How do you deal with sand and shoes at the beach.

[Sea Dog]

I've have been wondering whats the best practice for wearing the right kind of shoes at the beach and dealing with the sand that gets into them. Example on our last cruise. I wore water shoes which I like because I have sensitive feet. But after doing a lot of walking in them to or from the ship they hurt my feet and gave me a blister. I thought about bringing an extra pair of flip flops or something else and change into the water shoes when I arrive at the beach but there is always a lot of sand that gets in the way. When we get back to the cruise ship I practically need to take my shoes off before I get into the cabin and then wash the sand off in the shower. I am curious what others do in wearing shoes that are good for doing a lot of walking and beach shoes such as water shoes or sandals. Tips????

[LHT28]

I wear Teva  sandals  after leaving the beach area my feet are usually dry  so I sit & take off my shoes  brush the sand away as best I can  then put the shoes back on

 

do not seem to have a problem  with sand in the cabin

YMMV

[mom says]

If we're going to the beach we wear flip-flops. Never closed toe shoes. If water shoes are necessary we change  into them just before going into the water, and remove them when we come out. Dry our feet before putting on the flip flops, and sand accumulation isn't a problem. 

[clo]

When we had our apt in Rio we carried a small plastic bucket to the beach.  When ready to leave the beach we filled the bucket with water and once we were out of the sand we rinsed our feet with the water.  And we wear flips.

[cb at sea]

You take your shoes OFF when you hit the beach...get sandy!    Once you dry off, the sand on your feet will brush right off.  Then, put your shoes back on when you're OFF the beach!

 

A bit of powder will help, if your feet are very sensitive.....or just wear flip flops until you can wash off and dry off.

[soonernstlouis]

1 hour ago, clo said:

When we had our apt in Rio we carried a small plastic bucket to the beach.  When ready to leave the beach we filled the bucket with water and once we were out of the sand we rinsed our feet with the water.  And we wear flips.

Sounds like a great idea.  How about using a collapsible container (large dog bowl or something else waterproof) to save space?

 

Oh and baby powder didn’t help our last trip removing dry sand.

Edited October 24, 2019 by soonernstlouis

[dolittle]

2 hours ago, soonernstlouis said:

Sounds like a great idea.  How about using a collapsible container (large dog bowl or something else waterproof) to save space?

 

Oh and baby powder didn’t help our last trip removing dry sand.

An empty large zip lock bag would pack easy and has many other uses.

[clo]

15 minutes ago, dolittle said:

An empty large zip lock bag would pack easy and has many other uses.

I think that's the best yet!  Zipping bags have SO many uses, especially when traveling.  Thanks.

[wwcruisers]

4 hours ago, mom says said:

If we're going to the beach we wear flip-flops. Never closed toe shoes. If water shoes are necessary we change  into them just before going into the water, and remove them when we come out. Dry our feet before putting on the flip flops, and sand accumulation isn't a problem. 

 

Same here! Some beaches are just too rocky to attempt, without water shoes. But, few things are more miserable than slogging around in wet water shoes, full of sand!

[clo]

1 minute ago, wwcruisers said:

Some beaches are just too rocky to attempt, without water shoes.

Holey moley!  Why go to a beach like that?

[JimnKaren]

I live in Florida. Where I live, there is not soil, it is sand down at least 3' (saw it when they were replacing underground electric cables). Sand is everywhere.

 

Consider taking a small bottle of tap water. I will assume that you will have a towel. Wipe your feet, rinse them and then towel dry. If there is enough water in the bottle pour it over your head. Sand has a tendency to move around when the wind blows and it gets caught in the scalp.

 

As for rocky beaches, go to St. Croix on the windward side. Ouch!

 

Jim

[wwcruisers]

3 hours ago, clo said:

Holey moley!  Why go to a beach like that?

Well, sometimes there's no choice. Don't know if you've ever been to Labadee -- RC's private 'island' -- but most of the beaches there are pretty rocky. Also, some of the beaches around Cozumel & Costa Maya have a lot of coral -- which I think tends to be even sharper than rocks. But, nothing that a good pair of water shoes can't handle! 😃

[DarrenM]

As I only take one pair of shoes and one pair of trainers I think it would be the trainers.

 

Hate sand on my feet. Horrible stuff. And I live 200 yards from a beach.

