover
32,452 views
We just returned from our annual family vacation in sowal. In the 28 years that we have vacationed in the area we have grown from a family of 5 to a family of 17! Our time together with our family which inclueds 8 grand children is priceless. I am saddened to say that because of the ridiculous issues that are going on with cusomary use and beach chair vendors I am researching other areas. In order to get a space on the beach so that we could keep close tabs on our grandchildren, we had to get up at 5:30 AM to be on the beach before the beach chair company, 30A-Shade. We have small, traditional umbrellas and chairs that we transport with us year after year. Our hearts are saddened by the conditions created by the customary use issue. I am working on completing the affidavid and sending pics of our vacations dating back to 1991. I am hoping that someone takes notice and changes are made...we love sowal and don’t want to have to search for a new vacation place.
The picture of the beach chairs at the water’s edge show how we sandwiched ourselves between the vendors...we are the small umbrellas! We stayed in a 6 bedroom home in Summer’s Edge near Eastern Lake. Our beach access was at Ramsgate.

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Replies

119
Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#77
Dang! With all those new parts you should be able to carry a load like a pack mule. I'm still working with the worn out original equipment.
Hopefully, that was intended as a joke ... but not a very good one. I’m sorry we don’t have an ocean in St. Louis, but we don’t. Would it be okay if we borrow a bit of your beach?
Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#78
The comment about tourist bringing more crap to the beach is true. Once upon a time people took chairs, umbrella(s), towels and a cooler to the beach. Now they make 3 to 4 trips down to bring pretty much everything but the kitchen sink (it's more like day camping these days). I've watched them make the trips back and forth with all their stuff. If a storm blows up they can't get all their crap together to keep it from taking off down the beach (or into a beachfront property owner's yard or pool) in the wind. So they either abandon it and run to wherever they are staying or they stay out in the wind and lightning trying to gather their crap. Take what you can carry in one trip 🙂
Not all tourists do “day camping”, so what should those of us who want to visit do. Should we go through a security check points similar to the airports? Do we need to have our beach gear measured and weighed? I have been asking questions and replying politely for a day or so, but perhaps I should just be a rude as some of you locals are being. My husband and I have been outraged by the way some folks treat the beach and the ocean .... WE ARE NOT LIKE THAT!
steel1man avatar
steel1manBeach Fanatic
#791
Secret 30A beach but if you find it these are the rules

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Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#80
Secret 30A beach but if you find it these are the rules
Have you read any of my comments regarding why my husband and I rent beach gear : 2 chairs and 1 umbrella?
Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#81
Secret 30A beach but if you find it these are the rules
If this sign is legal, we will certainly follow the letter of the law.
stone packard avatar
stone packardBeach Lover
#82
30a is certainly the place to go on vacation if you like crowds, traffic, litter and signs on roped off beaches.
PoppaJ avatar
PoppaJSoWal Insider
#83
Hopefully, that was intended as a joke ... but not a very good one. I’m sorry we don’t have an ocean in St. Louis, but we don’t. Would it be okay if we borrow a bit of your beach?
Borrow all the beach you want, but are you sure you're healthy enough to make the trip?
happy2BmeBeach Fanatic
#84
This thread is not locals versus tourists but, rather rude/ignorant/entitled people versus not. Most of “locals” started out as tourists, who got their piece of sand, and now bash those who simply wish to do the same.....what has happened to being neighborly and welcoming?! I’m ashamed of the “locals” who show their a$$ and cause our visitors to think we’re all like that. We aren’t.
Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#85
Borrow all the beach you want, but are you sure you're healthy enough to make the trip?
I taught middle schoolers who were more compassionate and politer than you.
Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#86
This thread is not locals versus tourists but, rather rude/ignorant/entitled people versus not. Most of “locals” started out as tourists, who got their piece of sand, and now bash those who simply wish to do the same.....what has happened to being neighborly and welcoming?! I’m ashamed of the “locals” who show their a$$ and cause our visitors to think we’re all like that. We aren’t.
I have been watching the live stream on you tube today; it does seem to be a complicated issue. We have seen rude, ignorant, entitled tourist as well ... not sure what to do about them because we have them in our neighborhood here in STL. My husband and I do rent from the beach vendors, and we hope to be able to continue to do so. I’ve explained why in my previous posts, yet some folks on this forum don’t seem to understand, so that make snarky remarks . (E.G. Poppaj) I have said over and over again that beach vendors need rules and regulations that are enforced. We don’t mind having our chairs/umbrella set up 20’ back from the water line and walking to the water, but hauling those items to the sand is just not as easy as it was in our 30s, 40s, and 50s.
JBBeached avatar
JBBeachedBeach Comber
#87
Not all tourists do “day camping”, so what should those of us who want to visit do. Should we go through a security check points similar to the airports? Do we need to have our beach gear measured and weighed? I have been asking questions and replying politely for a day or so, but perhaps I should just be a rude as some of you locals are being. My husband and I have been outraged by the way some folks treat the beach and the ocean .... WE ARE NOT LIKE THAT!

