Black's Beach Bares

Newsletter Archive

Solstice and Perihelion:
This December 21^st will be the winter solstice, meaning that the sun reaches its southern-most point in the sky.  That will be at 4:36am.  It also means that will be our shortest day, starting at 6:51am and ending with sunset at 4:44pm.  There will be only 9 hours and 53 minutes of daylight.  Although this marks the first day of winter, it also means the days begin to get longer. 

Perihelion occurs a little after midnight January 2^nd.  This means Earth is closest to the sun, about 91.5 million miles instead of the typical 93 million miles.  The fact that perihelion occurs during our winter makes our winters short and mild. 

The Beach in General:
There were many great warm and sunny days in October, but there were also two rain storms that hit the beach.  Both storms flooded the beach with mud, carved trenches into the sand and eroded the trails.  Much of the beach is still covered in mud and there is less dry sand to go around.  Furthermore, the annual loss of sand will take away even more.

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, and are closely tied to new or full moons.  There is less sand on the beach in the fall and winter, so high tides become more of a problem.  The high tides coming up in November and December will be a problem for a few days in a row.  And, they mostly occur earlier in the day, when there are few people on the beach. 

This may leave us with only wet sand on the beach for the rest of the day.  It would be a good idea to bring a chair or tarp those days, to keep off the wet sand.

Clothing Optional Oases:
I’m providing a list of some of the other clothing optional opportunities in and around San Diego, for the benefit of readers who don’t yet know.  Consider them a backup plan for rainy days.

Camping Bares is a travel club that takes day hikes, camps and hosts potlucks.  Naturally California is club uniting nudists for pizza (Nov 9 & Dec 7) and for swims in Escondido (Nov 14 & Dec 12).  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 Dell.

Trail and Cliffs:
There are rockslides and landslides all the time here.  Many of these fall high up on Valentine Slide.  Others do reach the beach.  The area just north of Valentine Slide is still a very active area.  Try not to be there when they fall next time. 

The trail suffered significant damage from the two storms.  Some rocks fell from the ravine wall just below the Stairway to Heaven.  Those rocks cover some cinder block steps, but it’s still very passable.  Some boards in stairways are split, but not yet broken.  Erosion has exposed bare rock in the ravine at the bottom, because so much water is funneled through there during a storm. 

Signs of erosion were obvious on many parts of the trail.  Many sand bags didn’t survive.  Worn bags have been removed and replaced by Black’s Beach Diggers. 

Parking Problem:
The Buick Invitational will be early this year, January 20-23.  This always impacts our parking and traffic.  On these dates you may have trouble reaching the parking lot, finding a space and leaving in a timely manner. 

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

Scuba Diving the Reef:
Three Bares (Dan, Lloyd and Rich) dove the reef October 3^rd.  The expedition began in Mission Bay where Dan and Lloyd loaded the gear onto the boat.  Rich swam to the boat off-shore at Black’s Beach and joined the expedition. 

The dive began about 12:30pm.  We saw plenty of lobster, but they were all in large caverns with small entrances.  We also saw garibaldi, kelp bass, a moray eel, halibut, a large grouper, sargos, keyhole limpets, sculpin, brittle stars, urchins, California sheephead and lots of starfish.  We didn’t bring back a single lobster, but the dive was fun.  We’re sure to repeat it, without the expectation of catching lobster. 

The Naturist Minority:
When we are surrounded by like-minded people, we forget that we are an oppressed minority.  We have only a few oases where clothing is optional.  Without the Naturist Society (TNS), even these oases would not exist.  Many of us feel secure on our oasis.  Things have gone well here, but we can’t count on that forever.  We all hope for the best, but joining an organization is the first step in preparing for the worst.  The best way to avoid a fight is to show that we’re ready for anything. 

TNS membership is a good start.  With TNS membership you get a subscription to their quarterly magazine, discounted admission to resorts, invitations to gatherings and festivals, discounts on Skinny Dipper merchandise and voting privileges.  Most importantly your membership adds strength in numbers to protect our choice not to wear clothes.  Please join TNS through Black’s Beach Bares, or directly, if you prefer. 

Subscriptions:
I don’t send individual reminders to renew subscriptions, which are still $10/year.  Please renew your subscription or make a donation, if you value these newsletters.  I ask a $2 donation for email subscriptions, but most email subscribers pay me nothing.  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.   There are operating expenses for the website.

The end of summer picnics is a bitter-sweet feeling.  We love doing the picnics, but they are a lot of work.  A day at the beach has a different meaning for us.  If they made your day better, then it was worth it. 

