Black

We have had many sunny days through November and can expect more of the same through December. There are dozens of people there weekdays and over a hundred on weekends.

Winter high tides often leave the sand wet, or at least damp. Dry sand is scarce this time of year and is only found near the cliffs. The cliffs are always unstable, so it’s a good idea to keep your distance. If you want to stay dry and far from the cliffs, you will need a tarp or a chair. Make your own choice, sit close to the cliff or carry down some insulation.

Over summer months a ridge of sand develops and keeps lower elevations of sand protected and dry. High tides and high surf in November have overwhelmed that barrier. The first high tide flooded the beach between the ridge and the cliff. Later high tides have removed that barrier and left us with sand that gently slopes down from the cliff to the surf.

The high tide also removed a volleyball post and washed up large pieces of trash. Fortunately a park ranger was on the beach December 1^st hauling away much of that in his truck.

There have been two rainstorms. The parking lot flooded somewhat, but quickly dried. The trail did suffer minor erosion, but remains intact. A great deal of water is funneled through the ravine at the bottom. It suffers serious damage every winter. Sandbags minimized that last winter. There is talk that Black’s Beach Diggers might do some replacement sandbagging soon.

Modest amounts of mud have already been deposited at the trailhead, and we can expect much more when we get a heavier storm.

All the beach regulars know of the stingrays. Newcomers should know that these bottom fish are found in water as shallow as knee deep. They are not out to attack you, but they will sting you in self-defense. If you are unfortunate enough to step on one, and too slow to lift your foot, their tail comes up and stings you, usually on or around the foot. It’s a reflex. You can avoid this by shuffling your feet when you walk in the surf. This alerts them of your approach and they get out of the way.

For the most part, it is simply a very painful experience. Lifeguards always direct victims to apply heat. The best way is to bury your foot in the hot sand. This only helps if it’s a sunny day. Lifeguards sometimes carry heat pads through the winter. Some beach users also carry heat pads, but there’s no easy way to know who, not yet.

There will be a partial eclipse of the sun December 14, centered around 12:05. For San Diego there will be a coverage of about 21%. Weather permitting, I will set up a telescope with a safe way of viewing. A man with a telescope in front of the landslide should be easy to spot.

Many people think our wildlife is cute, and feed them. Others find out what pests they are, when they raid your unattended bags. What can you do against the birds and squirrels, without hurting them? In answer, I say that wild animals should be afraid of people. It is important for their survival that they be afraid of us.

When you take out your lunch and start eating, the seagulls surround you. What can you do? Throw something harmless at one. I throw my hat. They keep away for a while after that. Try to come pretty close to one. They have to see you as a predator.

Squirrels sneak up on you while you’re eating and get into your stuff when you’re gone. Zipping it into a bag may not be enough. They know how to unzip it. Putting it into your cooler and closing it may not be enough. They can chew through the plastic. They probably won’t finish the job before you return, but your cooler is already ruined by then.

Perhaps you’re heard the squirrels chirping sometimes. Have you noticed that they leave you alone while one chirps. It’s their warning sign. They broadcast this warning whenever there’s a predator around, dogs and hawks primarily. If somebody could reproduce this sound, it might serve as a squirrel repellent.

More Mesa Beach remains open to nude recreation. Negotiation to restore other Santa Barbara beaches to clothing optional status continues.

Grey Whale Cove, in the Bay Area, is no longer under private management. Signs are down but nude use continues without incident.

Elysium Fields was forced to move from their long time home in Topanga Canyon to Malibu. Unfortunately they have run out of money and will be unable to open at their new site. LA County is now left without a site for nude recreation.

When Black’s Beach is inaccessible you might choose to visit one of several nudist resorts in the area.

There are many nudist resorts in Palm Springs. One of them, Desert Shadows, has even begun construction of the first pedestrian overpass in the city. The purpose of the bridge is to join newly acquired property even though a major street divides the two properties.

Many subscriptions expire this month. I am not sending out renewal notices at this time. We are still on an honor system. If you believe your subscription has expired, please renew it. Fees are still very low, $10 for a US mail subscription and $2 for an email subscription.

During our winter it’s not necessary to publish a newsletter ever month. Expect the Jan/Feb issue around the end of January.

Much of September was overcast. In fact some have said that this was the coolest and strangest summer we have ever had. The ocean has cooled down to about 67ºF lately.

Crowds typically number to about a hundred on weekdays and a few hundreds on weekends. Our summer is over, which means we are headed for our harsh winters of only a few hours a day of warm sunshine, still an attractive climate for the beach.

