Black's Beach Bares

Newsletter Archive

Winter begins soon.
The holiday season is upon us. Soon we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, the winter solstice and Christmas, followed by New Years and perihelion. Our shortest day of the year will be December 22nd and perihelion will be January 4th.

The Beach in General:
The beach is unscathed by the San Diego fires. The air has been
filled with smoke, and ash rained down on the beach. Veins of ash
were seen in the water and washed up on the shore. But none of the
land surrounding the beach was even threatened.

Much of October was marked by fog or hazy sunshine. Most of those days were still warm.

Hundreds of people have been taking advantage of warm weekends. Dozens still show up hoping the day will turn from foggy to sunny, even on weekdays.

We have already lost a little sand. Much more will be lost during
November and December, forcing us to seek dry sand near the unstable
cliffs. 

Fire Losses:
Some of our members were evacuated and some spent Sunday watering their house. There is no information that any of our members lost lives. We have at least one member that lost his home at Swallows.

Early reports claimed that Swallows Sun Island burned to the ground. Jim Schafer assures us that no lives were lost there.

The resort has suffered greatly. Nearly all the residences were
destroyed, but much of the resort facilities appear to be intact.
Most of the fence is gone and must be replaced before anybody can get naked there. Much plumbing and electrical work needs to be done. Jim hopes to get everything fixed and reopen in two weeks.

Photos of the damage can be seen on-line. A link to the site is
provided by blacksbeach.org on the "Alerts" page.

As this newsletter goes to press, the fires are still burning and
insurance adjusters have not yet seen all the damage. The residents I
spoke to seemed to be covered well, in terms of insurance and other
charitable donations. No doubt they will need help clearing the
debris.

De Anza Springs Resort was left without power. Deep Park, in Devore, had fire up to their gate and suffered some small damage.

Waves and Erosion Experiment: 
Scripps Institute of Oceanography continues to conduct their
experiment on Black's Beach. They have trailers, an outhouse and many instruments on the beach and in the surf. They have signs describing how they are marked, but some of those markers break off due to surf conditions. I know of one man who ran into an unmarked sensor, and was seriously injured. There are steel cables leading from the sensors off-shore, as deep as twelve feet. Many markers for these sensors can be seen in the surf. There are also a few sensors on stands, in shallower surf, as well as a relay station at the base of the Burro Trail. There are a few pictures attached to trip reports on our website. 

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 and 9pm.
The highest these months will be in the morning. As a result, we get
a wide beach, of not quite dry sand, during the busy day. As a
result, people sometimes sit near the unstable cliffs. Then the beach
gets narrower late in the afternoon. Keep in mind that the tides a
few days before and after are comparably high.

November and December 23rd are the dates to look out for. There will be no dry beach those days. You should plan to bring a chair or a tarp.

Trail and Cliffs:
There has been significant landslide activity just north of Valentine
Slide. This is the place that Black's Beach Bares calls home, and
shows how we live on the edge. The source of the falling rocks is the
same place from which rocks fell September 22nd last year. Looking up the cliff, it's clear that there will be more. Sitting among those recently fallen rocks would seem foolish, when there's dry sand elsewhere on the beach. 

Watching our Boundaries:
One of the leading causes of losing clothing optional use of public
land is crossing the line in the sand. Our lines at Black's Beach are
the city beach to the south, Mussel Rocks to the north and the cliffs
to the east.

Clothing is required on the cliffs and trails. You must wear clothes
from your car to the beach and from the beach to your car. You don't have to wear clothes on the whole beach.

At the base of the Burro Trail is Torrey Pines State Beach, where you may undress. About 180 paces south, a left turn, is Torrey Pines City Beach. This is a place where you must wear quaint things called
bathing suits, even when swimming, and even though they keep you cold after you get out.

The marker for Torrey Pines City Beach is only visible if you are
looking for it. There's a square yellow post with the letters T P C
B. There is also a white sign that says nudity is prohibited by city
ordinance. There are two of those signs near the yellow post and
there are more further south.

A little over a mile to the north, a right turn from the Burro Trail,
is our other boundary. Mussel Rocks is the first place where you will
find large rocks in the surf. There is life on and between the rocks,
including tiny crabs. Where exactly that line is, is not clear. But,
you will know you've passed it when you spot the iron sign with raised letters. It says, "AREA CLOSED NUDITY PROHIBITED." This means you should have already donned some garb that draws attention to what it covers.

Please pay attention to these boundaries. None of us like it when you get a citation. If you see somebody across the line without clothes, please tell them. Some people only take the newsletter on their way home.

Subscriptions:
This is a good time to remind people that subscriptions are $10/year.
Many subscribers have not paid for renewal and I have not checked for expired subscriptions. Please renew your subscription or make a
donation, if you value these newsletters. I ask a $2 donation 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 more important. Please consider making a donation anyway. 

Fall is upon us.
Fall has arrived and our nights are now longer than our sunny days. The tides and wave action will begin the annual removal of sand, depositing it offshore and underwater. Those of us who remain through the year will sit closer to the cliffs until the waves return our sand and make the beach wide again.

