Beach Advertising

For many years, I have been  checking out Florida’s Boca Raton (mouth of the rat) website that shows the beach where I have spent many happy hours. But in the last few years, I was puzzled when, during the summer months, they put down a long T-shaped blue tarp from one of the entrance ramps to the beach almost to the water’s edge. Why?

Now, I have read in our local newspaper that Delaware’s Dewey Beach will begin doing the same, and they gave a reason. Apparently, the tarp makes walking on the sand much easier for the elderly and infirm, who would otherwise struggle to use the beach. It also supports wheelchairs and wheeled carts of all kinds. (The one at Boca Raton is rarely used.)

Except the tarp at Dewey Beach will not be blue; it will be light tan and have advertising printed on it. The ads are sold in 5′ x 2′ panels. (Groan! Is there no end to advertising? Even on the beach, now? I have almost given up on TV because of all the ads. Don’t go there, Ocean City.)

Dewey’s town officials justify the move because no one has complained about the advertising on the lifeguard stands, and neighboring Rehoboth Beach has been using advertising mats for years without complaints.

I suggest anyone opposed to this proliferation of ads go to the South Jersey beaches instead.

(In the past 30 years. it rained 27 out of 30 times on this day.) Wow! Not many beach days on this date.

RWalck@Verizon.net