Black's Beach Bares

Newsletter Archive

Word 2000 Version

This is a text archive of Black's Beach Tidings for this year.  It is organized with most recent newsletters at the top.

The Beach in General:
June gave us plenty of gloomy days, but also days of hot sunshine. Few people were here, but most of the US Open days were gloomy. While there were posted signs stating we could not get to the beach that week, people were able to park far and walk down the usual trail.

Perhaps two thousand people have been visiting sunny weekends, only hundreds on weekdays. People generally play in the water during the hot mid-day and move to volleyball when the sand cools off later in the day. The water temperature has ranged from 66-73.

Future Events:
Sunday picnics begin this month. They will all be contingent on good weather. Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. 

You don't have to bring food, but the key to participation is to bring something to share. We provide the fire, but you cook it. Then you pass it around in bite-sized pieces and mingle.

Toys and games are available, including body boards, horseshoes and volleyball. We still have tattoos to pass out. We still lead swims.

National Nude Recreation Week:
National Nude Recreation Week is July 6-13 this year. To us here at Black's Beach, it means doing what we always do, enjoying our freedom to choose not to wear clothes. The problems at San Onofre remind us that we cannot take this freedom for granted.

It's a freedom our forefathers enjoyed, but is facing more challenges every year as our population grows. Will this freedom be reduced to just private property, and from there be restricted to the shower and bedroom?

The Naturist Society (TNS):
TNS is a member organization formed to promote nude recreation and body acceptance. They do this by defending clothing optional use of public land through participating groups like ours. Without their hard work in years past, you would not be nude on this beach or any other.

We constantly need your help. You say you've been coming to Black's Beach for how many years? Has it gotten better? Has it gotten worse? What have you done? What have you given back?

TNS membership is a good start. With TNS membership you get a subscription to their quarterly magazine, discounted admission to resorts, invitations to gatherings and festivals, discounts on Skinny Dipper merchandise and voting privileges. Most importantly your membership adds strength in numbers to protect our choice not to wear clothes. Please join with us to ensure that there is always room on public land for nude recreation. Look for our yellow flag for more information.

San Onofre:
The freedom of our northern brothers at San Onofre is still in jeopardy. Rangers are still intent on revoking Cahill/Harrison, as it applies to San Onofre State Beach. "Nudity Prohibited" signs have been erected at many locations in the park, but rangers have stated publicly that citations will not be given until September 1.

Many people have received a form letter from J. M. Milligan as replies to our letters to Ruth Coleman. In that letter he tries to portray nudity as illegal and Cahill/Harrison as nothing more than an enforcement guideline. We know it is more than that. When rangers or police failed to follow the policy, judges dismissed the charges. This proves it is more than a guideline. It's law.

Currently there is no threat against Black's Beach, but it could happen here next. Please help us fight for our freedom. Friends of San Onofre have hired a lobbyist to try and get an audience with Director Ruth Coleman. They need donations, and Ruth Coleman should continue to receive letters. Please visit our website and visit the Friends of San Onofre site through our "Alerts" page for more detailed information and letter writing suggestions. 

Parking Lots:
As summer use increases, the west lot will fill and people will be forced to use the east lot. Overflow parking has been allowed on the other side of those signs "No Parking" signs, the east lot.

Gay Pride celebrations in Balboa Park will run from July 19-20 this year. That always has an impact on parking here.

The parking lot is often locked promptly at 8pm. Newcomers should know how to get out if they find it locked before they leave. Left of that gate and a ways across the gravel lot is another exit. Look to the right.

Sunsets and the Green Flash:
With a sharp horizon and a clear sky, it should be possible to see the green flash following sunset. Once the sun gets low enough in the sky and the refraction of our atmosphere separates colored images of the sun, we can see the green image after the brighter, red image goes over the horizon. Watch for a moment of green light after sunset. 

Catalina is seen silhouetted by the setting sun late in May and mid-July, perhaps 11-14. We don't always have a clear horizon, but if we can confirm the dates, we should be able to predict this every year.