The first half of September was sunny and hot. Then the weather changed to overcast, accompanied by red tide. The water has taken on a reddish-brown color. Visibility has dropped to less than two feet.

Past Events:
Black's Beach Bares hosted over a dozen picnics through the summer. A wide variety of hot food was served from our grill. Several different chicken recipes were prepared on our grill. Shrimp, salmon and catfish were sometimes on the menu too. Plenty of hot dogs hamburgers and bratwurst were passed around too. Vegetables from the grill included sweet corn, zucchini, squash and eggplant. Even a few fruits were cooked on the grill. 

Black's Beach Bares attended the gathering at De Anza Springs. Dave, Claudia and Lloyd participated in several discussions, and even led a few. We participated in activities as simple as a balloon toss and others as serious as how to negotiate with local officials.

Future Events:
Black's Beach Bares will continue to maintain a presence on the beach, without picnics. Sunday picnics are over for the year, but will resume in May.

Citations on the City Beach:
Citations were issued to two men from out-of-town on July 18. One of those men reported for his hearing September 18th. He plead guilty to disorderly conduct and paid a fine just over a hundred dollars. He plead guilty to an infraction because it's a lesser offense than the misdemeanor he was charged with.

Nudity on the city beach has been illegal for more than twenty years. That law was not enforced until three years ago. The boundary was well marked until just a few months ago.

The boundary is marked but it is not very visible and visitors will have no idea what the marker really means. One of the markers is a square, yellow post with the letters TPCB, for Torrey Pines City Beach. The other marker is a sign that says "Nudity Prohibited." What is not clear is that this yellow post and sign mark the southern boundary where nudity is tolerated, and legal, under the Cahilll Policy.

I counted 180 paces south from the Burro Trail to the markers. Visitors should take a little time to identify this boundary and avoid crossing it without clothes. People should avoid the citations, but if cited, should contact Black's Beach Bares or TNS to fight it. 

Shirts:
Despite an earlier statement concerning shirt colors, they are now available in black. To make up for color conflicts, the two figures are now done in skin tones. Hats are also available. Please have a look at the website and see what's available.

The Naturist Society (TNS):
We enjoy our clothing optional beach, and many of you have no idea why it exists. These days there is great opposition to the kind of freedom we enjoy. We continue to exist under the Cahill Decision. It allows skinny-dipping in state parks that are traditionally recognized for skinny-dipping. How did these state parks become traditionally recognized?

Nude use predated the 70's, but was threatened in the 70's. The Naturist Society fought to keep these places clothing optional and the tradition became established.

You can join TNS because you owe them your gratitude, but I think you should join them to defend our freedom. "Constant vigilance is the price of liberty." TNS is an important part of that vigilance. Keep informed through your subscription to Nude and Natural.

Most of us don't want to get involved in the politics. Nobody wants to write newsletters and monitor government officials. But, if somebody doesn't do this, then misguided people will succeed in taking away our freedom in the name of freedom.

Nude and Natural is not only political, telling you our legal wins and losses. It also includes site reports. With your subscription to Nude and Natural you may learn of a wonderful place for your next vacation. . 

Waves and Erosion Experiment: 
Scripps Institute of Oceanography has been conducting an experiment on Black's Beach. They set up signs at the bases of each trail, advising visitors of their sensors off-shore, as deep as twelve feet. Many markers for these sensors can be seen in the surf. There are also a few sensors on tripods, in shallower surf, as well as a relay station at the base of the Burro Trail. There are a few pictures attached to the September 21-29 trip reports on our website.

They will be studying how waves interact with underwater canyons to produce surf and move sand. They will be taking measurements with Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and they will be riding jetskis with sonar systems for measuring sand depth. 

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 and 9pm. Don't be caught off guard when it reaches your spot. Keys are very hard to find in the surf and towels are heavy when soaked by seawater. Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

moon low high
Oct 10 full 0.6 6.0 9:58am
Oct 25 new 0.5 7.0 9:31am
Nov 9 full -0.2 6.3 8:40am
Nov 23 new -1.7 7.5 8:02am

This is more important in the fall because the beach begins to lose sand and the tide comes closer to the cliffs. While you may not be on the beach when it's high, you just might be looking for dry sand a little after high tide. You might consider bringing a chair or tarp 

Red Tide:
Our red tide is caused by bioluminescent dinoflagellates. That is, tiny forms of life that 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. If you can't manage to be here at night, take some water home and shake it up in a dark room.

The exact cause of red tide remains unknown, but it's believed to be caused by an upwelling of cold water, rich in nutrients. The dinoflagelates in shallower water consume the nutrients and experience a population explosion. It also means the water gets cooler.

Fall Approaching:
Summer comes to a close this month. September 22nd is the last day of summer this year. Starting September 23rd nights will be longer than days. The weather will still be sunny and warm, but they will be shorter days.

The Beach in General:
There were many hot and sunny days in August. The sand has been so hot that people are running barefoot or walking in sandals in all but the wet sand. There were also a few cloudy and humid days, even a little sprinkling on the beach, but even then it was warm.

Thousands of people have been taking advantage of weekends. There have been at least a hundred on weekdays.

