How To Keep Your Cell Phone Safe at the Beach

The debate around whether you should or shouldn’t take your cell phone to the beach is still open. The arguments against it are strong: you risk damaging or losing it, you will probably spend a huge part of your beach day talking to the friends or checking for updates from your work, and there will be little time to recharge and rest when your cell phone is with you. But on the other hand, you will be able to take pictures and share your moments with your friends, you’re ready if you’re waiting on important news, and in case of any emergency you can call for help – which are very good reasons as well; so let’s see what you can do to reduce the risks and to keep your cell phone safe from sun, water, sand, thieves, and what you can do to correct the mishaps.

1. Put it in a zip lock sandwich bag. It will be safe from the moisture and sand scratches; but you have to make sure that both the bag and your cell are completely dry, unless you want to turn the bag into a steamer.

2. Put it in your beach bag, but place it under your underwear and socks – hopefully they will serve as a deterrent.

3. Leave it in a locker, but carry the locker key with you when you swim. You can put the key in your shorts (if they have zipped pockets), in your water shoes if you wear them, or tie it to your bathing suit or around your wrist. Even the cooler is an option if you get really desperate.

4. Password protect your cell phone when you go to the beach.

5. If you see that your cell is overheating (some phones will display the warning message), put it in a cool place (if there’s nothing at the beach, place it under your towel or bag), or switch it off. Never handle it when it’s too hot to touch. Never.

6. Download the beach waves ringtone and use it if you don’t want to switch the ringtone off. This way it won’t be drawing attention when it rings. And you won’t be irritating the people around you (unless you have that bad habit of speaking loudly on the phone – if you do, kill it immediately!).

7. Add your home number as “01 Return to” to your contacts list. If you’re lucky enough and the person who found it wants to get in touch with you, this way it will be easy for him to find out who to call.

8. If you have dropped it in the water, there may be a way to salvage it if it hasn’t been in the water for too long. Dry it off and place it in a plastic bag filled with dry rice – it can help to absorb the remaining moisture, but you’ll have to keep it like that overnight.

9. Just in case, have a chit chat with a few people around you at the beach. Make sure that they remember you, so no one else can pretend that it’s their belongings, while you’re in the water.

10. Take an old lotion bottle, clean it well, cut the top part almost entirely (it should stay attached to the bottle on one end) and put your cell phone, keys, money in it. Keep the bottle in your bag, so that the possible thieves can’t see where you’re pulling the phone from. This way, no one will notice that you have any valuables with you.

It’s good to be free to carry your cell phone with you everywhere you go, but it’s also a good idea to make sure it’s safe. If you have anything to add, please share your tips!