Our Sunday picnics declined through September, which we expected. Sometimes the picnic crowd was only a dozen or so. The fifty plus picnics are a thing of the past and intended for future.

There are no future events planned at this time. We will be using the fall and winter to plan and organize for the spring and summer. Our group will be glad to sponsor picnics next summer, after a restful winter.

For now we are focused on maintaining the beach through the winter. We know we will lose sand, that will return in the summer, and there’s not much we can do about it. We know the trail will suffer in storms. Hopefully Black’s Beach Diggers will do some sandbagging of the trail. The sandbags seemed to sustain the trail through the storms, but have not fared as well against summer foot traffic.

We are talking about keeping heating pads on the beach to treat sting ray victims. Hot sand is the usual treatment, but you can’t count on hot sand in the winter. Lifeguards often carry heating pads in the winter, but it’s also a little harder to find them.

The glider port reports that they collected 47 pints of blood from their September 2^nd blood drive. That is above their target of 40 pints.

The glider port was grounded for two weeks following the September 11^th attack. They suffered serious loss of income and were forced to lay off instructors.

They have common interests with us and have always been our friend. They need to keep the trail open so that their pilots have a way up after they are forced to land on the beach. They provide the port-a-potties in the parking lot. They also provide the shower next to the pay phone.

If you’ve ever watched the hang gliders and thought you were going to try it someday, this would be a good time. I inquired and learned that it’s $150 for a thirty minute tandem flight. watch for a day when they are flying higher. It takes a little more wind to keep two people off the ground. Watch for me. I intend to try a flight soon.

There has been a great deal of vandalism from the end of August through September. 2” galvanized conduit, used for volleyball posts in this case, were bent, later bent back to a useful shape, then a piece removed and hidden. Bulletin boards were taken, replaced and taken again.

Following the September 11^th attack, I added a flagpole to two of the bulletin board posts. That was on a Saturday. I couldn’t yet find a flag to fly from either post, but I found a member who did. We flew his flag from one pole on Sunday. Then the post was cut off, with a hacksaw, before Monday morning. The flagpole on the other post was also broken or cut off.

I will maintain a temporary board when I’m there, but it will be some time before I erect a semi-permanent bulletin board. We must all realize that there’s nothing we can build that a determined vandal cannot destroy. We can only come up with a design that will slow down his destruction.

Marc Doty has 2 original oil paintings that were painted by Bob Fergusson at Blacks Beach in 1993. Bob is a native San Diego artist, and the paintings are 2 from a series he did of the beach. They were shown at the Art in the Rough gallery in Pacific Beach in 1994.

These two paintings measure 36” square. One shows a typical beach scene, hang gliders, the ocean, people walking, etc. The other is called Polaroid. It shows 2 chairs facing the ocean in the foreground and a couple walking toward the ocean in the background. Apparently he painted the chairs from a Polaroid photo, since people on the beach objected to him painting.

If interested, contact Marc Doty at marcdoty@home.com or 619-479-7447. Images will soon be available through the website.

I have read that it can be fatal, if you are stung in the torso. And a friend told me that he narrowly avoided amputation. But, for the most part, it is simply a very painful experience. Lifeguards always direct victims to apply heat. The best way is to bury your foot in the hot sand. This only helps if it’s a sunny day.

Landslides continue to be a safety threat. They can occur at any time, but are more likely when the cliffs are heavy with absorbed rainwater. While the February 15^th slide may look stable, we all know it’s not. Rocks are constantly settling, fracturing and rotating. We have noted a boulder that must have split off another and fell to the beach.

There have been several sunny days lately, but August has been dominated by overcast weather. It was often overcast and warm, only cool a few days.

The ocean has been warm, above 70ºF. Red tide dissipated about as soon as the August newsletter was posted with red tide information. Underwater visibility has been good, allowing me to see small sharks, stingrays, bat rays, guitarfish and dolphins.

Crowds continue to number in the hundreds on weekdays and over a thousand on weekends. Our summer doesn’t end with Labor Day. September is filled with beautiful beach days.

There really isn’t much to tell. Our Sunday picnics seem to have reached capacity. Sometimes the picnic crowd is only a dozen or so, but it is often over fifty. People are cooking zucchini, corn, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, steaks, chicken, carne asada, broccoli and cauliflower.

