New book on beach manners at the Jersey Shore

LONGPORT, N.J. - August 7, 2012 (WPVI) -- There are certain rules of etiquette when you go to the beach, but now there's a new book out that details exactly how we should all behave when we hit the sand at the Jersey Shore.

Linda Todd and Cheryl Tapp are sisters who grew up at the shore and consider themselves experts on surf side manners. So much so, they wrote a book called "If beaches could talk".

"We thought if beaches could talk they could tell of all the horrific things we've seen on the beach," said Linda Todd.

They've learned the do's and don'ts from experience with their own kids.

"He would walk on beach towels with his sandy feet, and I was always yelling at him," said Cheryl Tapp.

Linda and Cheryl's beach bible is a compilation of pet peeves.

One of the big ones, don't put your towels too close to someone else.

"If you go to the restaurant, you don't want someone pulling up a chair at your table. It's just like that at the beach. You don't want someone sitting next to you invading your space," Linda said.

The sisters say throwing sand or walking on someone else's blanket is bad news, but the worst, feeding the seagulls, which they consider public enemy number one.

"They will swarm you," said Cheryl. "Then they will, of course, poop on you. All your food has to be wrapped and put in a bag so they can't get to it."

Linda and Cheryl suggest parents pare down what they bring to the beach, but one mom says that's not so easy.

"I have twins and a five and a half year old, so we bring everything; pales, buckets, shovels, sunscreen, snacks, everything," said Jody Simon.

The book is full of facts and trivia. For example, the first pair of sunglasses sold came from a Woolworth on the Atlantic City boardwalk in 1919.

The princesses of polite say that being rude at the beach is just wrong.

"It drives us a little crazy and drives everyone else crazy," said Linda.

Linda and Cheryl want folks to have fun in the sun, just make sure to mind your manners.

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jersey shore, new jersey, local/state, nora muchanic

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