There was an abundance of fish in the bay and in the ocean. Fishermen tried their luck from boats, off the pier, casting from the ocean beach and off the wave swept rocks.

During the period up to World War II, there was very little development in Rye, but as roads were built day trippers and holiday makers came further south to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Families with children enjoyed the freedom of swimming in the bay and playing on the sandy beaches, collecting shells and building sand castles. The tourism industry, which had such humble beginnings as far back as the 1880s, had become the mainstay of Rye by the 1960s.