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest tides in the summer typically occur at about 9pm. We get a wide beach during the busy day, but there's a sharp rise late in the day.

Consider this before taking a long walk. You wouldn't want to return to find your stuff has been washed out to sea. When you're laying down watching the waves get closer and closer, consider that the next big wave might reach you. Spring tides are closely bound to new and full moon, but comparably high a few days before and after. Also the time of highest tide gets about 40 minutes later each day.

Torrey Pines Reef 2:
There is an artificial reef offshore, about 3/8 mile out and 35 feet down. This reef is host to a variety of life, fish, lobster, starfish and other invertebrates. Now that the water is warm, swim expeditions to the reef will take place in the early afternoon. Ambitious swimmers should look for buddies between our two flags, or contact Lloyd through the website. 

The Beach in General:
There were some very warm days in May, but also the typical cool weather. It even rained a day or two.

Perhaps a thousand people visited on hot weekends, but only hundreds on weekdays.

The water temperature has been 68-70 all month. The beach has been wide with much of the sand returned. Often the sand has been too hot for bare feet.

Past Events:
We held our first picnics, Memorial Day weekend, Sunday and Monday. The picnic was lightly attended, two dozen or so. While it was sunny and warm, there was a steady cool breeze. More importantly, exaggerated forecasts of bad weather scared people away.

Only a few people brought food for the grill. There was chicken, hot dogs, sweet corn and pineapple.

Future Events:
We host no picnics in June, because June gloom has ruined them in the past. The time of year when Black's Beach Bares sponsors picnics every Sunday is approaching. They are all contingent on good weather. Ice cream may be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. 

You don't have to bring food, but the key to participation is to bring something to share. We provide the fire, but you cook it. Then you pass it around in bite-sized pieces and mingle.

Toys and the games will be available. We still have tattoos to pass out. We still lead swims.

Parking Lots:
Anyone who has been to the beach recently has noticed all the tents and bleachers. Those are preparations for the US Open, June 9-15. It is clear that the parking lot will be closed most or all of that time, maybe even more. Access to the beach will be difficult or impossible. The glider port will be closed and the parking lot will be a bus stop for the shuttles. If you are determined to visit the beach those days, look for other routes. Some are covered on the website. 

National Nude Recreation Week:
National Nude Recreation Week is July 6-13 this year. To us here at Black's Beach, it means doing what we always do, enjoying our freedom to choose not to wear clothes. Don't take it for granted. They are losing that freedom at San Onofre. We could lose it here someday too.

The Naturist Society (TNS) has been instrumental in preserving nude recreation at Black's Beach and many other sites. Black's Beach Bares and Friends of San Onofre continue to work with TNS. Please join with us to ensure that there is always room on public land for nude recreation. Look for our yellow flag for more information.

San Onofre:
Our northern neighbors at San Onofre State Beach are about to lose their freedom to bare it all. On May 21 Friends of San Onofre were abruptly informed that the Cahill Policy, as it applies to San Onofre, would be revoked June 1. There would then be an "education" month followed by citations beginning July 1.

Information on the Cahill Policy is available through the website and newsletter archives, particularly April 2006.

I attended a meeting with rangers and Friends of San Onofre on May 29. At that meeting we were informed that there is no plan to do the same at other locations, only San Onofre. The meeting did not go well for San Onofre.

Rangers cited lewd conduct on the beach and in the parking lot, as well as trespassing and lewd conduct on Camp Pendleton as the basis for the decision. Friends of San Onofre point out that this is the result of a determined adversary, Richard Haydon, finally being promoted to superintendent of San Onofre.

May 30, Tony Perez, the highest-ranking ranger at the meeting contacted Allen Baylis, our highest representative at the meeting. The park service backed off, but only a little. "Education" begins June 2 and enforcement may be delayed until after Labor Day.

This gives little comfort. It means rangers will spend the entire summer trying to scare people away, and begin citations when there is little resistance.