Water temperature has been up and down. Underwater visibility has been poor. There have been days when a lot of seaweed is churned up in the surf.

Past Events:
We have hosted many Sunday picnics. Some days there have been nearly a hundred participating. Some of the hot food from our grill has included: hot dogs, bratwurst, salmon, trout, hamburgers, zucchini, squash, sweet corn, eggplant, steak, shrimp, many different chicken recipes and pineapple.

We've made ice cream on a few occasions. We've added a few new flavors like banana and mint & chip.

Future Events:
Black's Beach Bares continues to host Sunday picnics through September. They will still be contingent on good weather, but September is when we get our best weather. Ice cream will be made on Labor Day, September 21st and maybe one more Sunday.

Aug 31 Sunday Picnic
Sept 1 Labor Day
Sept 7 Sunday Picnic
Sept 14 Sunday Picnic
Sept 21 Sunday Picnic with Naturist Society
Sept 28 Sunday Picnic

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 and 9pm. As a result, we get a wide beach during the busy day and it gets narrower late in the afternoon. Don't be caught off guard when it reaches your spot. Keys are very hard to find in the surf and towels are heavy when soaked by seawater.

moon low high
Sep 10 full -0.6 6.3 10:00pm
Sep 26 new -0.2 6.1 10:24pm
Oct 10 full 0.6 6.0 9:58am
Oct 25 new 0.5 7.0 9:31am

Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

Parking Lots:
On busy weekends, 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.

Stingrays and Jellyfish:
There have been a lot of stingray strikes lately. This happens when you step on them in the surf. Stinging you is their way of saying, "Get off!" They can often be seen in shallow surf, even knee deep. It's best to avoid the sting by making sure the rays know you're coming and can get out of the way. The sting is excruciatingly painful. It's treated with heat. Bury the affected area in hot sand.

Jellyfish are seen washed up on the beach, often in pieces. Alive or dead, whole or in pieces, they sting on contact. These animals are unable to see you and pursue you, especially near the shore. They are very much victims of water currents and surf. If you see one in the water, note the direction the water takes them and keep out of the way. If it's washed up, keep kids away or bury it.

I have been stung twice. It's as if you've come in contact with poison ivy. Don't scratch it, because it leaves behind microscopically tiny pods that inject more venom. Scratching it only spreads a rash. Lifeguards have advised people to dab on rubbing alcohol. More recently they have applied ice packs to the effected area. The itch passes after about an hour, if you don't scratch. 

Errors in Last Issue:
I mixed up new and full moons on the table of spring tides in the August issue.

Western Naturist Gathering:
This year the Western Naturist Gathering is at De Anza Springs Resort in Jacumba, CA. This is a great opportunity to visit one of the premier nudist resorts on the West Coast and would let you see an alternative to the beach during bad weather. This would also be a great time to show your support for our beach.

The dates are September 18-21. Many of the events are political in nature, for the purpose of preserving or expanding nude recreation at Black's Beach and other select sites. The itinerary includes activities as simple as a coin dive for the kids to a summary of the foes of naturism.

Black's Beach Bares members Lloyd Johnson, Dave Cole and Claudia Kellersch will be giving presentations. Those topics will include the status of Black's Beach, the value of chivalrous behavior, Spanish phrases and places to get naked in Mexico. Dave Cole will host the coin dive and provide transportation to Black's Beach on Sunday.

Sunday activities will be held at Black's Beach. The entire Gathering is invited to the beach for our weekly picnic. There should be a bigger crowd on the 21st, our regular crowd, plus attendees to the Gathering. We have nothing special planned for the day, just our regular picnic. We want to show them what a normal Sunday is like for us. I hope you will choose to be at the beach that day, and also take the opportunity to attend the Gathering on the days before 

You can get more information from us on the beach, or through our websites. 

Citations on the City Beach:
Nudity on the city beach has been illegal for more than twenty years. That law was not enforced until three years ago. The boundary was well marked until just a few months ago. Lifeguards used to set up cones and a portable sign daily. They say they won't be doing that anymore, for three reasons: 1) The city attorney advised them not to because it implies that nudity is legal on the state beach. 2) They don't have the space to store the cones and sign. 3) They don't have the time to set it up and take it down daily. 

The boundary is marked but it is not very visible and visitors will have no idea what the marker really means. One of the markers is a square, yellow post with the letters TPCB, for Torrey Pines City Beach. The other marker is a sign that says "Nudity Prohibited." What is not clear is that this yellow post and sign mark the southern boundary where nudity is tolerated, and legal, under the Cahilll Policy.

I counted 180 paces south from the Burro Trail to the markers. I also noticed one day that lifeguards left deep circular tracks in the sand and tire tracks leading back to the cliff where these markers are posted. Visitors should take a little time to identify this boundary and avoid crossing it without clothes.

Citations were issued to two men from out-of-town on July 18. Black's Beach Bares and The Naturist Society are in touch with the two men for the purpose of fighting the citations. People should avoid the citations, but if cited, should contact Black's Beach Bares to fight it.