[snowskier]

Just like any shoes, purchase good water shoes that fit. Try them on, walk in them -- just like any shoes one buys. My water shoes cost a few bucks but are very comfortable for walking when not on the beach and great to use on the beach and in the water. I pretty much stick with Teva or Keen because they had the best fit for me.

[navybankerteacher]

There are enough beaches without rocks or broken coral - we pick the good ones.  I prefer boat shoes to flip-flops (which always give me blisters).    All you need to do is completely dry your feet and brush the sand off (completely) before putting your shoes on.  It’s not rocket science.

[clo]

9 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

Well, sometimes there's no choice. Don't know if you've ever been to Labadee -- RC's private 'island' -- but most of the beaches there are pretty rocky. Also, some of the beaches around Cozumel & Costa Maya have a lot of coral -- which I think tends to be even sharper than rocks. But, nothing that a good pair of water shoes can't handle! 😃

Actually the choice could be to swim in and lie by the pool on the ship.

[Bizmark'sMom]

The best snorkeling tends to be from rocky beaches. That's my personal draw.

 

1) wear your water shoes around and get your feet used to them. The same way you do with any other shoe you travel with. 

 

2) let your feet dry before heading back to the ship so you can brush most of the sand off.  

[ldubs]

27 minutes ago, Bizmark'sMom said:

 

 

2) let your feet dry before heading back to the ship so you can brush most of the sand off.  

 

This.  Once sand dries it brushes off & shakes out  easily.  No worries.  😀

[wwcruisers]

14 hours ago, clo said:

Actually the choice could be to swim in and lie by the pool on the ship.

 

HaHa -- that's one answer. However, I think you'll find that the snorkeling there is not quite optimal!🤭

Our rule is: if we are planning to visit an unfamiliar beach, we bring the water shoes (or snorkel fins), just to be on the safe side. Ditto with one the we know to have lots of rocks and/or coral. However, for someplace that we know is lovely, like Megan's Beach, Orient, or Trunk Bay -- the water shoes stay at home.

[clo]

9 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

snorkeling

Ah, well, that's an entirely different thing.  I was thinking of people who go ashore and then just go lie on a beach.

[evandbob]

On 10/25/2019 at 1:13 AM, wwcruisers said:

Well, sometimes there's no choice. Don't know if you've ever been to Labadee -- RC's private 'island' -- but most of the beaches there are pretty rocky. Also, some of the beaches around Cozumel & Costa Maya have a lot of coral -- which I think tends to be even sharper than rocks. But, nothing that a good pair of water shoes can't handle! 😃

 

We were in St Croix last week, and there were rocks and shells for the first 6 feet entering the water at Rainbow Beach.  After that, we had mostly a sandy bottom with an occasional larger rock imbedded in the sand.  Once we got past the entry obstacles, it was quite pleasant standing around and chatting in the clear water.  I hear that most beaches in St. Croix, share this pattern, so St Croix beaches are not overly popular.

 

Our other stops in St Thomas, St. Lucia, Sint Maarten, Antigua and Barbados had sandy beaches from shore to chest high water.  After drying off, we got 95% of the sand off our feet with the ship's towel, and lost the rest of it in the cabin's shower.

 

I realize sand irritation can be dangerous for individuals with diabetes, neuropathy, or other issues, but fortunately I don't have those concerns.

[kelseysmom21]

I always bring a bottle of baby powder and sprinkle it on my sandy feet before we leave .... takes off all the sand!

[ldubs]

8 hours ago, kelseysmom21 said:

I always bring a bottle of baby powder and sprinkle it on my sandy feet before we leave .... takes off all the sand!

 

Makes squeaky shoes quiet too!   

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 10/24/2019 at 9:42 PM, clo said:

Holey moley!  Why go to a beach like that?

those are usually great for snorkeling right off of the shore and have sharp rocks in the water.

We have to wear water shoes at Princess Cay. Learned the hard way....

[Mike981]

Not sand, but mud. Our family of four took an island tour in Belize, one of the stops was a jungle excursion. It was fun, but muddy. Very, very muddy. The muddy shoes picked up leaves and sticks and it just kept building, we felt like we were using snow shoes.

 

Now picture us on the tender boat with water on the floor of the tender from the waves.
Rockin' and rollin' and soon the mud puddles started to form and kept growing and got darker and darker. People were picking up their bags, putting small children on their laps and then, they just stared. They would look at the mess getting worse and then back at us. More than a tad embarrassing. But hey, memories.