It would be wrong to simply breath a sigh of relief that it will not affect Black's Beach. The same could happen to us, especially if the strategy works at San Onofre. Help your neighbors and yourself. Visit our "alerts" page. Send a letter to the Parks director. The battle will be expensive, but worthwhile. Send a donation to Friends of San Onofre.

The Naturist Society (TNS):
TNS is a member organization formed to promote nude recreation and body acceptance. They do this by defending clothing optional use of public land through participating groups like ours. Without their hard work in years past, you would not be nude on this beach or any other.

We constantly need your help. You say you've been coming to Black's Beach for how many years? Has it gotten better? Has it gotten worse? What have you done? What have you given back?

TNS membership is a good start. With TNS membership you get a subscription to their quarterly magazine, discounted admission to resorts, invitations to gatherings and festivals, discounts on Skinny Dipper merchandise and voting privileges. Most importantly your membership adds strength in numbers to protect our choice not to wear clothes

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest tides in the summer typically occur at about 9pm. We get a wide beach during the busy day, but there's a sharp rise late in the day.

Consider this before taking a long walk. You wouldn't want to return to find your stuff has been washed out to sea. When you're laying down watching the waves get closer and closer, consider that the next big wave might reach you.

Spring tides are closely bound to new and full moon, but comparably high a few days before and after. Also the time of highest tide gets about 40 minutes later each day. 

The Beach in General:
There were two different heat waves in April, giving us two summer weekends ahead of schedule. Perhaps a thousand people have visited each of those two weekends, only hundreds on weekdays. Few people get in the water, since water temperatures have been 63 most of the month. The sand has been too hot for bare feet several days so far.

Future Events:
The time of year when Black's Beach Bares sponsors events begins this month. We will host picnics Memorial Day weekend and Sunday picnics July through September. They will all be contingent on good weather. Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. You don't have to bring food, but the key to participation is to bring something to share. We provide the fire, but you cook it. Then you pass it around in bite-sized pieces and mingle.

World Naked Gardening Day:
This is a new idea from Seattle's Body Freedom Collaborative. The idea is simply to try gardening nude, indoor, outdoor, private or public, according to what your community will bear. You can plant, rake or pull weeds. If you will be at Black's that day, I suggest removing exotic (non-native) plants. One example I know of is the tumbleweeds. I know I would like to step on their thorns less often. 

Catalina Sunsets:
Catalina is seen silhouetted by the setting sun late in May and mid-July. We don't always have a clear horizon, but if we can confirm the dates, we should be able to predict this every year.

Shark Attack:
There was a fatal shark attack at a nearby beach, Solana Beach. The man was swimming about 1/4 mile from shore with several buddies. They were training for a triathlon. The shark attacked from below and bit both his legs in half. His buddies towed him to shore, but he lost too much blood.

Local news stated that 17 miles of beach were closed; meaning beach users were discouraged from getting in the water for three days. Although Black's Beach was included in that area, no lifeguard said anything when I got in the water. Sharks are always a risk, but there have been very few attacks, 3 in 50 years.

Planets:
After sunset people sometimes like to watch the sky, so I'm including some highlights.

Facing west Sirius will be the first star you see. Far to the right is the constellation of Gemini. They will look like three stars, but one is Mars. Castor is the star on the right, Pollux in the middle and Mars on the left. Mars will move noticeably from night to night.

Saturn will be about straight up when the sky gets dark, brighter than the nearest star, Regulus, in Leo. While Saturn also moves from night to night, Mars moves much faster and will be nearest Saturn July 10.

The Value of Etiquette:
Newcomers should come to understand that etiquette has made our survival possible, and continues to preserve our nude oasis. In answer to the common question, "Why can't we go nude everywhere?" I offer the following explanation.

I can offer no rational reason for this beyond the political reality. The fact is that we are the minority, and the majority only allows us to exist within set boundaries. It's all we can do to keep these small oases open. Nudity outside the boundaries provokes a backlash, sometimes a devastating backlash.

Twice in the last few years the beach has been clothed for the day. Both times the cause was that somebody went out of bounds and somebody else complained. It is everybody's business when somebody crosses the line. Please stop them, if you can.