We have decided to extend Sunday picnics through September. We will continue to set up a grill for general use. We will provide the fire, and also pass out samples of our food. Please bring some of your own food and enjoy a hot meal off our grill. Sharing a variety of food with friends, old and new, is the goal.

Look for our grill just north of the new landslide. We usually light the coals about 1pm and keep them hot until 5pm.

We will be hosting yet another picnic Labor Day. I’ll be making ice cream again. If you want to make a particular flavor of ice cream, talk to me about it and bring that flavor. We will also try making a batch of smoothies, for those that can’t drink milk.

The glider port has arranged for the blood mobile to be present in their parking lot September 2, 1-6pm. You would need to be there between 12-5pm in order to donate. Please donate blood if you can. Show the world what kind of people we are.

I know some people think it is outrageous that I post “rules” on my bulletin board. If you want to call them rules, they all come down to respect. However, I see etiquette as a recipe for survival.

All over the state and country nude beaches are constantly being challenged, often because the users act like everything goes. Two years ago they gave us our lesson and many didn’t learn from it. We lost the south end of our beach. We can still lose it all, even though we are on a state beach.

What happens when you crowd the ladies? They feel uncomfortable and leave, never to return. Wouldn’t it be better if she had such a good time that she came back another day with a friend?

What happens when families stop coming? Residents and law enforcement call it adult entertainment and regulate it.

What happens when the beach is covered in litter? Litter on the beach takes a great deal from the pleasure of the beach experience. Visitors and the media see us as pigs.

Landslides continue to be a safety threat. While the February 15^th slide may look stable, we all know it’s not. Rocks are constantly settling, fracturing and rotating. A few of us were eyewitnesses to a landslide July 13^th at 8:42 am. An area of the cliff face fell straight down, landing on a ledge out of sight from the beach. It appeared as if about a foot thick slab of rock crumbled and fell. We have noted a boulder that must have split off another and fell to the beach.

In June and July the weather has been great for nudism. This is not to say it has been sunny, or that the ocean has been warm. But, even when it has been cloudy, it was still warm.

Through much of June the water temperature was higher than usual, up to around 70. For a time, it seemed like we would have a warm ocean through the summer. Then it suddenly cooled by nearly 10 degrees. The water has only recently warmed back up to nearly 70.

The water color has been interesting too. Red tide has dominated much of July. The water has taken on a golden color sometimes and a reddish brown other times. Visibility has been poor, less than three feet sometimes. Sometimes is has been pitch black ten feet under.

Crowds have been numbering in the hundreds on weekdays and over a thousand on weekends.

The Sunday picnics continue to gain popularity. Sometimes the picnic crowd is only a dozen or so, but it is often over fifty.

The July 4^th picnic with Camping Bares was a big success. There was even some body painting going on. For a while it seemed that we would do a parade, but everybody was having such a good time talking with old friends and meeting new ones that we never got it together.

The July 13^th picnic with The Naturist Society was also a big hit. Somebody counted 70 people at that Friday picnic. A long time user of Black’s Beach, Clara Bailey, was there too. Blair presented his marriage proposal to Claudia on our butts, and on bended knee. She answered yes in five languages, and we have the photos to prove it.

We have decided to extend Sunday picnics through August. We will continue to set up a grill for general use. We will provide the fire, but you will bring your own food. Look for our grill in front of the new landslide. We usually light the coals about 1pm and keep them hot until 5pm.

We will be hosting yet another picnic Labor Day. We will be looking for volunteers to bring food. I’ll be making ice cream again. If you want to make a particular flavor of ice cream, talk to me about it and bring that flavor.

Dinoflagellates are the culprits. These plankton reproduce explosively, probably due to the warm water. The dinoflagellates in San Diego waters have not been found to be toxic, though other places host types that poison the fish and shellfish.

The dinoflagellates here in San Diego are bioluminescent. That is, they glow when turbulence is introduced. Each wave will give off light. If you swim at night, you will see a glow with every stroke. If you walk in the surf at night, every footstep will sparkle. I have not been fortunate enough to visit the beach at night. I took some seawater home in a bottle and shook it up in my dark bathroom. It glowed, so long as I shook it vigorously.

All the beach regulars know of the stingrays. Newcomers should know that these bottom fish are found in water as shallow as knee deep. They are not out to attack you, but they will sting you in self-defense. If you are unfortunate enough to step on one, and too slow to lift your foot, their tail comes up and stings you. It’s a reflex. You can avoid this by shuffling your feet when you walk in the surf. This alerts them of your approach and they get out of the way.

