New Jersey Beaches Banning Tents and Canopies is a Good Thing

My favorite beach on the Jersey Shore finally took the plunge and announced that it would be banning tents and canopies from swimming beaches.

This recent announcement filled me with glee.

Over the past month or so, Brick Beach and Wilwood have also announced the banning of tents and canopies.

This news has been met with mixed reactions...

Maybe I'm a bit of a beach snob, but I have always hated tents and canopies on the beach.

I have a long list of beach pet peeves, but we aren't going into all of them because I don't want to be bombarded with comments on Facebook telling me that if I don't like it then I just shouldn't go to the beach...

But I digress.

Some of the comments on the Island Beach State Park weren't too pleased.

• "This is EXACTLY WHY WE LEFT NJ. The man there is always trying to tell you how to live your life."
• "It's New Jersey folks, if it's not over taxed it's prohibited."
• "Oh the reminders of why I left Jersey."

Some people pointed out that umbrellas are more of a safety hazard than the tents and canopies are.

• "I personally think that single pole umbrellas are also very dangerous and should be banned also!!"
• "We need to include only umbrellas with anchors. Otherwise nothing changes."
• "The small umbrellas are the dangerous ones that can go flying away"

Others were on the side of the park.

• "What a bunch of complainers. This park is a natural gem, and the staff are trying to curb the entitlement seen on every other beach along the east coast, let alone the jersey shore. If you don't like it, if you don't trust your park staff, there are plenty of other beaches."
• "That’s good. Some people like to setup mini villages."
• "Hope all the other beaches follow your lead."

My biggest complaint with the tents and canopies is that they can ruin a beautiful view.

Sure, some people keep their encampments towards the dunes, but that doesn't mean everyone does.

I can see over beach chairs and I can see around umbrellas, but unfortunately, I am not Superman so I can not see through your Coleman tent.

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The tents can also block a beautiful and cooling sea breeze.

I have seen the argument being made that they are great for fair-skinned people...

I am one of those very, very fair-skinned humans (I like to say I am alabaster) and I would never think to bring an entire tent with me.

Jersey Shore Beach Erosion

It's no secret that many of our beaches are fighting erosion and the state is combating that with dredging, but it's still a long and difficult battle.

With the beaches getting smaller and smaller, this leaves less and less room for people to enjoy the beach.

When people bring large tents and canopies, it takes up more space preventing others from being able to enjoy the beach. Then, the canopies are usually paired with a large folding table which means the people using the canopy are sitting outside of it, taking up even more room.

Remember, be kind, rewind?

Well...be a gent, don't bring a tent.