We all know there are boundaries; otherwise we would be going nude everywhere. Please wear the clothing compulsive "norm" if you go north of Mussel Rocks, south onto the City Beach, or up any trail. Don't try to expand our boundaries on your own. The more likely result would be further loss. That was the reason cited when we lost 1/3 of the beach in 1999. We can only keep this beach open if nudity stays within bounds. 

Parking Lots:
The US Open is at Torrey Pines this year, June 9-15. Considering that the Buick Invitational always impacts our parking, we must expect parking and traffic problems those days too. 

As summer use increases, the west lot will fill and people will be forced to use the east lot. Keep in mind that those no parking signs mean that you should leave a clear path so people can get through to the north lot. Overflow parking has been allowed on the other side of those signs, the east lot.

The parking lot is often locked promptly at 8pm. Newcomers should know how to get out if they find it locked before they leave. Left of that gate and a ways across the gravel lot is another exit. Look to the right. 

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest tides in the summer typically occur at about 9pm. We get a wide beach during the busy day, but there's a sharp rise late in the day.

Consider this before taking a long walk. You wouldn't want to return to find your stuff has been washed out to sea. When you're laying down watching the waves get closer and closer, consider that the next big wave might reach you.

Spring tides are closely bound to new and full moon, but comparably high a few days before and after. Also the time of highest tide gets about 40 minutes later each day.

Membership and Subscriptions:
Both are rather casual. There is no official list of members and I rarely check subscription expirations. Subscriptions by US mail are $10/year, and I ask $2/year for email subscriptions. 

Free copies from the bulletin board and website will continue because keeping people informed is the point. Please consider making a donation anyway. There are monthly expenses for operating the website. Donations can also be directed to Black's Beach Diggers for trail work. You decide if the newsletter, the website or the trail have made your visit better, and donate accordingly. 

Spring is here!
Finally the days are longer than the night and sunsets are in the northwest. Unfortunately it hasn't given us much warm weather yet.

The Beach in General:
There were many, warm and sunny days in March, even a few hot and sunny days. Often there are only dozens of people on the beach, but there have been hundreds of people on hot days. Water temperatures have climbed to 62.

We hardly lost much sand over the winter, but we will now regain that and maybe more. The highest tides will soak much of the beach, but will also bring that sand.

Future Events:
The time of year when Black's Beach Bares sponsors events is approaching. We will host picnics Memorial Day weekend and Sunday picnics July through September. They will all be contingent on good weather. Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. 

May 3	World Naked Gardening
May 25	Sunday Picnic
May 26	Memorial Day Picnic
May 28-31	Catalina Sunsets

World Naked Gardening Day:
This is a new idea from Seattle's Body Freedom Collaborative. The idea is simply to try gardening nude, indoor, outdoor, private or public, according to what your community will bear. You can plant, rake or pull weeds. If you will be at Black's that day, I suggest removing exotic (non-native) plants. One example I know of is the tumbleweeds. I know I would like to step on their thorns less often. 

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest occur about 12 hours apart, but I only list the higher, of the two. This time of year it's a matter of leaving your stuff high enough before taking a walk late in the afternoon.

Spring tides are closely bound to new and full moon, but comparably high a few days before and after. Also the time of highest tide gets about 40 minutes later each day.

		moon	low	high
Apr	6	new	-0.9	6.6  10:03pm
Apr	20	full	-0.4	6.0   9:44pm
May	5	new	-1.5	7.2   9:34pm
May	20	full	-0.6	6.1   9:41pm

Alcohol Ban:
The city of San Diego has passed a one-year ban on alcohol on city beaches, beginning April 1st. This was a reaction to the Labor Day riot of last year.

We call it Black's Beach, but it is in fact Torrey Pines State Beach. Fearing that drunken parties might find a refuge here, state rangers decided to follow suit and ban alcohol here too.

It is the mission of Black's Beach Bares to keep Black's Beach open to nude recreation. It is not within our mission to oppose an alcohol ban. We are neutral on this matter. 