There are purple jellyfish washing up all the time, so there must be more in the water. I see them occasionally while swimming, and I now have personal experience with what they can do. I recently swam into one. At the time it felt like I was swimming over a branch of pine needles. I swam back to shore and for a time my face was feeling a little numb. I spoke with a lifeguard, and he advised me to dab on rubbing alcohol when I get home. He also advised me not to scratch it or welts would result. I had betadine with me and used it as a substitute.

I recall seeing a poster showing a pair of legs underwater with a stingray very close. I would like to find it and post it on the bulletin board. A picture would grab attention and serve as an effective warning. If anybody can help me locate it or make something similar, please do, and pass that on to me.

Landslides continue to be a safety threat. While the February 15^th slide may look stable, we all know it’s not. Rocks are constantly settling, fracturing and rotating. A few of us were eyewitnesses to a landslide July 13^th at 8:42 am. An area of the cliff face fell straight down, landing on a ledge out if sight from the beach. It appeared as if about a foot thick slab of rock crumbled and fell.

Those that come to our activities know that they are a group effort. Many people lend a hand, but one stands out. Dave Cole has been a big part of most every activity. He is often here early to set up and late to put away. He joined me in a little expedition to San Onofre, looking for San Diego people that should be coming here. He was my co-presenter at Swallows recently. Many of you meet him in our area, as he passes around a few newsletters. Now he wants to take on even more responsibility. He wants me to put out his email address, so he can field questions from abroad. Please contact Dave at davec@adnc.com to say thank you.

The Sunday picnics have slowly gained popularity. I estimate that thirty or so people are eating their meal off our grill. In the last month I have seen the following foods go on our grill: hamburgers, hot dogs, sweet corn, corn dogs, sausages, zucchini, cube steak and chicken. We have had the fire going from about 1-5pm.

We have decided to extend Sunday picnics through July. We will continue to set up a grill for general use. We will provide the fire, but you will bring your own food. Look for our grill in front of the new landslide.

July 4^th, I will be coordinating a joint picnic with Black's Beach Bares (BBares) and the Camping Bares (CBares). BBares will be providing the grill and condiments. I will be making ice cream and looking for volunteers to crank it. Please volunteer to bring some food. We will have some extra boogie boards for general use.

July 9-15 is National Nude Week. Please try to spend the week nude. We’ll do our best to make the whole week a party here at Black’s.

The Naturist Society is having their gathering at Swallows July 12-15. They will visit here July 13^th. We are planning a picnic that will be a repeat of the July 4^th picnic. And, we will again provide extra boogie boards.

We may continue the Sunday picnics into August, but we will have to see how it goes in July before making that commitment.

We will be hosting yet another picnic Labor Day. We will be looking for volunteers to bring food. I’ll be making ice cream again.

If you want to make a particular flavor of ice cream, talk to me about it and bring that flavor on an ice cream day.

There is plenty to do on this beach. We’re not going to try and organize your fun here. We will try to facilitate your visit and make it as enjoyable as possible.

Our website will help you find the beach. The photos of the trail will help you decide if you can make the hike.

We have been known to share an umbrella when we see somebody in dire need. We have also been known to share a boogie board and sand castle molds.

We are not solely responsible for the cleanliness of the beach, but we do have much to do with it. Feel free to do your part. Pack your own trash out and pick up some of the trash that constantly washes up here.

We do what we can to ensure your visit is a positive one. Spread the word and come back with friends.

Many are noticing that the parking lot needs to be graded. The glider port owner tells me the city is planning to do it soon. No date was offered.

I noticed the east lot is open now. The no parking signs are down. I wish I could take credit for that, but it looks like the city simply recognized that the time of year has arrived to open that up.

The lifeguards are on their summer schedule now. They built a mound near Indian Canyon for their semi-permanent station. They patrol in their trucks and they have a jet ski for water rescues. They keep a lookout from a perch near the Goat Trail.

I’ve seen a few sunsets on the beach or from the trail. One of the best was June 24^th.

I watched the sun go behind a cloud. The crescent moon added to the spectacle. Then the sun showed its' face between two cloud layers and disappeared again. Then it emerged again between two more cloud layers.

I saw what appeared to be a star. Then I realized it must be Mercury. Then I realized it was too far from the ecliptic; it was actually north of the sun. This "star" was fading in and out, so I didn't quite get a good look at it. I got my friends to see it as it faded in briefly, then out. It moved horizontally to a point above but south of the sun, then it went north again. I also saw a second "star" before sunset.