Error in Last Issue:
In the September issue I erroneously reported that there would be sunsets in the southeast.  There will in fact be sunrises in the southeast and sunsets in the southwest.

The Beach in General:
September was dominated by hot and sunny days, although there were a few that were marked by hazy sunshine.  The water was warm, perhaps record-high temperatures.  I recorded a temperature of 77°.  Sometimes the sand is too hot for bare feet, but not as often and not as hot. 

Hundreds of people still show up on sunny weekends, but only dozens materialize on weekdays.  The shorter and cooler days mean it’s worthwhile to check the weather before making the trip.

Tides have been reaching farther up the beach and flooding people, including myself.  Soon the waves will cut trenches in the beach and take away our sand until summer.  People will keep warm and dry by sitting closer to the cliffs.

Past Events:
Black’s Beach Bares hosted five picnics in September.  We made ice cream on Labor Day, including blueberry, raspberry and mint & chip.

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, and are closely tied to new or full moons.  There is less sand on the beach in the fall, so high tides become more of a problem.  The high tides coming up in October and November will be a problem for a few days following spring tide, and nearly as late as noon.  I have listed some of the highest. 

Don’t be caught off guard when it reaches your spot.  If you’re thinking that you’ll move soon because the waves are coming close, don’t wait for the next big waves to tell you it’s too late. 

Lunar Eclipse:
A total eclipse of the moon will be visible Wednesday evening, October 27^th.  The umbral phase begins at 6:14 and becomes total at 7:23.  During totality you can see that the moon is bathed in reddish light.  This is light that passed through Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters blue out.  Totality ends at 8:44 and the eclipse ends at 9:53.

Stingrays:
There are stingrays in our water all year, even knee deep.  Sting rays don’t attack people, but if you step on one, you will learn that their defense mechanism is very painful.  It’s treated with heat.  Bury the affected area in hot sand.  The pain takes hours to pass and rarely requires medical attention. 

Trail and Cliffs:
The trail is suffering damage from heavy use, and Black’s Beach Diggers have not been on hand to make the repairs yet.  But, the trail is still passable. 

There was a rockslide September 17^th.  It was far to the south, in clothing compulsive territory.  Nobody got hurt, but it should serve as a reminder of what can happen at any time. 

The Black’s Beach Bares picnic area just north of Valentine Slide continues to be unstable.  Dust and gravel slide down almost daily.  Eventually that will undermine the larger rocks and bring them down.  Try not to be there when it happens. 

The Value of Etiquette:
Let's not forget that in 1999 the city of San Diego decided to begin enforcing a law passed twenty years before.  That would be the law banning nudity, taking away 1/3 of our clothing optional beach.  That action, combined with recent closure of Los Angeles beaches and Santa Barbara beaches, prompted me to reform Black's Beach Bares.  I have made it my mission to see that Black's Beach does not suffer the same fate. 

Sexual activity was the reason cited for closing those beaches.  Sex on the beach is seductive, but the price is too high.  Public sex does not become legal just because you have a partner, even if you're married.  Have your romance at the beach, but have sex in private.  What you do in public is everybody's business, especially when it puts the beach at risk. 

Every once in a while some people need a reminder of why etiquette is necessary.  Etiquette is not a set of rules imposed by one individual.  It is a set of tested standards designed to keep parks open to nude recreation.  It also makes the environment pleasant enough for people to try it for the first time and keep coming back. 

The rangers tell me the beach would be clothed by now, if not for our group.  I don't know if this is true, but it's clear the rangers believe it.  Some people seem to think Black's Beach is enchanted and nudity will always be legal.  It has been lost at other California beaches and in other states.  It can happen here, if we’re not careful. 

I know there are people who think we don’t need good relations with rangers or lifeguards.   Imagine a beach where you can take off your clothes, but have to put them on when you see a lifeguard coming.  It has been like that here at Black's.  Let’s not let it happen again. 

We must realize that with population growth and expensive real estate nearby, complaints will come more often.  If we ignore complaints, will they go away? 

The opponents of etiquette would have us put all our eggs in their basket, a basket where men of good conscience do nothing, leaving them free to do as they please.  They see us as erotic entertainment.  Why should we risk everything for their brief pleasure? 

The enemies of nude recreation are busy attacking other sites right now, but they will come to our beach someday.  Must we give them the ammunition they need?  Must we make it easy for them to call this beach adult entertainment, and then regulate it as such?  Those are the strategies that are working for them. 

We can keep this beach open, but not if other people are going out of bounds.