Trail Vandalism:
The trail has suffered vandalism, presumably raided for firewood. Losses were noted March 20 and 23. Despite this setback, Black's Beach Diggers have vowed to repair those spots and continue with their upgrades. 

Parking Lots:
The La Jolla Half Marathon will be Sunday, April 27th this year. North Torrey Pines Road is part of the course, and access will be limited while runners are passing. Try to be patient, or try to time your arrival better.

The 13-mile race begins 7:30am at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and people finish at La Jolla Cove 1-4pm. They should be in the vicinity of Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, mile 9, starting about 10am until noon. 

The north lot will be closed occasionally, for the glider runway. This forces people who use the north lot to share the west and east lots. 

The parking lot is often locked promptly at 8pm. Newcomers should know how to get out if they find it locked before they leave. Left of that gate and a ways across the gravel lot is another exit. Look to the right. 

Tar on the Beach:
The currents sometimes wash tar up onto our beach this time of year. Some of us try to pick it up, but more keeps washing up. Watch your step and watch where you spread your towel. It's very hard to get it off. To remove it, use any oil-based product. Some people carry baby oil, or suntan oil just for that purpose. Even lip balm will work in a pinch. Because some people pick it up, it's less likely other people will step in it or ruin a towel. If you're going to pick it up, consider using a kelp leaf. 

Flies:
We are also entering the time of year when the flies can become a bother. When there is a lot of seaweed and no wind, they don't leave us alone. On those days you will find seaweed covered with flies that swarm every time anybody comes near. Sometimes they even hide in footprints and in the texture of the sand. The remedy is to move the seaweed far from yourself, and out of the path of by passers. It's also a good idea to use some kind of repellent.

Red Tide and Jellyfish:
March 11 I noted a red layer in the top foot of the water. I even video taped it and posted a frame to the trip report. I know red tide is toxic to fish, so it is probably related to the many dead moon jellies I saw on shore that day.

Moon jellies are different from the purple jellyfish we often see here. Moon jellies are clear except for a white, flower-like shape at the center of their dome shaped bodies.

Clothing Optional Oases:
I'm providing a list of some of the other clothing optional opportunities in and around San Diego, for the benefit of readers who don't yet know. Consider them a backup plan for cooler days, or options to fighting La Jolla Half Marathon traffic. There are links to all these clubs through the Black's Beach Bares website, on the "clubs" page. 

San Diego Naturist Club is a new club in San Diego County. Camping Bares is a travel club that meets for potlucks, day hikes and camping. The nudist resorts in the area include De Anza Springs and Sun Island. A little farther away are Glen Eden and Olive Dell. 

Membership and Subscriptions:
Both are rather casual. There is no official list of members and I rarely check subscription expirations. Subscriptions by US mail are $10/year, and $2/year for email subscriptions. 

Many people take free copies from the bulletin board and the people who read newsletters from the website are uncounted too. These free sources of the newsletter will continue, because keeping people informed is the point.

Please consider making a donation anyway. After all, there are monthly expenses for operating the website. Donations can also be directed to Black's Beach Diggers trail workers. You decide if the newsletter, the website or the trail have made your visit better, and donate accordingly. 

Vol. MMVIII

Editor: Lloyd Johnson

Issue: March

Equinox:
The equinox lies ahead, March 19th, about 9:45pm. It gives us a day and night of equal length, 12 hours. It's also a day when the sun sets in the west, rather than northwest or southwest. This should give us a silhouette of San Clemente Island at sunset March 18-20. Afterwards, we will have progressively longer days and sunsets in the northwest.

The Beach in General:
There were only a few warm and sunny days in January and February. There was a great deal of rain. Often there are only dozens of people on the beach, but there have been over a hundred people on hot days. Usually we lose much of our sand by this time, but it's still here. Very high tides do leave us with little dry sand and very low tides leave us with islands and pools in the surf. Water temperatures have been a steady 57. 

Parking Lots:
The north lot will be closed occasionally, for the glider runway. This forces people who use the north lot to share the west and east lots. There is still adequate parking. You just may not park where you prefer.