Not losing track of the sunset all this time, we saw the sun take on almost a pyramid shape. The "stars" must have been aircraft or satellites reflecting sunlight.

I climbed the Burro Trail and saw Mars in the southeast. It looks like a bright orange star. It was about 8:30 when I left the parking lot.

We postponed the May 27 picnic to May 28. May 28 didn’t look much better, but we took our chances and set up for the picnic. Fortune shined on us and so did the sun. At about 2pm the clouds parted and we received the much-awaited sunshine.

Before long Dave and Bill were cooking the burgers and hot dogs. I was cranking the ice cream with the help of Ed and Chris. Bill was serving the potato salad and John was pouring sangria. There were probably 30 people at our Memorial Day picnic.

June 3^rd we fired up our grill as promised. Very few people remembered our offer. I cooked some sweet corn and corn dogs. Others cooked hot dogs. The sun came out from about 3-5pm.

We will set up a grill for general use. We will provide the fire, but you will bring your own food. This will be every Sunday in June. Look for our grill in front of the new landslide.

July 9-15 is National Nude Week. Please try to spend the week nude. We’ll do our best to make the whole week a party here at Black’s.

The Naturist Society is having their gathering at Swallows July 12-15. They will visit here July 13^th. We are planning a picnic that will be a repeat of the July 4^th picnic.

We will be hosting yet another picnic Labor Day. We will be looking for volunteers to bring food. I’ll be making ice cream again.

If you want to make a particular flavor of ice cream, talk to me about it and bring that flavor on an ice cream day.

Traditionally every clothing optional public place has had a ”mayor”. That is usually the person to turn to when you need information, have questions or concerns about boundaries and law enforcement. He/she should also stay in touch with the lifeguards and rangers and try to be aware of anti nudity laws.

Southern California is losing nude beaches. San Onofre has survived overzealous law enforcement because they have a mayor, although she calls herself the “beach mom”. We’ve been without a mayor for a few years now, and we’ve been lucky. But, we can’t count on luck.

I’ve been coming to Black’s Beach for only 10 years. Much of that time I was alone, so many of you may have seen me as just another single man.

Two years ago the city began enforcing the nudity ban on the city beach. I decided that it was time to join a club and defend clothing optional use. I had heard of Black’s Beach Bares on the net, but the site only listed a PO Box.

I was reading on the internet about how Santa Barbara beaches were losing their clothing optional status. Once harassment began, the people scattered and there was no way to gather them together later.

I knew the challenge would come to Black’s Beach, and I knew we weren’t ready to meet it. I knew that a group had to be brought together to prepare for this challenge. I knew that if we were driven off nobody would be able to bring us together and regain the beach.

I didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t see anybody else doing it. I set out to gather members into some club, and promptly struck out.

I expressed my frustration to my friends and got my lucky break. The right man was present. He asked, “Why don’t you restart Black’s Beach Bares? I have the mailing list.” The rest you know from my earlier newsletters.

Am I your mayor? Do I represent you? If you litter the beach I don’t represent you. If you engage in any form of public sex, I don’t represent you. If you crowd the ladies and make them uncomfortable, I don’t represent you. If you won’t abide by the reasonable boundaries imposed by the city and state, I don’t represent you. If you want to enjoy this beach in a clothing-optional, family friendly atmosphere, I intend to represent you.

People have asked me what is Black's Beach Bares about. It’s about a group of people choosing to be the caretakers. It’s about maintaining an atmosphere of comfort, so that people will want to come back, and bring friends. It’s about creating an organization that can speak with a strong voice, should there be problems. It’s about reasoning with park officials when possible.

Mayor is hardly the title for what I do. I speak with park officials. I bring in other groups by meeting with them and getting coverage in national magazines, like the summer issue of Nude and Natural. I feel more like an ambassador.

There is only one change in the May 27th picnic. The ice cream machine is back, by popular demand. We will be making ice cream. Remember, we will have Memorial Day as a backup date, in case of bad weather.

Many have noticed that Salk Institute has again put out notices of their application to expand their parking lot. I believe we should oppose that expansion. Any expansion encroaches on gnatcatcher habitat, an endangered species. I myself have seen three gnatcatchers at once. The survival of a species is more important than more parking. An entire habitat should be preserved in their name. Besides, this parking will not benefit us. It is true that building the additional parking will move Salk parking off the street, but that is only on weekdays, when glider port parking is adequate. Please call Jeanette Temple at Planning and Development Review, (619) 557-7908 and comment on the parking expansion at 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, SDP/CDP/40-0595.

