Every year at this time, I offer this public service information for beachgoers.
This is aimed at those of you who might not be all that prepared for heading to the beach and could use some friendly, and extremely helpful, advice. For those of you who are veterans, or have read one of these pieces in the past, you can either flip over to Sports or better yet, stay here and read it again, just in case.
Maybe you are new to the area or just have never had much experience going to the beach. Now that the weather is getting warmer you are ready to start taking advantage of one of Orange County’s greatest assets, the beach. Here are some important things that you need to be aware of and pay strict attention to, for your own good.
First off, you need to prepare yourself for time in the sun and on the sand. Yes, this would mean the use of sunblock. No, sunblock does not keep you from getting that golden movie star tan that you are hoping for. You will get just as tan with it on as without, and even better because you won’t fry and you will actually be tan and not lobster red and suffering severe pain and agony.
For it to work effectively, you need to put sunblock on at least 20 minutes before you go in the sun, it takes that long to sink in and take effect. If you wait until you get to the beach to put it on, it is already too late and you will probably burn before it has a chance to protect you. Then you need to reapply it as often as you think about it, especially after going in the water.
I put mine on before I leave my house, in the car before I get out of it and then again as soon as I get out of the surf.
Also, take along a hat, sunglasses and anything else to keep you out of the direct sunlight. Umbrellas are great.
The sun is not your best friend.
And it’s also not only the sun, there is also the sand. Sand is like a zillion tiny little mirrors that reflect the sun, just like snow does. And it gets really hot with the mid-day and afternoon sun on it. Take something for your feet for the walk back to the car to keep from burning your toes. It can be like a frying pan and your feet are the bacon, sizzling and bubbling up all over. It’s horrible.
The water is reflective, too. Al that pretty afternoon glitter is there just to burn your eyes out of your head. Sunglasses are a MUST. You do not want to burn your eyes.
I did mine when I was a kid and didn’t know any better. The result was a number of the most terrifying surgeries you can imagine. Just think about it, your eyes have to be open when they operate on them. That right there ought to be enough to scare you into wearing sunglasses.
Also, you need to keep yourself hydrated. Take along plenty of water. Or sports drinks that hydrate you even better than water.
The sun will dehydrate you fast, as will sodas, coffee and any kind of alcoholic beverages. You have to counterbalance those things with hydration. Dehydration will give you stomach cramps, diarrhea and can even cause a stroke. Not good.
I also want to toss in to pay attention to the lifeguard signs. If there is heavy surf, stay away from it. In fact, even on small surf days, it’s best to go into the water as close to a lifeguard tower as possible. Better to be safe than sorry (as my mom drilled into me as a kid growing up on these beaches). It’s better to be safe than drowned.
Oh yeah, don’t pet sharks.
Good luck and stay safe. If you have any other questions on this stuff, or any other surf- or beach-related issues, feel free to shoot me an email at corkysurf@aol.com and I will be happy to help you all I can.
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