The equinox is coming!
September 22^nd is the date of the impending equinox.  The day and night will be equal in length and the sun will cross into the southern sky at 8:24 am.  The sun will rise in the east, rather than northeast, and set in the west, rather than northwest.  This marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall.  Soon the days become shorter than the nights.  Longer shadows and sunsets in the southwest will also show us that summer is over. 

The Beach in General:
Thousands of people have been taking advantage of sunny weekends.  Hundreds still enjoyed sunny weekdays. 

The entire month was filled with hot and sunny days, though sometimes the sun didn’t burn through the marine layer until nearly noon.  

The water has been warm and clear, temperatures near 70 degrees and visibility about 50 feet.  The water has been clear enough that the reef, 30 feet underwater, can be seen from the surface.

The seasonal loss of sand has already begun, as of August 29^th.  High tides and big waves reached far up the beach and took away some sand, leaving a few trenches. 

Past Events:
Black’s Beach Bares hosted Sunday picnics through August.  Some of the hot food from the grill included hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken, shish kabobs, sweet corn, hot dogs, corn dogs, sausages, bratwurst, pineapple, shrimp, salmon, pork loins, potatoes and banana. 

Future Events:
The picnic season is drawing to a close.  Only five more picnics remain.  Ice cream will be made Labor Day.  Come join us, even if you don’t have something to share.

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.  Back off before the biggest wave soaks your stuff.  Keys are very hard to find in the surf and towels are heavy when soaked. Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high, as are the tides 12 hours apart. 

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 and the seasonal loss of sand means our highest tides will come higher than you might expect.

Torrey Pines Reef II:
It seems many people are unaware of the artificial reef offshore.  It’s about ¹/₂ km directly west the Black’s Beach Bares picnic area.  Several people swim to it daily, using markers on the cliff to triangulate.  Only two swimmers have managed to swim thirty feet down to the reef, but with good visibility, the reef is visible from the surface. 

Some of the wildlife near the surface includes cormorants, yellowtail and kelp bass.  Life on the reef is much more varied.  So far garibaldi, sculpin, halibut and a keyhole limpet have been identified.  Many smaller blue fish have been seen, but not identified.  Since we sometimes find crabs and lobster near shore, it’s likely they will be found on the reef too. 

Some people wear masks and fins.  Some people even use a body board. Capable swimmers are welcome to join us.  Most people take more than thirty minutes for the round-trip swim. 

There is also an effort to organize a scuba expedition to the reef, on or about October 1^st.  That would be about the time lobster season begins.  Interested parties should contact us through the website. 

Beach Toys:
Black’s Beach Bares continues to supply a wide selection of beach toys for general use.  Body boards, football, Frisbees, sand castle molds, shovels, paddleball and dive masks are some of the things we make available. 

Trail and Cliffs:
The Black’s Beach Bares picnic area just north of Valentine Slide continues to be unstable.  Dust and gravel slide down almost daily.  Eventually that will undermine the larger rocks and bring them down.  The rocks you see on the beach probably fell there recently.  Try not to be there when more come down. 

Parking Lots:
A few potholes have developed at the entrance to the parking lot.  Users should be careful that they don’t bottom out their car.  Somebody has partially filled that with gravel, but it’s hardly a permanent repair. 

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

Stingrays and Jellyfish:
There are stingrays in our water all year, even knee deep.  Sting rays don’t attack people, but if you step on one, you will learn that their defense mechanism is very painful.  It’s treated with heat.  Bury the affected area in hot sand.  The pain takes hours to pass and rarely requires medical attention.

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. 

If stung, don’t spread it by scratching.  Untreated, the itch passes quickly.  Lifeguards spray on rubbing alcohol, but it’s unclear that it actually helps.  Rinsing with seawater may be just as effective.  

Subscriptions:
Ten newsletters are published yearly.  Subscriptions via US mail are $10/year.  For email subscriptions, I ask a $2/year donation.  Free copies can still be obtained on the beach, or downloaded from the website.  So far the disk quota still allows space for a complete newsletter archive.

The Beach in General:
July started out hot and sunny. Then it was cloudy and cool for about a week, and ended hot and sunny. Even the trail has been too hot for bare feet.

Hot and sunny weekends have brought over a thousand people to the beach. Over a hundred show up on weekdays.

Past Events:
Black’s Beach Bares hosted picnics July 4, 5, 11, 18 and 25. We didn’t just cook the usual hamburgers and hot dogs. We have also been known to grill salmon, bratwurst, sweet corn, zucchini, squash, pineapple, surf perch, shrimp, shish kabobs and chicken. Ice cream was made July 4th and 18th. The flavors included blueberry, mint & chip and vanilla with chocolate chips.