Calendars:
We are again offering two Black's Beach Calendars, each filled with photos taken at Black's Beach. National holidays are listed as well as our picnic dates and Catalina sunset dates. One features Sunsets and the other is a wildlife theme, all from free dives. It includes crustaceans, fish, jellyfish and other invertebrates. Low-resolution samples are available on our "merchandise" page. The price is $20, shipping already included.

Sunsets and the Green Flash: A popular activity for locals and tourists at Black's Beach is watching sunset. With a sharp horizon and a clear sky, it should be possible to see the green flash following sunset. Once the sun gets low enough in the sky and the refraction of our atmosphere separates colored images of the sun, we can see the green image above the red image. I set a video camera on a tripod, set it at maximum zoom and focused on infinity. I took this frame from my February 27th footage. In the upper left is a passing bird. The oval near center was pale green, the green flash. The lighted area under that was the red glow of the setting sun.

Flies:
This is the time of year when the flies can become a bother. They don't bite, but they are annoying. When there is a lot of seaweed and no wind, they don't leave us alone. On those days you will find seaweed covered with flies that swarm every time anybody comes near. The remedy is to move every single piece of seaweed far from yourself, and out of the path of by passers. It's also a good idea to use some kind of repellent.

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest occur about 12 hours apart, but I only list the higher, of the two. This time of year it's mostly a matter of knowing whether there is dry sand far from the cliffs.

Spring tides are closely bound to new and full moon, but comparably high a few days before and after. Also the time of highest tide gets about 40 minutes later each day.

Tar on the Beach:
The currents sometimes wash tar up onto our beach this time of year. Some of us try to pick it up, but more keeps washing up. Watch your step and watch where you spread your towel. It's very hard to get it off. To remove it, use any oil-based product. Some people carry baby oil, or suntan oil just for that purpose. Even lip balm will work in a pinch. Because some people pick it up, it's less likely other people will step in it or ruin a towel. If you're going to pick it up, consider using a kelp leaf. 

Clothing Optional Oases:
I'm providing a list of some of the other clothing optional opportunities in and around San Diego, for the benefit of readers who don't yet know. Consider them a backup plan for cooler days. There are links to all these clubs through the Black's Beach Bares website, on the "clubs" page. 

San Diego Naturist Club is a new club in San Diego County. Camping Bares is a travel club that meets for potlucks, day hikes and camping. The nudist resorts in the area include De Anza Springs and Sun Island. A little farther away are Glen Eden and Olive Dell.

Black's Beach Diggers:
When it was first built seven years ago, it was hailed as the Stairway to Heaven, because it bridged a treacherous part of the trail. Recently people started calling it London Bridge. Finally, Black's Beach Diggers have taken aim at the problem. Much of the staircase has already been removed and replaced with earthen steps, supported by lumber and steel spikes. Other bad spots in the trail have been identified and targeted for improvement.

The Diggers are not paid, and they buy their own supplies. They are simply nudists who want to keep the trail open. So far this year they have spent nearly $500 on supplies. They accept donations of cash and lumber. You can give them donations when you see them or send it to me and I will forward it. 

Your Submissions Please:
Long-time readers must notice that many things are repeated month after month. Much of this will continue, as there is information that first-time visitors may appreciate.

You can help add variety to these newsletters by submitting an article of your own. You can mail it, email it or give it to me personally. 

Membership and Subscriptions:
There is no official list of members and I rarely check subscription expirations. Subscriptions by US mail are $10/year, and I ask $2/year for email subscriptions. 

Many people take free copies from the bulletin board and the people who read newsletters from the website are uncounted too. These free sources of the newsletter will continue, because keeping people informed is the point.

Please consider making a donation anyway. There are monthly expenses for operating the website. You decide if the newsletter, the website or the trail have made your visit better, and donate accordingly. 

The solstice is past. Days are getting longer and sunsets are moving north. It's the beginning of winter, which means sometimes rain and sometimes sun.

