My Job is Beach!
- breder7
- Aug 6, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 1, 2025
Ken speaks the truth. Many Floridians feel this sentiment since there are so many things to do at the beach (swim, walk, run, frisbee, fly a kite, surf, boogie board, bask in the sun, picnic, build sandcastles, fish, snorkel, SUP, kayak, volleyball and so much more). While living a half century here, and having just about year round beach weather, I've developed a Beach essentials checklist to make sure your family is safe in the sun and surf. The checklist is printable and downloadable so you can click on links for recommendations of bestsellers. First of all, let me state for the record if you are an avid beach goer you can avoid your shark encounters by avoiding beaches close to inlets. That being said if you do decide to chase the surf at Sebastian Inlet, Spanish House, New Smyrna, and the legendary Cocoa Beach, consider a beach with an active surf lifeguard station. Always do a visual sweep. Wear polarized glasses and scan the surf for a bit before giving the kids the green light to enter the surf. A lot of times bait moves between the shore break and sandbars and this bait draws in fish and sharks when it is heavy. Look for birds diving and active bait. If your beach is pretty heavy with this activity, you may want to consider relocating or exercise extra caution. Consider swimming in clearer water so sharks can see you even if you can't see them. Sharks like murky waters near inlets. This is why the previously mentioned beaches have frequent visits. If you have any open wounds, consider staying out of the water. Here's that checklist I was talking about. Just click to download.
OR checkout this digital list with gift links to products
Beach Essentials Safety and Recreation Checklist
o Comfortable pfds / swim vests for young kids (essential in the surf/undertow is no joke)
o Sun protection:
o beach umbrellas / canopies and lots of towels
o Cooler
o Lunch, snacks, fresh fruit is gobbled up quickly at the beach
o Drinks, Water for everyone in your crew (minimum 1 liter per person)
o ICE or ice packs
o Recreation:
o Dry set of clothes, shoes for after that beach shower station.
o Bag / rubber tote for your wet beach clothes, wetsuits, towels, or gear.
o Portable shower (great for remote beaches without any showers)
o Vehicle fueled and loaded with all gear listed above / don’t forget the cooler and lots of ice (early bird gets the best parking options and real estate on the beach.
*For your convenience, underlined text is linked to online product info. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. And here's a visual checklist for the Where's Waldo fans.
Lots of excellent tips for a beach day from reading under your umbrella to assessing water locations for surfing safety! Although I’m more the reader with a few brisk ocean swims and lunch type of beach-goer, I think it’s important (and interesting) for us all to learn about where sharks 🦈 do, and do not, prefer to swim!