Future Events:
We continue to host Sunday picnics. We light the grill about 12pm. Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. Please come to the grill with some of your own ideas. Even if you don’t have any food to contribute, come anyway.

La Jolla Light:
The July 15 issue of La Jolla Light featured Lloyd Johnson on the front page with a lifeguard holding up a newsletter. Will Carless wrote a feature article on the legal status of Black’s Beach. The article included the points of view of lifeguards, rangers, tourists, residents and us regulars. The article started with a quote from Dave Cole and ended with a quote from Lloyd Johnson.

The article did not draw a conclusion regarding the legal status. It was instead a balanced presentation from all sides. For example, one man at La Jolla Shores was concerned that his kids were within walking distance of a nude beach. Another man said that his kids love to visit Black’s and take off their clothes.

The article did portray Black’s Beach Bares favorably. One of the better quotes was from Ranger Gary Olson, “The Black’s Beach Bares and others have been very helpful in keeping the beach clean and in self-regulation, and take a very aggressive stance towards any lewd behavior.” 

There were a few small errors and some dubious claims made. Corrections and concerns are posted on our website. The following week two letters to the editor were included, both in support of nudity here. 

La Jolla Light is a free weekly publication with a circulation of about 35,000. Dave and Lloyd have retained extra copies with the intent of circulating the article through the summer. Look for copies at our bulletin boards, or come to us directly.

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

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

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

Stingrays and Jellyfish:
There are stingrays in our water all year, even knee deep. Sting rays don’t attack people, but if you step on one, you will learn that their defense mechanism is very painful. It’s treated with heat. Bury the affected area in hot sand. The pain takes hours to pass and rarely requires medical attention.

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.

If stung, don’t spread it by scratching. Untreated, the itch passes quickly. Lifeguards spray on rubbing alcohol, but it’s unclear that it actually helps. Rinsing with sea water may be just as effective.

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 10am and 10pm. 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.

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. 

Rock Slides:
The Black’s Beach Bares picnic area just north of Valentine Slide continues to be unstable. Dust and gravel slide down almost daily. Eventually that will undermine the larger rocks and bring them down. Try not to be there when it happens.

Parking Lots:
Heavy summer use means the west lot will fill on busy weekends 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.

Gay Pride celebrations in Balboa Park will run from July 30-Aug 1 this year. That always has an impact on parking here.

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

The Beach in General:
June started sunny.  June gloom dominated mid month.  But the last week was hot and sunny.  Enough sand has returned that even the highest tides can’t take away the whole beach.

Over a thousand people have been taking advantage of sunny weekends.  Gloomy days drove away all but a few dozen.  Those days are past.  Even overcast days will be hot now.

Past Events:
Black’s Beach Bares hosted picnics July 4^th and 5^th.  Two batches of ice cream were made July 4^th, first blueberry then mint and chip.  Some of the hot food included hot dogs, pork ribs, chicken, zucchini, squash, sweet corn, salmon and sausages. 

Future Events:
We will continue to host Sunday picnics.  This year they will all be contingent on good weather.  Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays.

National Nude Recreation Week:
National Nude Recreation Week is July 5-11 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.  It’s a wholesome freedom everyone should enjoy openly and legally. 

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

The Naturist Society (TNS) has been instrumental in preserving nude recreation at Black’s Beach, and Black’s Beach Bares continues to work with TNS.  Please join with us to ensure that there is always room on public land for nude recreation.  Look for our yellow flag for more information. 

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. 

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

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

Gay Pride celebrations in Balboa Park will run from July 30-Aug 1 this year.  That always has an impact on parking here. 

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

Rock Slide:
There was a significant rockslide just north of Valentine Slide.  Many rocks were bigger than people.  They probably fell June 24^th, based on the fact that the rocks were not there Wednesday afternoon, but were there Friday morning.  This is the same area mentioned in the May newsletter.  The rocks you see in the sand there are recent additions to the beach.  Spending the day among those rocks should be considered risky. 

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 sometimes causes a dramatic drop in water temperature.

The dinoflagellates here in San Diego are bioluminescent, meaning that 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 be here at night, take some water home and shake it up in a dark room.

Avoiding Sunburn:
Visitors to Black’s Beach often want to get that all over tan in the few days they are here.  Sometimes people think they don’t need to wear sunblock on an overcast day.  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.

