3 Smoke Rise Beach Rules Worth Respecting

It's officially beach season around Kinnelon and I'm reminded [after a day spent at the beach] that I've wanted to post about Beach Rules. Although I'll specifically address Smoke Rise Beach Rules, I'm willing to bet that my comments are just as relevant to other Kinnelon lake beaches such as Fayson Lakes, Lake Reality, Lake Rickabear...

By the way, the Beach Guidelines in their entirety with 11 individual points and two pages of detailed rules are published every year in the Smoke Rise Summer Recreation Booklet. It doesn't hurt to read them once a year.

In this post, I intend to specifically focus on 3 rules and why I personally believe that these rules are worth respecting.  I am not writing in any official capacity other than as a resident, a beach-goer, and a parent.

These are the three beach rules I'd like to explore - and rant about - in more detail.

+ Eating and drinking are prohibited on the sand...
+ Glass containers are prohibited at the beach...
+ Guests must be accompanied by the Smoke Rise resident they are visiting...

Eating and drinking on the Smoke Rise Beach

This is my biggest pet peeve. Eating and drinking on the beach are prohibited and yet I see beach goers doing it. Why? Even pools have this rule. We're fortunate at Smoke Rise Beach that a solution - the grassy picnic area - is within just a few feet of the beach. So why not encourage kids and visitors to respect the rule and consume food/drink on the grass?

At a lakeside beach, though, the rule matters even more than at a pool because of animals - as in Kinnelon Critter File animals. Animals are attracted to food.  Food on the beach in the sand means animals - geese, bear, raccoons, etc. - come check things out and make their own mess.

Personally, I don't like having to dodge goose grease to get to the water's edge. And I certainly don't like stepping on sand-covered fruit pieces or french-fries, or stabbing my foot on a plastic fork - which I have done. Do you?

Glass containers on the Smoke Rise Beach

When you think of all of the cool plastic containers available, why would anyone make use of glass ones? Forget wine glasses or champagne flutes, use plastic! Use plastic water bottles, plastic goblets, etc. And, unless you are drinking water, stay on the grass with your consumables.

I have personally witnessed and heard of injuries incurred from walking on broken glass in the sand.  It's not pleasant.  We're all better off with the glassware banished.

Beach guests must be accompanied by Smoke Rise resident

As a kid, I wasn't allowed to casually visit a community pool without being invited in and accompanied by a member.  Same goes for the Smoke Rise Beach.

Interestingly, this is the first year I remember hearing the Beach staff remind us to have guests sign in at the Beach office.

Ok. Enough with the rant. Let me know what you think about Smoke Rise Beach rules.

And, then, go enjoy the kayaks, canoes and paddle boats and life around the lake.