I didn't think my response was rude. I'm sorry you felt that it was. I was just pointing out what some of the issues are. I didn't say ALL tourists day camp, merely pointing out that it happens and it's quite irritating to other tourists and locals alike. I walk down, take 2 chairs, a cooler and beach bag. We stay a few hours and we leave. I usually pick up whatever other garbage is laying by that will fit in my Public garbage bag and take it to my garbage can. I have sat on the beach in front on my house twice this summer. It's so packed by 6 AM during the summer, there is no place for us to sit. I work during the week. I would love to be able to sit on the beach on Saturday and Sunday without getting up at the crack of dawn to secure a spot. With the day camping that takes place, nobody leaves to free up a place until well after sunset so I don't go to the beach.
EZ4144Beach Lover
#88
This thread is not locals versus tourists but, rather rude/ignorant/entitled people versus not. Most of “locals” started out as tourists, who got their piece of sand, and now bash those who simply wish to do the same.....what has happened to being neighborly and welcoming?! I’m ashamed of the “locals” who show their a$$ and cause our visitors to think we’re all like that. We aren’t.
There are a lot of pisswd off people in SoWal right now been backed into a corner and had enough of rich outsiders buying beachfront and telling them to stay off the beach entitled tourists trashing the place and thinking they can do whatever they want because they pay outrageous rent County officials grubbing cheating owned by developers and then there are chill beach lovers that want the rest to shut up and leave them alone.
Wuchie avatar
WuchieBeach Lover
#89
I didn't think my response was rude. I'm sorry you felt that it was. I was just pointing out what some of the issues are. I didn't say ALL tourists day camp, merely pointing out that it happens and it's quite irritating to other tourists and locals alike. I walk down, take 2 chairs, a cooler and beach bag. We stay a few hours and we leave. I usually pick up whatever other garbage is laying by that will fit in my Public garbage bag and take it to my garbage can. I have sat on the beach in front on my house twice this summer. It's so packed by 6 AM during the summer, there is no place for us to sit. I work during the week. I would love to be able to sit on the beach on Saturday and Sunday without getting up at the crack of dawn to secure a spot. With the day camping that takes place, nobody leaves to free up a place until well after sunset so I don't go to the beach.
I can see that this is a complicated issue. I wish I knew the perfect solution so that we can be tourists who can visit and also respect property owners.
PoppaJ avatar
PoppaJSoWal Insider
#90
I have been watching the live stream on you tube today; it does seem to be a complicated issue. We have seen rude, ignorant, entitled tourist as well ... not sure what to do about them because we have them in our neighborhood here in STL. My husband and I do rent from the beach vendors, and we hope to be able to continue to do so. I’ve explained why in my previous posts, yet some folks on this forum don’t seem to understand, so that make snarky remarks . (E.G. Poppaj) I have said over and over again that beach vendors need rules and regulations that are enforced. We don’t mind having our chairs/umbrella set up 20’ back from the water line and walking to the water, but hauling those items to the sand is just not as easy as it was in our 30s, 40s, and 50s.
Lighten up Wuchie and quit feeling persecuted. If you want to rent chairs and umbrellas from a vendor no one is going to stop you. We understand you don't want to be burdened with toting your own gear. I only suggested an option that can give visitors more flexibility and can be gifted to another family when they depart.

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