To many of us it seems that the rangers and lifeguards are cracking down on people at the north end. This is a matter of people not understanding the boundaries, or ignoring the boundaries. I post a map with north and south boundaries, but have no description of the eastern boundary.

I contacted the supervising ranger and this is her response. “Everything above beach level from Indian Canyon north is off limits as it is part of the State Reserve. Exceptions are of course the designated trails that begin at Flat Rock and go up. Cliffs to the south of Indian canyon belong to the city.”

Please abide by these boundaries. Violating these physical boundaries and behavioral boundaries puts ammunition in the hands of people who would like to end nudity at this beach.

The Naturist Society will hold their summer gathering at Swallows Sun Island, a nudist club in El Cajon. The gathering will be July 12-15.

Dave Colo of Camping Bares will be leading the Naturist Society to Black’s Beach July 13^th, and Black’s Beach Bares will welcome them with a picnic. Please join us for a hot meal with ice cream dessert.

Many of you who have been to the beach before 1990 probably remember me. If not, you may have heard about my body painting from friends or seen me paint in one of the videos.

Under any condition, I am writing this note to you to encourage you to try the Naturist Gathering at Swallows this year or sometime. Saturday is the main and most important day to go.

I probably went to my first one in the late 70's or by 1980, for sure. Needless to say, I used to give body painting demos at all the gatherings I went to while living in Calif.

I noticed by 1985 though, what was "special" about the gatherings to me. I was standing at the edge of the hot tub at Elysium in the Malibu area and I felt the vibes there that were similar to those I used to feel at Black's Beach in the 70's. I saw that the gatherings attracted the same type of people that Black’s attracted when it began.

If you want to meet very nice people or even meet someone in which to share your life, go to these gatherings. Here in Florida several couples have met and dated and even 2 sets have already married, since I moved here in 1997.

Let's face it. If we love this type of lifestyle, we are never content with mates not appreciating it at all. We even want friends of similar interests and so the events attract like-minded people. All the people at these gatherings love Naturism and want to keep up with what is current in our lifestyle and experience what has become like a family-type reunion with out any fighting or bickering going on.

On top of all these great people are: swimming, dancing, volleyballing and of course hot tubing going on. Workshops in all these fields are given too. Yoga, massage, meditation, naturists politics, health and most any form of workshop you can imagine at major New Age Centers such as: Esalem or Harbin Hot Springs occur at these happenings too.

On top of all this, the pool and hot tub are open all night long for night people, so you can always find someone to talk to until the wee hours of the mornings. I have gotten so elated I have never needed more than four or five hours of sleep at any of these nights, so treat yourself to one of the greatest pleasures of our Naturist Lifestyle.

If you have any further questions or concerns email me at joi@postmark.net As for what to wear and take with you to this event, Lloyd will post it for you. Don't forget a jacket, slacks or socks, because evenings can be chilly and it is better to be safe than sorry, right?

Many of you might recognize me as the swimmer. You may wonder what it is I see under the waves. Lately I’ve seen lots of stingrays. I haven’t heard of any stings yet, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.

I’ve been fortunate not to have been stung. When I swim in deep water, I can’t step on them. When you step on a stingray, they defend themselves by stinging you. Scare them away by shuffling your feet. When you play in the surf, you are at high risk.

Events:

We will be hosting a picnic May 27 and we will have Memorial Day as a backup date, in case of bad weather. We will be grilling burgers, hot dogs and chicken in front of the new landslide.

There won’t be abalone though. The bad weather canceled my trip. I can’t get abalone if I can’t get in the water.

We will set up a grill for general use. We will provide the fire, but you will bring your own food. This will be every Sunday in June. Look for our grill in front of the new landslide.

I'm looking for other volunteers to bring food. I will be able to fill some of this grocery list with CBares. I thought we should have some hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken for the grill. Some white corn for the grill would be a good idea too. Other food like potato salad, melons and other fruit would be good too. If you plan to bring something, please let me know. It would be a shame to bring too much of one thing and have to carry it back up the cliff. Please see me on the beach or visit my website to see what is already covered.

Things we need: hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, chicken, white corn, melons, salads

The Naturist Society is having their gathering at Swallows July 12-15. They will visit here July 13^th. We are planning a picnic that will be a repeat of the July 4^th picnic.