The Beach in General:
July has been a hot and humid month, often sunny and sometimes overcast. There have been thousands of people on busy weekends and hundreds on weekdays. The sand has been hot enough to blister feet much of the day.

Past Events:
July 4th was a very busy day on the beach. There must have been several thousand on the beach. There were over a hundred in the picnic area. Some of the hot food from the grill included hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, chicken, salmon, sweet corn, zucchini and squash. We made four batches of ice cream, two strawberry and two raspberry.

July 12th we combined forces with Friends of San Onofre Beach, Deep Creek Volunteers and Southern California Naturist Society. We all met at San Onofre and hosted a picnic there. We grilled hot food and made ice cream.

Future Events:
We will host Sunday picnics through September. They are all contingent on good weather. Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. 

Aug 3 Sunday Picnic
Aug 10 Sunday Picnic
Aug 17 Sunday Picnic
Aug 24 Sunday Picnic
Aug 31 Sunday Picnic
Sept 1 Labor Day
Sept 7 Sunday Picnic
Sept 14 Sunday Picnic
Sept 21 Sunday Picnic with Naturist Society

Trail Improvements:
There has been a big improvement in the Burro Trail. July 3rd Black's Beach Diggers installed a stairway. The stairway was built in the place most needed, in the narrow ravine where the rope hold was used to get past a few huge, narrow steps. People immediately began calling it the stairway to heaven. Anyone wishing to make donations can send them to Black's Beach Bares, and they will be passed on to Black's Beach Diggers.

Parking Problems:
As of July 10th the one telephone pole laying in the middle of the parking lot is gone. This was the last of three poles that once set a standard for orderly parking. With the last pole gone, we can expect less orderly use of the lot and wasted space. At worst, disorderly parking will result in the loss of twenty spaces.

Visitors should expect the west lot to fill early on summer weekends and holidays. 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.

People have also been parking adjacent to the gate. They don't seem to know that the path set apart by railroad ties is actually the lifeguards' emergency access road. That area within reach of the gate is the entrance to that road. Please don't block it by parking your car there. 

Stingrays and Jellyfish:
There are stingrays in our water all year, but they become a problem as the water warms up. There are often lots of little stingrays in the shallow water, even knee deep. As people begin to play in the water more, more people will step on them and get stung. The sting is excruciatingly painful. It's treated with heat. Bury the affected area in hot sand.

Jellyfish are seen washed up on the beach, but how many people give thought to the fact that there must also be some in the water? Even a dead piece of a jellyfish stings on contact. Recently a little girl touched one and spread it all over, much like poison ivy. Don't scratch it, because it leaves behind microscopically tiny pods that inject more venom. Advice from lifeguards has changed, but they once advised me to dab on rubbing alcohol.

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 and 9pm. As a result, we get a wide beach during the busy day and it gets narrower late in the afternoon. Don't be caught off guard when it reaches your spot. Keys are very hard to find in the surf and towels are heavy when soaked by seawater.

moon low high
Aug 12 new -1.2 7.0 10:15pm
Aug 27 full -0.8 6.9 9:53pm
Sep 10 new -0.6 6.3 10:00pm
Sep 26 full -0.2 6.1 10:24pm

Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high. While the highest tides are closely tied to the new and full moon, this month they are actually a little higher a few days before. 

Avoiding Sunburn:
Summer also means it's easier to get a sunburn. Visitors to Black's Beach often want to get that all over tan in the few days they are here. Usually what they get is an all over sunburn. Using sun-block is a good idea, but you should also use some shade.

The better way to get your all over tan is to stay in the shade until about 2:30, then tan in the afternoon sun. The mid-day summer sun is higher and too intense for tanning. You may even get sunburned in the morning and not realize it. Then, if you resume sunbathing in the afternoon, your sunburn will get worse. There is plenty of ultraviolet in the afternoon sun for a tan. 

Schedule Change:
Despite what was said in the June newsletter, there will be no picnic July 5. It's been decided that picnics three days in a row is just too much work.

Summer is here!
Our longest day is behind us, but many long hot days are ahead. Hopefully June gloom is also behind us. This has been one of the worst Junes ever. Most days have been warm and humid but overcast. Sunny days have been rare. We have even been forced to cancel two picnic, June 8 and 22.

Beach attendance has numbered in the hundreds some weekends and only dozens on overcast weekdays. Much of our sand has returned to the beach, so people are finding more deep, dry sand far from the cliffs. The hot sand near the cliffs will burn unprotected feet.

Aphelion, when Earth is farthest from the sun, is July 4 at about 8am. On average we are 93 million miles from the sun, but at aphelion we are 94.5 million miles away. It's hot in the summer due to the angle of sunlight and the longer days. Because aphelion happens in our summer, we get a longer summer than those unfortunate southern hemisphere inhabitants.

Future Events:
Black's Beach Bares continues to sponsor picnics through the summer, Sundays and holidays. This year they are all contingent on good weather. Ice cream will be made on holidays and exceptionally hot Sundays. 

