Music on the beach...what do you think?

[lark22]

It's amazing to think that we were at Salt Pond just a few days ago, and now it's 17 degrees out!

Anyway, just wanted to bring up something that's probably a divisive beach "issue"...

One afternoon we were at the beach, and a group of folks had a boombox playing fairly loud music. What had been a calm, gorgeous, peaceful paradise became a music video with a soundtrack I didn't choose. Loud talking/partying/drinking I can deal with by moving further down the beach, but music carries further and can be totally annoying (especially if you hate what's playing!)

I hate to be a party pooper, but I think it's really unfair for people to force the rest of the beach to share their music.

[loria]

i agree--it can be totally annoying.
though i am not sure what could be done to stop it (or is it even allowed within the park??)
also, i guess that if folks are celebrating and all it's what it si--we've had the same situation at little lamesure--but it was big speakers in a car...felt like i was stuck in traffic on 3rd and 121st

[Connie]

That's a tough one, especially if you don't like the kind of music coming out of that boombox.

I'd just move as far away as possible and hope for the best.

[mbw1024]

this is a BIG reason I don't go to many of the Jersey Shore beaches. If I encountered it in STJ I'm sure I'd be annoyed but I'd just move on.

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

This would make me leave the beach and, it would totally ruin my day because I had to leave the beach which I probably took a good deal of time getting to.

I don't take music to the beach. I like to hear the birds, the wind in the trees and the quiet swish of the Caribbean splashing on the shore. If you are lucky, you can hear the turtles come up for air; now there is a sound I don't get at home.

I can get good/bad/mediocre music ANYWHERE. I don't need any of that at the beach.

I'm done ranting now. Sorry, I'm in a bad mood.

[flip-flop]

Boom boxes on a beach in STJ ... blasphemy. This is why the good lord invented earphones.

My basic philosophy is to not infringe on those around me if at all possible.

No spilling out of my seat into someone else's on an airline --- unless that someone is my husband or child.

No boom boxes in public.

No blowing smoke in other people's faces. I have no problem if someone wants to smoke just try to be cognizant of who is down wind.

No loud talking on a cell phone when you are RIGHT BEHIND me in line at the store.

Sometimes I wonder if people are clueless or intentionally rude, either way, I go to STJ for peace and serenity and loud (sometimes bad) music doesn't fly.

[jayseadee]

oops, if I offended anyone on Cinnamon Beach last month, I apologize.

I did bring some small iPod speakers to the beach one day; it wasn't playing too loud. I did notice people smile and dance along as they walked by.

If anyone had asked to lower it or turn it off, would have done it - no problem.

[iowaguy]

Music is pretty important to me, and I bring my portable Ipod sound dock almost everywhere. But I wouldn't bring it to the beach on St. John---most people are there to enjoy the serenity so I would be too worried about offending someone.


Having said that, if someone else has music at the beach, it generally doesn't bother me.

[KatieH]

What Flip Flop said. I have wireless headphones for my Verizon Juke that I could bring to the beach, but that doesn't work so well when snorkeling. I'll save the music for the Villa and the Jeep. (Though I have no doubt that Jayseadee was listening responsibly. )

[JeanneB]

We were at Cinnamon Bay last Tuesday, it was very quiet and peaceful and we had an area of the beach to ourselves and then a couple, which we just happened to be sitting next to earlier that morning at JJ's, walked in with a boombox a little ways down the beach where there were more people, set it down, turned up the volume and headed for the water and when they finally came back up on the beach they didn't turn the volume down. So much for hearing nothing but calm waves splashing on the shore!! I know the beaches are public so they had every right to have their boombox, it's just not something we would do, that's what our ipods and headphones are for. At least turn the volume down enough so that not everyone on the beach can hear it.

[JT]

I have always thought of it as an unwritten rule on STJ not to play boom boxes on the beach. It'a a vexation to the spirit of everyone else. Take it somewhere else.

[hugo]

How about the vastly over- amplified music from the private functions at the Oppenheimer building? There have been people promoting this on the forum. In the middle of a residential neighborhood, in the middle of a National Park.....[/b]

[piscesgirl0314]

I don't mind it either way...if someone wants to listen to music on the beach, by all means...it is a public place...I think if I didn't want to listen I would move to another part of the beach...my two cents...

[Schnell]

I brought my ipod speaker dock with me on our last trip and did not even take it out of my bag. I guess once I got there I just thought it to be rude. Bought it with the intentions of using it on the beach, but didn't. It will stay home on the upcoming trip. Takes up valuble room in the carryon!

One option if you do find yourself near someone playing music is to get in the water or go snorkel.....and give them a dirty look on your way to the water. They may just get the hint

[liamsaunt]

I have only had this happen once, at Gibney Beach. It was annoying. We did not want to leave so we ended up putting our gear on and snorkeling over to the little private beach on the right to get away from it. I hope this does not become a trend. I really enjoy the quiet!