This man in the turtleneck is James Bond-esque and oh so handsome.

I found the elderly couple sitting together on the beach to be so sweet looking. I would have loved to hear their conversation.

I disagree that those people would be "mystified" by our need for various modern conveniences. I see plenty of people sitting on cloth of some kind, and obviously many people brought umbrellas. They would most likely love to have our gadgets, they just hadn't been invented yet. They would love sunglasses. They would love sunscreen (who likes sunburn?). Lightweight plastic containers for water would be wonderful (yes, people in the old days got thirsty, too). Lightweight folding aluminum beach chairs would be a miracle. If people didn't bring a change of clothes, it was because cleaning was so labor intensive. Like probably many on Shorpy, I feel a sense of longing for "simpler times", but I don't pretend those days were easier times, just because they seemingly had less "stuff". There's a reason we lug the stuff to the beach.

Gramps seems to be disapproving of something. Just beyond his right shoulder, a young lass seems to be checking out one of the young men behind her.

The man on the left coming toward the camera had no idea that one day "clothing optional" beaches would be available almost everywhere. The countless ladies in wet dresses who just plop down on the naked beach sand and pretend to be comfortable would be mystified by all the crap and accouterments one must bring to the beach 106 years later in order to get a little "R&R." Just for starters, this would include a change of clothes, a towel and/or blanket and/or beach chair, a cell phone, a supply of bottled water, snacks, iPod or iPad for entertainment, sunglasses, hair-grooming supplies, sunscreen, all of this multiplied "per person", one or two giant totebags to cart everything in and perhaps a dozen other optional "necessities." One would think that during the past century, we would have learned to simplify and minimize our constant needs, but this picture proves we have instead added so much cargo to what we lug around with us everywhere that a simple beach visit getaway has become a burden. Since the whole idea of a day at the beach was comfort and easy fun, is that still the case in this day and age?

It was the summer I was 12 or 13, 1963 or '64, that my family travelled north to Asbury Park. My father was a snare drummer with the Washington, D.C., bagpipe band Denny & Dunipace. My mother & I decided to forgo the competition at a nearby Scottish Games in favor of enjoying the Jersey shore. To one side of a long pier was a secured rope to prevent drownings in the undertow. It was on this particular overcast day that participation gave way to desire as we joined the fun of the others floundering & groping for the lifeline that determined their fate.

It was the summer I was 12 or 13, 1963 or '64, that my family travelled north to Asbury Park. My father was a snare drummer with the Washington, D.C. Pipe Band Denny & Dunipace. My mother & I decided to forego the competition at a nearby Scottish Games in favor of enjoying the Jersey shore. To one side of a long pier was a secured rope that to prevent drownings in the ravinging waters' undertow. It was on this particular overcast day that participation gave way to desire as we joined the fun of the others floundering & groping for the lifeline that determined their fate.

In many of these olde beach photos, folks seem to just come and look at the ocean. Like, "Well, there it is, can we go home now?"