July 4 Independence Day Picnic with Camping Bares
July 6 Sunday Picnic
July 7-13 National Nude Recreation Week
July 13 Sunday Picnic
July 20 Sunday Picnic
July 27 Sunday Picnic
Aug 3 Sunday Picnic
Aug 10 Sunday Picnic
Aug 17 Sunday Picnic
Aug 24 Sunday Picnic
Aug 31 Sunday Picnic

National Nude Recreation Week:
National Nude Recreation Week is July 7-13 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. There are those who would point out they fought for our freedom. Let's tell them we appreciate it when they don't try to take it back. 

Nude Bridge in Palm Springs:
The first pedestrian bridge has been built in Palm Springs. It joins nudist housing to Desert Shadows, a nudist resort. Black's Beach Bares made a $100 donation to the Naturist Education Foundation and in return a plaque will be placed on the bridge. Our plaque will read "Black's Beach Bares www.blacksbeach.org"

Western Naturist Gathering:
This year the Western Naturist Gathering is at De Anza Springs Resort in Jacumba, CA. The dates are September 18-21. Many of the events are political in nature, for the purpose of preserving or expanding nude recreation. The itinerary includes activities as simple as a coin dive for the kids to a summary of the foes of naturism. Black's Beach Bares members Lloyd Johnson, Dave Cole and Claudia Kellersch will be giving presentations, and it will end with a day trip to Black's Beach. 

Stingrays and Jellyfish:
There are stingrays in our water all year, but they become a problem as the water warms up. Very soon now there will be a population explosion and there will be lots of little stingrays in the shallow water, even knee deep. As people begin to play in the water more, more people will step on them and get stung. The sting is excruciatingly painful. It's treated with heat. Bury the affected area in hot sand.

Jellyfish are seen washed up on the beach, but how many people give thought to the fact that there must also be some in the water? These animals are unable to see you and pursue you, especially near the shore. They are very much victims of water currents. If you see one in the water, note the direction the water takes them and keep out of the way. Even a dead piece of a jellyfish stings on contact. The sting feels prickly, like pine needles. Don't scratch the affected area. Dab on rubbing alcohol.

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 and 9pm. As a result, we get a wide beach during the busy day and it gets narrower late in the afternoon. Don't be caught off guard when it reaches your spot. Keys are very hard to find in the surf and towels are heavy when soaked by seawater.

moon low high
Jul 13 full -1.7 7.5 9:42pm
Jul 29 new -0.9 6.9 10:05pm
Aug 12 new -1.2 7.0 10:15pm
Aug 27 full -0.8 6.9 9:53pm
Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

Nudist Youth Camps:
Recently nudist summer camps have been under attack in the media. Black's Beach Bares is very familiar with the youth camp, since we hosted a picnic for the western division of the same group last August.

They only recruit nudist kids from nudist families. The kids are supervised by young adults who benefited from the camp recently. 

We encourage all members to share their opinions with appropriate officials. One website in particular comes to mind, which I list on my "alerts" page. 

Avoiding Sunburn:
Summer also means it's easier to get a sunburn. Visitors to Black's Beach often want to get that all over tan in the few days they are here. Usually what they get is an all over sunburn. Using sun-block is a good idea, but you should also use some shade.

The better way to get your all over tan is to stay in the shade until about 2:30, then tan in the afternoon sun. The mid-day summer sun is higher and too intense for tanning. You may even get sunburned in the morning and not realize it. Then, if you resume sunbathing in the afternoon, your sunburn will get worse. There is plenty of ultraviolet in the afternoon sun for a tan.

Summer begins this month!
Summer begins with the summer solstice, arriving this month, June 21st at 7:11:32pm. This means we will have our longest day and shortest night. Sunrise is at 5:38am and sunset at 7:57pm, giving us 14 hours and 19 minutes of daylight. Days will be slightly shorter and nights slightly longer after that, but we have July, August and September to enjoy our longer days.

The Beach in General:
There were many hot and sunny days in May, though some were characterized by hazy sunshine. Many days the sand was hot enough to burn your feet. There is more sand on the beach, enough that only
tides above seven feet will force us up against the cliffs.

Many by-the-wind sailors washed up on the beach in May. A few purple jellyfish were seen washed up and one was seen in the water. More sting rays are found in the shallow surf, starting this month. There was also some tar washing up through the month of May.

The water temperature has gone up significantly. It's up to the low sixties and may reach mid-sixties soon. It's also possible that red
tide will strike soon and bring the temperature down very suddenly.

Hundreds of people have been taking advantage of sunny weekends.  Dozens still show up hoping the day will turn from gloomy to sunny, even on weekdays.

Past Events:
We have already hosted our first two picnics. Neither day was exactly sunny. May 25th was sunny for about three hours and May 26th was only sunny for about one hour, but it was warm both days.

Dozens of people showed up for our barbecues. Some of the food from the grill included several chicken recipes, steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, shrimp, shish kabobs and sweet corn.

Future Events:
Black's Beach Bares hosts Sunday picnics through the entire month of September, and a few holidays too. This year they will all be
contingent on good weather. Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot picnic days. Look for us near the gray landslide, under our yellow flag.

The gliderport will be having their blood drive in August, but that
date is unknown at this time. 

