4 Boondocking Tips for Beach Camping in Your RV

Beach Boondocking is one of my favorite places to camp.  The feeling of opening your door and stepping outside onto the sand and an unobstructed view of the ocean is priceless. It's what I day-dreamed about when I was stuck behind a desk in a cubicle.  Just don't blame us for the sand inside of your RV. 

I’ve been driving on the beach for years at home on Long Island. I'm an avid surf caster and beach volleyball junkie. In season, I would be on the beach a minimum of 4 days a week. Beaches on the South Shore of Long Island are known for extremely soft deep sand.  In order to drive you have onto the beaches you have to have 4 wheel drive and air your tires below 20 PSI. While truck campers and on some class C's would be out, you never saw towables.  Class A's are very rare, I think I only ever saw one Class A 4x4 that looked like Wanda. So when we read about a bunch of beaches that are more RV friendly with hard packed sand and that allow boondocking, we knew we needed to stay there. 

​Here are some tips to safely boondock on a beach. ​

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1. Survey the beach before fully committing

We typically stop before the sand at the entrance and unhook our tow vehicle. After we unhook, we survey the area and take an assessment of the beach conditions and a possible campsite options. Taking your tow vehicle out on the sand first to test it is a good idea. Here are some things to consider before trekking your RV on to the sand.

Driving

• Can your RV safely drive in? and drive out?  Make sure that your RV can physically handle and is capable of driving on the sand.  We've been at some beaches where you have to climb a dune to get to the beach. Depending on your rig, you may not have best approach or departure angles and you have to watch you don't high center your RV. Stay away from soft sand, dunes, hills, washout areas and obviously the water. Although may not be obvious because I have seen my share of trucks and SUVs making that mistake. We yet to see a RV in the drink though. Maybe one day...
• How hard or soft is the sand? The gulf coast beaches we’ve stayed at have been hard packed sand. They resemble dirt roads.  This has been very different from the extremely soft and deep sand on the beaches of Long Island.  Some beaches may have areas that have both conditions so be aware.
• How to drive on the sand? If the sand is hard packed, treat it like any dirt road, but if it is soft that is a different story. Be smooth and slow. Don't accelerate, brake, or turn too fast. You want to avoid digging into the sand. 

Choosing a campsite- Obviously your objective is to open your doors and get that beach front view. Waking up to the sound of the waves crashing is extremely satisfying, but you also want to be safe and stress free. 

• Where are the other RVs parked?  I’ve seen people arrive at the beach and park right next to the shore to maximize the view and privacy. They don’t account for how high the tide is going to come up and they have to move camp when they finally realize their mistake. In fact, I once witnessed someone moving 3 times in total before they were a safe distance away from the water. Look for an RV that has been there a while or stayed over night already and park along the same line.

• Where is the high tide line? ​ ​You can spot the high tide line by looking for the washed up debris of shells and seaweed. This line is highest point of the last higher tide. Not necessarily the last high tide but when it stopped at its highest point recently. You want to make sure you are up beach from it.​

2. Check the Weather, Tides, Moon Phase
This is extremely important. You need to know weather before you get there and while you are there. Beach weather can change extremely fast. Be cautious of the wind, wind gust and wind directions. Wind can be hazardous to you and your rig. Sand can be carried and blown into your RV. Be wary of sand getting into slides, stairs or A/C units. Remember you have a lot moving parts and a lot of places for sand to get into.  Also note the direction of the wind. If the wind is blowing with the waves, it can push the water up the beach further creating a higher high tide.

Know the weather conditions for overnight.  A lot of things can change overnight, the last thing you want to do it wake up and find your site is underwater.  We experienced this Bolivar Flats in Texas. We stayed above the seaweed and all week the water didn't even come close to us, we had a consistent 70 feet between us and high tide.  But our last morning we woke up and the wind shifted and the wind was pushing the water right towards our stairs. 

3. Be prepared with the proper equipment
​You want to be prepared for the worst case scenario and have the confidence that you'll be able to get yourself out of a sticky situation.  Have these tools handy just in case. Better to be prepared than sorry later. 

• Shovel
• Tow Straps
• Tire Deflater 
• Tire Inflaters 
• Wood boards

4. Put your furniture away and awning tucked in overnight. 
As I mentioned, weather can change very quickly and wind can pick up speed in a hurry. Last thing you need is to be searching for your beach chair the next morning. Your awning can also catch wind like a big sail. Don't take the risk of damaging your awning or RV, make sure it's put it away at night. 

By Kevin Quiambao

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