There's nothing like sinking your toes into the warm sand at your favorite seaside hot spot. Unfortunately, the sun can take a toll on your skin, and applying sunscreen every 45 minutes isn't necessarily ideal. An easy way to combat those hot--and potentially dangerous--sun rays is to protect yourself with a beach umbrella. Positioning it may sound easy enough, but there are a few tricks and tips that will make the most of your space and protect you the best.
Locate an area on the beach where you feel most comfortable. For example, find a place that makes it easy to supervise young children if necessary. Or, if you like quiet areas, find a place that isn't very crowded.
Lay down any towels or blankets if you have them.
Decipher which way the air is blowing and which way the sun is shining. An easy trick for the wind is to lick your (clean) finger and hold it in the air. This will allow you to feel which way the air is blowing. Whichever side of your finger feels cold from the air is where the wind is coming from.
Stick the stem of your umbrella in the sand with tip of the umbrella going against the wind and/or sun rays. It's best to protect yourself from the sun, first. You may get lucky and be able to use the umbrella to protect against both elements. Wind is great on a hot day, but it can blow sand in your face or cause windburn.
Make sure the stem is firm in the ground. To do this, drive it deep into the sand past the first few layers. The further down you get, the wetter and more firm the sand will be.
Rotate the umbrella throughout the day to continue protecting you from the sun. You will most likely be able to rotate it without pulling it out of the sand again; however, if you must pull out the umbrella to readjust, simply repeat the steps.