May 27	picnic
May 28	backup date for picnic
June 3	grill available
June 10	grill available
June 17	grill available
June 24	grill available
July 4	picnic with Camping Bares
July 13	picnic with TNS

I have two Boogie boards, but I'm already at my capacity to carry. If somebody will volunteer to carry them down, they will be available to all users.

Only a few people have come forward with names of places and I spoke with a lifeguard too. I think most people know of a place we call Spencer Canyon, but the lifeguards call it Hully Gully. It’s the place Where Al used to hang out.

The lifeguard couldn’t explain why, but the place where the landslide occurred was called Windows. He said it had something to do with all the hang gliders crashing there. I will be contacting geologists soon to find out what name they’ve given to that slide. I was thinking of calling it Valentine Slide, since it might have happened Valentine’s Day. There is Lone Palm at the southern edge of the landslide.

There is the rusted buoy near Mussell Rocks. The lifeguards call this Steel Ball. There is Indian Canyon and the North Trail.

There are the two trails south of the glider port. One of these is the goat trail, which has signs stating False Trail at the top and bottom. There is the main trail, sometimes called the Burro Trail. This trail is sometimes improved with staircases and handrails.

The big news at Black’s Beach is the February 15^th landslide. Nobody could recall a bigger one. The landslide occurred at an area between the two main trails. I’ll describe it so that you might understand just where it is. I have before and after pics on my web page, so you can see for yourself.

It buried an area where I spent many days, including the Labor Day picnic. There was a cliff rescue of a hang glider pilot Labor Day weekend, in that same spot. Pablo used to play volleyball there and people often pitch horseshoes nearby.

The landslide nearly buried our only palm tree. The palm tree is just south of the landslide. This palm tree was nearly buried two years ago in a much smaller landslide.

Some of my friends say Kevin’s cove was destroyed by this landslide, but I doubt you all called it that. In fact, I have found that everybody, including lifeguards and rangers, call places at Black’s by different names. I’ve even heard the same name used to describe different places.

I would like to collect names that people use for spots on the beach. Then I’d like to compare these names against other claims and come up with definitive names for all places. This would be useful in describing events at Black’s, arranging meetings and calling emergency services. Hopefully these names will stick, but they will have to change as the coastline changes.

If you would like to contribute, please contact me, on the beach, in cyberspace, or write me.

We are in the process of planning a Memorial Day picnic. I plan to try the abalone cookout again. I would like to tell you more, like time and place, but we’ve been displaced from our usual place by the landslide. It’s difficult to get all concerned parties present to discuss a new spot, when it’s still winter. Look for details in the April newsletter.

Recently the weather at Black’s has been cold and cloudy. This is, after all, our rainy season. Here it is mid March and finally the weather has improved.

The trail has suffered only minor damage from the latest storms. That damage has been quickly repaired by Black’s Beach Diggers. Both Steve and Robert beat their trail building citations.

I realize that not everybody agrees with the nude beach etiquette I post. But the fact of the matter is that failing to follow these guidelines endangers the clothing optional status of our beach. People don’t talk about closing a drive-in theatre because people are having sex there, but they do talk about closing our beach when we are less than perfect.

Nude beach etiquette is a set of standards, often left unspoken. It leaves offenders without the excuse of ignorance. Etiquette informs newcomers what to expect and that they are not alone. Nobody should feel that they are facing rude people alone.

Nude Beach Etiquette

Don’t go out of established nude areas. To wander nude into clothing compulsive territory may offend many, and undermine our objectives. The beach you save may be your own.

No overt sexual activity. Nude is not lewd, but combined with sex, it undermines our image and could cost us our freedom and enjoyment of the beach.

Do not photograph people without their permission. It is common courtesy to ask first. Not everyone wants to end up in a stranger's photo album. Never photograph any children but your own.

Respect other’s privacy. Many are at the beach for quiet time. Don't monopolize a person's time unless the welcome mat is out. Recognize when you are unwelcome.

Speak up for our standards. If a person seems unaware of beach etiquette, explain it kindly and plainly. Give them a copy of "Nude Beach Etiquette". Don't let uncouth individuals ruin our fragile and beautiful place under the sun. The beach you save could be your own.

Pack it in, pack it out. There is no trash collection at Black’s Beach. If you carried it down, you must carry it back up. It is recommended that you pack out a little more than you packed in. Not everyone packs theirs out and much trash washes up from other beaches.

I had to evacuate my quarters at the time of the Viejas fire. Yes, there was smoke as far away as La Mesa! I decided I was not getting much work done anyway, and it was definitely time for some fresh air.

