Hauling stuff to the beach..how do YOU do it?

[liamsaunt]

Once at the beach, what do you folks use to keep stuff dry?

We have an otter box for our cash and jeep key. It's the only thing that we've had success with. The ziplocs always leak, and the water wallets they sell at the dive shop always get a leak in the gasket after using it just a few times.

[Ron_L]

Thanks! I like the Otter Box. It looks like a 1000 would be the perfect size and I could figure out a way to attach it to my waist while snorkeling so it isn't laying on the beach.

[liamsaunt]

John just loops the string from the otter box through the strings on his bathing suit and then stuffs it in his pocket for extra security.

[Jan&MikeVa]

WOW - you guys are awesome!!

I've picked up a lot of good tips, thanks so much. But the best thing I learned is that Mike & I are not alone in this trek! Actually he told me tonight that he likes his big ole bulky backpack! So I'll leave it alone................for now.

I'm looking into the otter box and a backpack cooler, thanks again gang!

Jan (akaCharlie)

[jayseadee]

Hi,

Even more to love about the folks on this forum - both St. John and bag obsessed

I actually bought 2 new bags while on island in November - one at St. John Spice (a fashionable flamingo print) and a mini backpack at the shop next to the Lime Inn (braincramp - forget the name). Although to my credit, I left the purse I brought in the villa (ok - so the strap was broken - it might make a nice clutch for someone else).

As for carrying stuff - I was a bit suspicious when Don added the following to our wedding vows - "love, honor, cherish and carry our own stuff!"

[waterguy]

I'm availible to haul stuff to the beach you just have to pay my way down and feed me.

[2FarNorth]

I follow the same method as BigDog. We each carry our own backpacks loaded with the stuff we need. I can usually cram all the stuff I need into a medium sized Kelty daypack (snorkle gear, towels, neat sheet, etc...). With the packs on your back each person can carry their own beach chair.

The only thing outside the backpacks is the cooler which we find that the "12-pack" size with a strap or handle can easily be carried by one person..... me.... a task which I gladly accept knowing that I can have a frosty cold Carib while aimlessly gazing out on that perfectly blue water.

[Genral]

We're kinda lazy. No chairs, 'cause the beach is too soft not to sit on. Money and driver's license stay in my pocket. Keys go on a rubber bracelet thingy. All we carry is a small bottle of water each, our towels and snorkel gear. Oh, the sun screen is in the dive bag with the fins and masks.. Now I feel like a real slacker! LOL Genral

[California Girl]

I just ordered the Otterbox 2000 because it will fit my husband's glasses. I figure the glasses (in a soft pouch), car keys, money & credit card should all fit into it.

[laurie]

anyone looking for a backpack cooler, found one on www.overstock.com , cheap, looks nice. sorry don't know how to put the actual link in the msg.

[Ron_L]

I'm assuming that it is this one, Laurie...

Backpack Cooler

Look nice. I'm tempted. I could use it as my carry-on if it will hold my laptop.

Thanks for the tip!

[Jumbiegirl]

We've got an LL Bean backpack cooler that we love. It has lots of compartments to hold all sorts of things.

[Margy Z]

Hi everyone, dropping back into the board as we have an upcoming trip to STX in April – our first to STX – and am going to STT/STJ with the girlfriends in May. Anyway, back in the day, when we were going through customs returning from our honeymoon and I was schlepping like a pack mule, the customs agent looked at my husband and said "Son, you want to stay married, never let your lovely wife carry more than she can comfortably run around a city block.” I thought that was good advice so my husband has been doing most of the schlepping since – lol . Couple of ideas for carrying stuff to the beach: California Innovations makes a huge tote-like cooler with nice long shoulder straps. They sell them at Sam’s Club and Costco with the store name on them for about $8 – otherwise, QVC and others have them. They are huge and extremely well insulated – we use them to bring down frozen stuff. For the beach we pack them up with our drinks and food, put books and stuff in the outside pocket and bungee cord our towels / neat sheet to the outside. A couple of those little bungee cords can come in handy. Another idea that has worked pretty well for us for sand clean up is to bring down a couple of large Platypus water tank bags from REI that pack flat and weigh nothing. We fill them up with tap water from our villa and leave them in the car. When we’re leaving the beach we use them to rinse off our feet and legs. You can also get pretty creative with a Platypus hoser water bag – pre-mix your drinks, put them on ice in your cooler, snake out the hoser tube, sit and sip.