1. Plan In Advance
Explore the area you have chosen for backpacking on a map or travel guide magazine to get the idea of the expected local weather, terrain information, wildlife and insect findings, and appropriate camping places there. Remember, if the weather there is sunny most of the time, then choose it only if you have a tolerance and exposure to sunlight rays earlier otherwise there’s a significant probability of facing severe dehydration. A travel guide book or a waterproof map of the local terrain or any navigation tool like GPS receivers, etc. must be a part of your travelling luggage.
2. Arrange One Day Trip At The Outset
For beginners, it is advisable to go on a single day hiking or camping trip instead of multiple day programs. One or two-night trips are easier to plan and manage. For first timers, it is necessary to know their strengths and weaknesses in a short trip because hiking is not easy for everyone.
3. Do Less Hiking In The First Trip
In the first backpacking trip, you should do less hiking because you are not used to hiking carrying a bag on your back and after the end of hiking you have to settle your tent and prepare dinner. So a short distance hike is a good option to reach an established camp site near other people. Remember, it’s your first trip it should be enjoyable and refreshing not exhausting.
4. Eat Simple Food
For backpacking, you should plan simple food to eat. Mostly pasta, biscuits, packed foods, and simple meals are time saviour. Dry food items should be taken in luggage. Water should be taken in enough quantity to protect from dehydration.
5. Don’t Forget Useful Accessories
Your backpack should contain sunglasses, rock climbing shoes, sunscreen lotions, extra clothing to protect from sun and rain, flash lights or head lamps, waterproof matches and lighters. Like any other camping trip for beach camping, you have to take camping tent, a sleeping bag, and cooking tools with you to the camping site. A broom and a dustpan are also necessary to be taken with to clean extra sand from your tent and sleeping bag. Sand stakes should also be taken to hold the tent firmly in the ocean stand during windy weather.
6. Have First Aid Box
First aid equipment should also be taken in a backpack in case of emergency during travel. The duration of the trip and the number of people going together also impacts the contents of first aid kit to be carried
7. Keep Emergency Shelter With You
An emergency shelter should also be taken with you in the case of any damage to tent or sudden abrupt weather changes. It is good to take a collapsible sun shelter with you having ample space inside so that you don’t have to sit all time under the hot sun. It can be the best place to sit together for meals and enjoying a card game or just breezy naps.
8. Must Keep Sunscreens
A severe sunburn can completely ruin your beach camping trip. So it is critical to take sunscreen lotions and creams, Sunglasses, and large hats to protect you from harmful hot sun rays. Large umbrellas should also be taken with you to be used on the beach for shade. It is preferable to have your Camp in a shady site, but if not the above things will save you from harmful ultraviolet rays.
9. Avoid Sand Dunes
Try to stay away from the sand dunes on the beach because these dunes are the places for living ocean vegetation that can be very harmful sometimes. Even these dunes can slide down sometimes and cause an unpleasant environment during the trip. During beach camping, unexpected storms, beach showers, and rain are very common. So, at night before sleeping tries to pack most of your equipment to keep it safe and dry during any such hazard.
10. Stay Hydrated
It is good to stay hydrated during beach camping stay, but remember ocean water is not used to drink because of its salt content so you should bring a good supply of drinking water and water purifying equipment if you have to take water from any nearby place on the beach. Same is the case with lakes, stream, and river.
11. Don’t Dump Trash On The Beach
When you are camping you should not dump your trash on the beach that can destroy the ocean animal life and the beach beauty. So you should take large bags to put all the trash and take these back to proper waste disposal bins. Keep the camping site clean to protect its natural beauty. Featured photo credit: Free Great Picture via freegreatpicture.com