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same
24 hours. Don't be misled by the low tides. Six hours later the tide
is much higher. The waves will not only get your stuff wet; you may
have trouble finding your keys later. Keep in mind that the tides a
few days before and after are comparably high.

Avoiding Sunburn:
Summer also means it's easier to get a sunburn. Visitors to Black's
Beach often want to get that all over tan in the few days they are
here. Usually what they get is an all over sunburn. Using sun-block
is a good idea, but you should also use some shade.

The better way to get your all over tan is to stay in the shade until
about 2:30, then tan in the afternoon sun. The mid-day summer sun is higher and too intense for tanning. You may even get sunburned in the morning and not realize it. Then, if you resume sunbathing in the
afternoon, your sunburn will get worse. There is plenty of
ultraviolet in the afternoon sun for a tan. 

Red Tide:
About this time of year we sometimes have red tide, giving our water a red or amber color and poor visibility. Dinoflagellates are the
culprits. These plankton reproduce explosively, probably due to the
warm water, and two years ago caused a dramatic drop in water
temperature.

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. If you
can't manage to be here at night, take some water home and shake it up in a dark room. 

Stingrays:
There are stingrays in our water all year, but they become a problem
as the water warms up. Very soon now there will be a population
explosion and there will be lots of little stingrays in the shallow
water, even knee deep. As people begin to play in the water more,
more people will step on them and get stung. The sting is
excruciatingly painful. It's treated with heat. Bury the affected
area in hot sand.

Parking Lots:
Summer weather means heavier use of the parking lots. Spaces are not well marked in the dirt lots. Never-the-less, orderly parking means there will be room for more cars. When the west lot fills, parking overflows into the east lot. The no parking signs are designed to keep a lane open to the north lot, not to keep us out of the east lot.

Mars at Opposition:
Mars will be at opposition this summer. It's a bright orange "star".
When at opposition it will be visible all night. It will be in the
east at sunset and in the west at sunrise. The night of August 26th
Mars will be at opposition, closer, and look bigger, than ever before
in recorded history. It was 60,000 years ago when Mars was closer.

Mars is currently in Capricornus but will spend most of the summer in Aquarius. June 3rd it will rise about 11:30pm very near a bright star named Deneb Algedi.

Spring is here!
The days are now longer than the nights and the sun is on our side of the equator.  Still, we should not expect continuous warm weather for quite a while.  We are in the middle of our rainy season.  It does seem that the talk of an El Niño winter was unfounded though.

The Beach in General:
There were many great warm and sunny days in March, especially late in the month.  There were more than a few gloomy and even rainy days early in March.

Hundreds of people have been taking advantage of sunny weekends.  Dozens still show up hoping the day will turn from gloomy to sunny, even on weekdays.

We have already regained some of our sand, but spring tides will still leave us very little dry sand.  Mid April is when we will have the least dry space.

Future Events:
The time of year when Black's Beach Bares sponsors events is approaching.  We will host Sunday picnics beginning May 25.  This year they will all be contingent on good weather.  Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays.

Parking Lots:
The north lot has been closed a few times, for the glider runway.  There will likely be more closures in April and May.  This forces people who use the north lot to share the south lots.

A Stormy Day on the Beach:
Dave and I made a point of visiting the beach during the March 15^th rainstorm.  We knew better than to use any of the trails during the storm.  We hiked down the access road with our cameras.  Dave got some video footage and I took some still pictures, the best of which are included in my March 15 trip report on the website.

There were plenty of waterfalls.  The best was at Spencer Canyon, which drains the east and west parking lots.  We hiked as far as Indian Canyon, where there was quite a river running out to the ocean.  We found no impassible rivers though, and there were even a few people running, as an exercise routine, across these rivers despite the rain.

The Burro Trail was also a waterfall.  The narrow ravine in that trail is the funnel that all the water above flows through, not a good place to be in the rain.

Rains also accelerate landslides.  On our way back to the road, we passed some dry rocks on the beach.  They must have fallen while we were elsewhere on the beach.

Dead Sea Lions:
A few dead sea lions have washed up on the beach.  Normally they would sit there and stink up the beach for months.  Slicing them open so the scavengers will consume it is a good way to get rid of much of it. Slicing and burying them is a disgusting job, but leaving them is even more disgusting.

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours.  This is of especially great importance in mid-April.  You may want to bring a chair, or tarp, just to keep dry and away from the cliff.

            moon    low     high
Apr  1    new      0.1     5.4   9:18pm
Apr  16   full      -0.9     6.6   9:59am
May  1   new     -0.3     5.4   9:56pm
May  16  full      -1.8   7.3  10:07pm

Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

Trail and Cliffs:
There was a significant landslide very near the Goat Trail.  Exactly when this happened is unclear, perhaps March 17^th.  A warning for this area was included in the Nov/Dec newsletter.  People who hang out in this area, and are more aware of the details, say there appears to be new material on the beach.  This means it's still active.  Some people use those rocks as a backrest.  That does not seem wise.

The trail suffered significant damage from recent storms, and there's sure to be more rain.  That really big, steep step in the narrow ravine has gotten a little higher and a little steeper.  Quite a few people have slipped and fallen there. 

