Sun Sense

September 10th, 2009

If you live near a beach, you probably already know that taking precautions to avoid sunburn can be much more than just slathering on more lotion.  However, our recent mainland visitors were from the midwest.  They knew what made sense at home: long sleeves, hats, and so on.  They wondered how to translate that to a beach vacation without missing out on the fun.  I think avoiding sunburn is the single most important factor in making sure you have great vacation memories of Hawaii.

The first thing we did was to avoid outside activities at mid-day.  That much is common sense.  But until I moved to Hawaii, I did not know about rashies — the tops that look like tee shirts but include sun protection.   Both men and women wear them and they come in short or long sleeves.  The one I got for our visitor was SPF 50.  It is more comfortable than massive amounts of sunscreen alone and you don’t have to worry about missing a spot.  Our visitors also didn’t want to look out of place, but locals commonly wear protective clothing and head gear.  Even after a year, if I go out without my hat I come back with a pink nose.

Two more practices were easy but I didn’t think of them on my first couple of trips.  First, choose a beach with shade, if possible.  For example, Kailua beach has shade along much of it.  That allows you to spend more time outside but somewhat sheltered.  If a shady beach isn’t on your agenda, take an umbrella or tent.  Again, locals take tent-tops when they plan a day on the beach so you won’t look like you’re over doing it.  Second, watch the time.  The beach often has a light breeze and doesn’t feel sweltering, so it is comfortable to stay out much longer than is wise.  Don’t wait until you feel hot to call it a day.

On our first visit, Rick went kayaking at Kailua beach (while I was stuck in a conference room).  He took all the precautions I just mentioned and still came back with a raging sun burn — on the tops of his feet!  Feet who spend most of their lives inside thick socks and hiking boots are pretty surprised when they first see the tropical sun.  Don’t overlook any exposed flesh when you’re applying sunscreen.

 A final note.  Everything I’ve just mentioned (sunscreen, rashies, hats) is available fairly inexpensively at local supermarkets, convenience stores or drug stores.  You don’t need to pack it along, just remember to make sun protection your first stop when you arrive.

Posted by Cindy Scheopner  Follow me on Twitter @Scheopner

Entry Filed under: Kauai, Maui, Oahu