And the beach truly was a sight to behold. At least there was fresh air for the breathing, but further overhead, the smoke continued all the way out over the ocean as far as the eye could see.

Then the sunset was something out of science fiction. I really wish I had had a camera with me, although I also have to question how much a mere picture of the event could ever convey.

The sun was as red as a glowing ember, and this was early in its descent. Later, as I climbed the cliffs, the sun at times was entirely obscured by a plume of smoke streaking outward toward the horizon. And to the extent that the sun was able to pierce that plume at all, it was blood red.

Black's Beach is always majestic. And yet sometimes the sheer range of majesty is utterly awesome.

I invite other contributions. And, there is room on the bulletin board for opposing viewpoints, so long as you take responsibility by putting your name on it. A nickname would be fine. After all, we all know who Rose Man is and I even have his picture on my web page.

If you were present December 3^rd, you were probably wondering what happened to the abalone cookout and birthday party. I hiked down to the beach at about 9:30, despite the cold and the fog. By 12:00 I admitted that it not clear or warm up, and there wouldn’t be many people anyway.

I abandoned my party plans and hiked up. I’m told it did clear and warm up that day, but there weren’t many people on the beach. I hope you were not one of the few who were disappointed.

I will have other opportunities to hunt abalone. And we will sponsor other activities at times when better weather is likely. We will be doing picnics Memorial Day, July 4^th and Labor Day.

For the half of December that I was in San Diego we enjoyed moderate temperatures. Typically it was warm on the beach from 10am to 2pm.

Now it’s January and I’ve been to the beach a few times already. I’m finding warm weather until about 4pm lately.

I’m also finding the tide so high and so much sand has been moved to under the surf that it often forces us against the cliffs. We should all be mindful of the cliffs and consider carefully where to sit. I have witnessed a few rock slides myself and it would be tragic to lose somebody to one of these rock slides.

Even if the tide is not very high, the last high tide has left us with wet sand. You might consider a waterproof barrier to sit on. I know my towel is always damp at the end of the day.

We lost the bulletin board in the north to the January 12^th storm. I found the post and broken board laying on the beach. I intend to have that back up soon enough for you to read this newsletter there.

Our clothing optional beach survives because it’s a state beach, but the trail belongs to the city.

San Diego has been hit with our first big storm. Our trail suffered serious damage. Apparently the city closed it during the storm, which makes sense.

I found the trail to be very slippery near the bottom January 13^th. The sand bags at the bottom held up for the most part, but the soil between them was lost.

Apparently Black’s Beach Diggers did some trail restoration and it was already much improved that same day. I understand one of the Diggers, Steve, was cited for trail construction while I was out of town. I saw Robert cited January 14^th.

Robert is seeking legal representation. If you can be of assistance, please contact him at rms@cts.com

We have fared well here in San Diego, but our northern neighbors have suffered some serious loses.

Last summer Santa Barbara lost all three clothing optional beaches. It now seems that they might regain one, More Mesa.

Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks both passed anti-nudity ordinances. These ordinances might have been voted down if more local residents would have spoken against them.

It is my hope that when this challenge comes to our beach, we will be well represented in that council meeting. Even if you are an outsider, remember another word for what you are, tourist.

For those of you seeking clothing optional activity, and the beach scene just isn’t enough for you, I’m listing here a few other places you might consider.

There is our neighbor beach in the north, San Onofre, with their group, Friends of San Onofre Beach.

I have not had nude beach etiquette posted in a while. It’s always worth it to keep newcomers informed.

Nude Beach Etiquette

Don’t go out of established nude areas. To wander nude into clothing compulsive territory may offend many, and undermine our objectives. The beach you save may be your own.

No overt sexual activity. Nude is not lewd, but combined with sex, it undermines our image and could cost us our freedom and enjoyment of the beach.

Do not photograph people without their permission. It is common courtesy to ask first. Not everyone wants to end up in a stranger's photo album. Never photograph any children but your own.

Respect other’s privacy. Many are at the beach for quiet time. Don't monopolize a person's time unless the welcome mat is out. Recognize when you are unwelcome.

Speak up for our standards. If a person seems unaware of beach etiquette, explain it kindly and plainly. Give them a copy of "Appropriate Behavior". Don't let uncouth individuals ruin our fragile and beautiful place under the sun. The beach you save could be your own.

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Newsletter Archive

August 5

Nude Beach Etiquette

Nude Beach Etiquette