We all look forward to a chilled out, fun day on the beach over the summer, but an amusing beach day can easily take a turn for the worse and become a nightmare if you don’t have the right supplies to make your day a success! Here are 7 essentials that you need to pack in your beach bag for an awesome beach day!
When it comes to 30 degree+ beach weather, well, it’s either sunscreen or sunburn! There is a conman misconception that if you are darker – meaning you have more melanin in your skin – you are automatically safe from sunburn. This isn’t necessarily true, as I learned the hard way while sunbathing on a beach holiday in Spain a couple of years ago! Opt for a factor 30 if you have medium-dark skin and factor 50 for children or if you have fair skin, as lighter skin has a tendency to burn more easily. Remember, peeling skin (or worse!) is not a good look; avoid the burns and stay safe!
These bad boys are often overlooked but they are ever so useful! When you’re out on the beach all day, your hands and feet will come into contact with all sorts of dirt and germs. This is particularly problematic when it’s time to tuck into some crispy beachside fish and chips, and you realise you have no choice but to eat with your grimy fingers as you have no wet wipes or anywhere to wash your hands! Stay fresh and clean with a healthy supply of anti-bacterial hand wipes.
Remember what we said about sunburn? Well, it’s best to avoid heat stroke as well! In case you’re in two minds about logging a hat along with you, pondering over whether it is essential – yes, it is! A hat will keep your head and neck protected, lowering your risk of developing heat stroke, particularly if you are in an extremely hot climate in the mid-day heat. Don’t worry about looking silly in a hideous, sensible looking protective hat, as there are plenty of fashionable options out there that will enhance your look!
With all the paddling and swimming you’ll be doing on your beach day, you’ll need to have a large, fluffy towel on hand to ensure you can wipe off when you need to so you don’t get cold, or worse -sand stuck all over you when you sit down on it while wet. You will also need this to dry yourself off in the evening after your beach shower. If it gets chilly towards the evening, your big fluffy towel can also double as a cuddly blanket to keep you warm while you watch the sunset!
Lying under the hot sun all day while sunbathing or running up and down a beach during the midway heat are just a couple of activities that could end causing you to dehydrate if you’re not careful! Yes, a fun, carefree beach day shouldn’t come with too many health warnings to spoil the fun, but this is an important one! Sometimes it’s easy not to realise your hydration is below the desired level until you’re on the verge of fainting, so stock up on the water to avoid any beach day mishaps!
Of course, a large umbrella will be a source of much-needed shade during a long, hot beach day, however, the umbrella has multiple functions, including provisions for privacy! If you would like to be undisturbed, either with your party or all on your lonesome, then this a beach day staple, as you’ll be covered, away from the eyes of the outside world!
Nothing is worse than the feeling of sand in your pants! A beach mat is an absolute essential if you want to spend less time fussing over keeping your skin (and pants!) free of gritty, annoying sand, and more time sunbathing and soaking up some much-needed vitamin D (sunny spells are a rare occurrence in England and should be savoured while it lasts, after all!).
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