Tar on the Beach:
The storms also 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.  Its very hard to get it off.  If you do need 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.

Surviving the Rainy Season:
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 rainy days.

Camping Bares is a travel club.  Naturally California is having a nude roller skating party April 12^th.  The nudist resorts in the area include De Anza Springs and Swallows Sun Island.  A little farther away are Glen Eden, Mystic Oaks and Olive Del.

A Contribution from Robert of Black's Beach Diggers:
I call it the Main Trail.  Lloyd calls it the Burro Trail.  Some people erroneously call it the Broadway Trail.  But, there's a reason why the lifeguards call it the Citizens' Trail. 

It's the one with the brick steps, wooden steps, and even handrails in some places.  You probably used it to get down here.

Most people assume that the trail is built by the city, or that the city pays someone to do it.  I did when I first came down the trail.  After all, it was on city property, and certainly the city would want people to have a safe trail, right?  Well, it turns out that the city is concerned about liability, so they want nothing to do with a trail going down the cliff.  They even dynamited parts of it in the early 90's so that people couldn't use it, and thus not be injured on it.

The entire trail is built by volunteers.  We use materials that we paid for, or that have been donated.  We use our own tools.  We get no assistance from the city, county, state or federal governments in any way.   Please remember this when you climb back up.

Spring on the Way:
The days are getting longer, but we still have more night than day and the sun is still south of the equator.  The northern hemisphere will retake the sun this month, March 21^st at 1:00:55am, and spring begins.  It will still be quite some time before we get warm weather.  After all, our rainy season has just begun, and there’s talk of an El Niño winter.

The Beach in General:
There were a great many warm and sunny days in January, but much of February has been cold and gloomy.  There have been reports of some spectacular waterfalls at the beach, especially at Spencer Canyon, which lifeguards call Hully Gully.  It should be pointed out these waterfalls sometimes result in impassible rivers across the beach.

There have been hundreds on the beach on warm weekends and only dozens on weekdays.

Tar on the Beach:
The storms also 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.  If you do need 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.  If you’re going to pick it up, use a kelp leaf.

The Fly Problem:
This is the time of year when the flies often give us no peace.  They seem to feed on the seaweed that washes up and they scatter every time somebody passes near.  You may be able to reduce the problem by moving seaweed far from your spot.  You may also want to use a bug repellent.

Parking Lots:
The east lot, which is usually blocked off for Salk parking, was graded the first week of February.  That was in preparation for the Buick Invitational.  Most of that week there was rain, or at least clouds.  Much of the graded lot washed down to the beach.

The north lot has been closed once, for the glider runway, once so far.  There will likely be more closures in the coming months.

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours.  This is of especially great importance through the winter.  With our highest tides in the morning and the seasonal loss of sand, there will be little dry beach for our day use.  You may want to bring a chair, or tarp, just to keep dry and away from the cliff.

Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

Trail and Cliffs:
The trail suffered minimal damage from recent storms, but there’s sure to be a lot more rain.  Most of the sandbags held up through the torrential flow that runs down the Burro Trail.  That really big, steep step in the narrow ravine has gotten a little higher and a little steeper.

People often need a recent example of the landslide risk.  There was a landslide on the city beach, where clothing is required, January 18^th.  Several large rocks fell to the beach too.  We all know our cliffs are not stable, nor are our trails down those cliffs.  People should at least be aware of the risks they take by the trail they choose and the place they sit.

Surviving the Rainy Season:
When the beach is cold and/or wet, we need someplace else to go, without clothes.  For the benefit of readers who don’t yet know the many clothing optional opportunities in and around San Diego, I’m providing a list of some of the closest places and groups.

Camping Bares often has potlucks and pool parties at member homes throughout the year.  Naturally California organizes monthly swims at the Icoplex in Escondido.  They also have a whale watch cruise March 9^th.

Magical Adventure offers backpacking and four-wheel drive expeditions.  These are naturist wilderness journeys to places like Canyons of the Escalante River, Utah and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

Magical Adventure
970-215-1382
www.magicaladventure.com

The nudist resorts in the area include De Anza Springs and Swallows Sun Island.  All these can be found through the Black’s Beach Bares website.

Mystic Oaks would like to invite everybody to their arts, crafts and music festival, Memorial Day weekend.  In addition to their festival, they have the out-of-the-ordinary activity of star gazing at their observatory.

Mystic Oaks
40051 Long Canyon Road
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
818-353-6369

Naturist Society Local Representatives:
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all simply enjoy the beach without a care?  Many people do just that.  But a few people, like The Naturist Society worries constantly and have worked behind the scenes for decades to ensure the continuation of nude recreation at Black’s Beach as well as many other places.  The fact is that that right would have been lost long ago if not for Al Spencer and TNS.

Black’s Beach Bares has always been affiliated with TNS and TNS has always had representatives who keep an eye on clothing optional recreation at Black’s Beach.  These days our reps are much closer at hand.  Hopefully there will never be a need for either of them to act in your defense, but if you ever face harassment or a citation, they are the ones to contact, as well as myself.