The Beach in General:
There were many warm and sunny days in November and December, but there has also been some heavy rain. Often there are only dozens of people on the beach, but there have been hundreds of people on warm weekends. Some sand has been removed by waves and storms. Mud has been deposited on the beach and is now mostly covered in sand. Spring tides leave us with little dry sand and later give us islands and pools in the surf. Water temperatures have recently dropped to 55. 

Parking Lots:
The Buick Invitational will be early this year, January 21-27. This always impacts our parking and traffic. On these dates you may have trouble reaching the parking lot, finding a space and leaving in a timely manner.

In the past, street parking has been marked a no parking zone. Attendants have also been posted at the parking lot entrance. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't park there. Tell the attendant that you're going to the beach, and they must let you through. That doesn't mean you'll find a space though. If you leave late in the day, you will encounter lots of traffic. 

Trail and Cliffs:
Recent storms have done significant damage to the bottom portion of the trail, and there's sure to be more rain. Black's Beach Diggers have already begun to repair the damage.

Calendars:
We are again offering two Black's Beach Calendars, each filled with photos taken at Black's Beach. National holidays are listed as well as our picnic dates and Catalina sunset dates. One features Sunsets and the other is a wildlife theme, all from free dives. It includes crustaceans, fish, jellyfish and other invertebrates. Low-resolution samples are available on our "merchandise" page. The price is $20, shipping already included. 

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest tides typically occur at about 9am in the winter. As a result, we get mostly wet sand those days, with only a narrow ban of dry sand near the cliff. You may want to bring a chair, or tarp, just to keep dry and away from the cliff.

While the highest tides are closely bound to the new and full moon, these two months they are actually a little higher a few days before. 

Flies:
We are entering the time of year when the flies can become a bother. When there is a lot of seaweed and no wind, they don't leave us alone. On those days you will find seaweed covered with flies that swarm every time anybody comes near. One remedy is to move the seaweed far from yourself, and out of the path of by passers. There is also repellent.

Boundaries:
I'm including a map of the beach with nude use boundaries. Nudity is legal only on portions of the state beach. It is not legal on the trail or city beach. The state beach extends south of the Burro Trail, about 100 yards. Currently there is a mound of sand marking that location. Lifeguards use that mound as a lookout.

The nude area of the state beach extends from there, a little more than a mile, north to Mussel Rocks. That's about 100 yards north of a rusted, often painted, steel buoy. Mussel Rocks can be recognized as the place where rocks stick out of the sand, with mussels and crabs inhabiting them.

Lunar Eclipse:
There will be a total eclipse of the moon the night of February 20. The penumbral phase begins before moonrise, 4:39pm, but hardly anybody notices that anyway. The penumbra is the fuzzy edge that all shadows have. In this case it will be the penumbra of Earth's shadow. By the time the moon rises at 5:34pm, there will be only a sliver exposed to direct sunlight. The umbral phase begins at 5:45pm, when an obvious shadow, of the Earth, will begin to envelop the moon. Totality will begin at 7:02pm, with the moon taking on a copper-red color, and end at 7:50pm. Beginning 9:06pm the eclipse will be reduced to just penumbral again, and last until 10:14pm.

Clothing Optional Oases:
I'm providing a list of some of the other clothing optional opportunities in and around San Diego, for the benefit of readers who don't yet know. Consider them a backup plan for cooler days, or options to fighting Buick Invitational traffic. There are links to all these clubs through the Black's Beach Bares website, on the "clubs" page. 

Camping Bares is a travel club that meets for potlucks, day hikes and camping. The nudist resorts in the area include De Anza Springs and Sun Island. A little farther away are Glen Eden and Olive Dell. There's a new club called San Diego Naturist Club. 

Membership and Subscriptions:
There is no official list of members. Subscriptions by US mail are $10/year, $2/year for email subscriptions. Free copies from the bulletin board and the website will continue, because keeping people informed is the point.

Please consider making a donation anyway. There are monthly expenses for operating the website. Donations can also be directed to Black's Beach Diggers. You decide if the newsletter, the website or the trail have made your visit better, and donate accordingly.