Beach umbrellas look innocent, but one gust of wind and they can wreak havoc on a peaceful beach. If you do not properly anchor and secure your beach umbrella, it can cause damage to property and injury to yourself and others.
Even if you are not anticipating any inclement weather for your day by the water, Mother Nature can change in an instant, and you should always take precautions. This article will help people understand the reason that beach umbrellas need to be properly anchored and secured, and how to do it.
The Importance of Anchoring and Securing Your Beach Umbrella
Beach umbrellas were created with both safety and comfort in mind. They help prevent skin cancer by blocking harmful UV rays, and have become a must-have accessory for any beach vacation. They also make it several degrees cooler under the shade, offering a level of comfort that will make your entire day more enjoyable. Although they are synonymous with fun in the sun, it is incredibly important to understand beach umbrella safety. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- An estimated 3,000 Americans visit emergency rooms each year due to umbrella-related injuries.
- Between 2010 and 2018, more than 2,800 people were due to wind-related umbrella injuries.
- More than 32,000 umbrella-related incidents occurred in the U.S. between 2019 and 2018.
Unfortunately, it isn’t just minor injuries that a flying umbrella can cause. An umbrella when not anchored properly can even cause death in extreme cases. Now that you know some of the statistics, it is critical to learn how to prevent accidents. While your first instinct when you hit the beach might be to jump in the water and have fun, taking a few extra minutes to anchor your beach umbrella will help to prevent issues from occurring.
A Sand Anchor Makes a Big Difference
Learning how to anchor your beach umbrella can make a huge difference when it comes to your overall safety. This will require some effort at the beginning of your beach adventure, but it will be well worth the work.
While a beach umbrella sand anchor can be sold separately, they can also be already built in to a high-quality beach umbrellas like these products from RIO. Utilizing a sand anchor is simple, and takes very little effort to make your entire day safer. A sand anchor from RIO is ideal because of its construction with a flat, circular blade. It helps to shift the sand creating an easier time for you to dig the pole deep enough into the sand for ultimate stability. A sand anchor from RIO is strong enough to support umbrella.
Whether you decide to purchase a beach umbrella that already has a sand anchor, or to buy one separately, never forget to take the extra step of anchoring. Just one gust of wind can send an umbrella flying through the air, which can cause an array of injuries from cuts and bruises to eye injuries and broken bones. These injuries are preventable by learning how to properly use a sand anchor with your umbrella.
How to Stake Your Beach Umbrella
While learning how to anchor your beach umbrella is simple, you should always make sure to follow each step to make sure your umbrella is secured properly.
Start with a Closed Umbrella
This may seem like a step you could skip; you don’t want to. In order to ensure your beach umbrella is firmly planted into the sand, you do not want to be fighting with an open umbrella that is flowing in the wind. It will make the process much easier for you by starting with a closed umbrella.
Rock the Pole
You’ll want to create a hole deep enough to provide sturdiness for your beach umbrella. Attaching a sand anchor prior if your umbrella doesn’t already have will make this easier. Make sure to plant your umbrella anywhere from 18 inches to 2 feet below the sand’s surface. To get deep enough when driving the pole into the ground, you may need to rock the pole back and forth and create circular motions to let the sand fill in on the sides. Once you’re deep enough, the sand will be more packed, providing the umbrella the most support possible.
Fill in the Hole
Once you’ve driven the beach umbrella pole as far down as you can, repack the area with the sand you have misplaced while placing the umbrella. Pat the sand down, and for increased support, you can always leave a cooler or beach bag against the pole.
Open the Umbrella
Now that you’ve gone through the important steps, it’s time to finally open your umbrella and enjoy the fruits of your labor. If possible, slant your umbrella head slightly against the wind which will help to stave off sudden wind gusts. When taking the pole back down again, you’ll want to close it first for best results.
Monitor the Wind
If you’ve spent any amount of time on the beach, you know weather can change in an instant. Any time inclement weather is approaching, you should pack up your items. But even if the wind shifts slightly, you can adjust your umbrella accordingly and slant it against the wind to keep it from uprooting.
Beach Umbrella Safety is Up To You
If you’re still not sold on spending the extra time to use a sand anchor with your beach umbrella, take a look at the close call one Florida mom caught on camera when a gust of wind uprooted her umbrella and went flying toward her toddler. While he was uninjured, it could have been much worse.
Remember when planting the umbrella pole, really rock it back and forth to create a stable spot for the umbrella to stay. Your whole family can take piece of mind knowing the umbrella will truly be safe to enjoy without worrying about it becoming a projectile. Purchasing a durable and stylish umbrella from RIO that already has a built-in sand anchor is a great way to never forget a sand anchor the next time you head to the beach.