Dave Cole is a rep for the Naturist Education Foundation (NEF) and Claudia Kellersch is both an NEF and Naturist Action Committee Area Representative.  Both can be reached through the PO Box or through our website, but you can write to Claudia at nudewedding2002@sunlink.net and Dave at davec@blacksbeach.org

Errors in Previous Issues:
I made a mistake in the spring tide table in the October issue that carried into the November/December issue.  My lists of full and new moons were backwards.  The high and low tides were still accurate.

The Beach in General:
The days have been shorter, often warm from 10am to 3pm.  Beach attendance has been as high as a hundred on weekends and as low as dozens on weekdays.

The beach has been hit by a few storms that have taken away much of the sand.  The loss of our sand is a seasonal effect, and it is that season.  High tides get closer to the cliff when there is little sand.  So, please check your shoes, shake out your towel, check your drain, and bring any sand you find back to the beach on your next trip.

The trail has suffered damage from those storms, but it is minimal.  Sandbags have been shredded by the torrential flow, but the trail that they were to hold up, survived intact.  There are slippery rocks in the narrow ravine and sometimes a little mud on the trail.

People who hang out at the base of the trail have noticed some landslide activity above the Goat Trailhead.  We all know our cliffs are not stable, nor are our trails down those cliffs.  People should at least be aware of the risks they take by the trail they choose and the place they sit.

Surviving the Winter:
When the beach is cold and/or wet, we need someplace else to go, without clothes.  For the benefit of readers who don't yet know the many clothing optional opportunities in and around San Diego, I'm providing a list of some of the closest places.

Camping Bares often has potlucks and pool parties at member homes throughout the year.  Naturally California organizes monthly swims at the Icoplex in Escondido.  They also have a whale watch cruise in March.  The nudist resorts in the area include De Anza Springs and Swallows Sun Island.  All these can be found through the Black's Beach Bares website.

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours.  This is of especially great importance through the winter.  With our highest tides in the morning and the seasonal loss of sand, there will be little dry beach for our day use.  You may want to bring a chair just to keep dry and away from the cliff.
                           low       high
Jan       3        new       -1.5      6.8   8:59am
Jan       18        full      -1.2      6.4   8:30am
Feb       1        new       -1.1      6.2   8:35am
Feb       16        full      -1.1      6.4   8:20am
Mar       3        new       -0.2      5.5   9:00am
Mar       18        full      -0.3      5.9   8:45am

Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

The Naturist Society:
Black's Beach Bares has always been affiliated with TNS.  TNS has always taken an interest in clothing optional recreation at Black's Beach and everywhere else.

Many people may say, "It's a beautiful day and I can already enjoy it nude.  What do I need TNS for?"  The fact is that that right would have been lost long ago if not for Al Spencer and The Naturist Society.

I too would like to remain blissfully unaware of the politics that threaten beaches like ours, but that's the best way to lose it.  There is good news and bad news regarding clothing optional recreation worldwide.  TNS brings this information to you so you will be informed and hopefully act to preserve our right, if the time comes.  Please join TNS.  You may do so through Black's Beach Bares.

Starting with this issue, our affiliation will be more visible in the form of their logo appearing on every newsletter.

Great American Nude Beaches:
The Naturist Society has released a new video, Great American Nude Beaches.  Blacks Beach is featured in that video, as well as Black's Beach Bares, including interviews with Dave Cole and Lloyd Johnson.  We encourage readers to purchase this video to support The Naturist Society and learn of other beaches where this same freedom can be enjoyed.

Black's Beach in the Media:
Elizabeth Espinosa and her cameramen were present at Blacks Beach in May and July preparing for a story on our beach.  She is a reporter for the Spanish channel, KMEX, which is based in Los Angeles.  Two members of Blacks Beach Bares were interviewed in Spanish, including myself.

The program was aired much later than we expected, and we were given very little notice, just a few minutes, and it only aired in Los Angeles.  I still managed to find someone to record it for me.  I would have liked to see more balanced editing.  They chose to use footage in which we were saying what nudism is not, giving it an air of denial.

Freelance photographer, David Brooks, came to Blacks for a photo to be included in the January issue of Maxim.  I posed with two friends and the photo was taken from behind.  On page 109, I appear with one of those friends; they cropped the other out.  Blacks Beach was only one of several San Diego destinations mentioned on that page.  What they did say about our beach leaned toward flesh peddling.

Flags, Shirts and Caps:
Two flags have been made with the new logo and will now fly at the beach in place of the old seagull flag.

Embroidered T-shirts are now available.  They can be seen and ordered through the website. The embroidered design includes the new logo with the website address.  The first order was all large yellow T-shirts.  The second order included sand colored long sleeves and white T-shirts, in more sizes.  The variety of colors, sizes and styles will improve as more orders are placed.  The next order will include sand colored T-shirts and tank tops.  T-shirts are selling at $15, longs sleeves for $16 and tank tops will be $10.  It will be $5 more, if I have to ship it.  Eventually there will also be T-shirts with larger logos, either ironed-on or silk-screened.

Caps have not yet been ordered, but will be soon.