Make Your Trip to the Beach Safe and Enjoyable

Each year millions of people around the world travel to a beach for their vacations and for spring break, or to just go surfing. Many of these people go to the beach to have fun, show off their beach body, and to get a tan while doing it. While the beach can be very fun, some people don't come fully prepared for the hot sun, and the dangers of the water. Below I will list a few ways to make your trip to the beach more convenient, safe, and enjoyable.

Dangers of the ocean
Even though the beach can be fun and exciting, the waters of the ocean can sometimes be very dangerous. Before going to the beach, take a look at surf report for the beach you are heading to. A good website for checking surf reports is Surf Line. In addition to looking at the surf reports make sure there will be no storms that day that can suddenly churn up the ocean. You should also keep an eye out at the entrance of the beach for any signs that say the rip tides are strong that day.

Sunscreen
Using sunscreen is important for many reasons, the biggest reason being if you don't use sunscreen and get burnt every time you go to the beach you have a higher chance of getting Melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. It is important that you put sunscreen on and let it soak in before entering into the water. Every time you go to the beach, even if it is for only 30 minutes to an hour, you should apply sunscreen to your face, shoulders, back, and arms.

Showers
There is nothing worse than being all sandy and having to get in your new car to go home. Try to find a beach that provides showers and restrooms. Without showers you will have one itchy, and messy ride home. You should also shower the sand off of you because it could cause chaffing, and you could develop one painful rash from it.

Pack a snack or two
At some point and time while you are at the beach you will become hungry, at least most people do, so pack a snack or two! Lunch meat sandwiches, and some chips go very well with a sprite or a coke. Make sure you put them in a cooler, unless you like hot coke.

Pack an umbrella
Umbrellas are very effective while it comes to keeping the sun off of your skin. Pack an umbrella whenever you head to the beach, it can provide some much needed shade when it gets too hot and you start to burn, it can also keep your drinks and snacks cooler than if they were sitting out in the hot sun.

Bring a book
Have you been trying to finish a book? The perfect place to read your book would be the beach! Bring your books along with you so you can have something to do, you can even study on the beach!

Sunglasses
It's the beach! It's sunny! Bring your sunglasses along with you when you go to the beach, they can save you a lot of squinting and they can save your eyes from the constant sun.

Now we should have no excuses as to why we didn't have a fun and exciting time at the beach. With some snacks and a book on the beach, you can't go wrong.

sources
SkinCancer.org