Stingrays and Jellyfish:
Sting rays and jellyfish do not attack people, but they each have a defense mechanism that will keep wary people away.  If you step on a sting ray, its’ reflex is to sting you with its’ tail. Jellyfish sting on contact, even if they’re dead.

Sting rays feed in the shallow surf.  Shuffling your feet alerts them to your approach and they move out of the way.  Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t get out of the way fast enough.  The sting ray injects you with very painful toxins.  Those toxins are broken down by heat.  Bury the affect area, usually a foot, in hot sand.  It may take a few hours for the pain to pass.

Sometimes jellyfish are driven toward shore by currents and eventually wash up.  The purple jellyfish give you an itchy rash, much like poison ivy.  Scratching spreads it.  Wash your hands and spray rubbing alcohol on the affected area.  Untreated the itch stops after less than an hour, after you stop scratching.

Dead jellyfish on shore mean there may be more in the water.  The sand maggots that eat dead jellyfish, also bite people, so don’t stand close for too long.

Summer begins soon!
Days are still getting longer, but our longest day will be June 20, when we will have 14 hours and 12 minutes of daylight.  It’s the longest day that marks the first day of summer, and the longer days that make it summer.  We will soon be farthest from the sun.  Aphelion day is July 5, when we are 94.5 million miles from the sun, giving us the longer summer.

The Beach in General:
There were many great, warm and sunny days through in May.  We have not had much of the typical May haze.  Memorial Day weekend was the best in recent memory.  All three days were hot and sunny.

There may have been over a thousand people on sunny weekends.  There have been only a few cool and windy days, when only dozens show up.

Spring Tide:
The highest tides here occur around 10, am or pm.  If you stay to watch sunset in the summer, be careful that the rising tide doesn’t catch you off guard.  You wouldn’t want your stuff to get soaked by a wave, or lose your keys in it.

Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours.  This is of especially great importance in early June and July.  Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

Future Events:
This year we are not scheduling June picnics, because we often had to cancel last year, due to June gloom.  We may host a few Sunday picnics in June, but they will be unannounced.  We sometimes make ice cream too.

National Nude Recreation Week:
National Nude Recreation Week is July 5-11 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.  It’s a wholesome freedom that we can presently enjoy here.  But, it has not always been so hassle-free.

It’s a freedom our forefathers enjoyed, but is facing more challenges every year as our population grows.  We must not allow this freedom be reduced to just private property, and from there be restricted to the shower and bedroom.  Public land is an appropriate place for nude recreation.

The Naturist Society (TNS) has been instrumental in preserving nude recreation at Black’s Beach, and they will be with us  when we need them again.  Black’s Beach Bares continues to work with TNS, because liberty requires constant vigilance.  We can’t expect others to take care of it for us.  We must be active participants in our freedom.

I have a further hope for National Nude Recreation Week this year.  Our greatest weakness is that many people keep their nude recreation a secret.  So long as we are afraid to stand up and be counted, we are vulnerable.  I know that we face discrimination and we are even persecuted for what some people call deviant behavior. 

My naturist lifestyle is common knowledge.  All my family know.  All my friends are naturists too.  My employers and my students now know too.  I’ve never felt freer.  Nobody can hold this over me now.  I know people will continue to keep their secrets.  But, if I can get some of you to come out of your nudist closet, perhaps we can gain some recognition and respect.  Look for us at our yellow flag for more information. 

Access and Parking:
UCSD graduation is June 6, 12 and 13.  This will be a traffic problem and it will impact parking on the street and at the glider-port. 

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

Meeting With New Supervisor:
Three members of Black’s Beach Bares met with the new supervising ranger, Jody Kummer, on May 13^th.  The three Bares were Claudia, Dave and Lloyd.

We were satisfied that she has no intent to make changes in the clothing optional status, unless problems develop.  The problem she fears may be escalating is the lewd conduct in Mussel Rocks.  She says she might remedy this by pushing the nudity boundary south to the steel ball. 

While I favor arresting the few offenders, rather than punishing the many, I recognize that she may have the power to do just that.  It would be better if we deal with this ourselves rather that force her to solve it her way.  The next time you see lewd behavior, maybe you should speak up.  Otherwise, you might find out that it does hurt you by reducing the beach. 

I was unable to convince her to post any sign advising visitors of the nude use.  But, she did extend permission to rebuild our three bulletin boards, as agreed by her predecessor. 

Naturists, Voyeurs and Exhibitionists:
Nudists and naturists enjoy being nude for their own childlike pleasure.  Naturists prefer to use open land, while nudists choose the sanctuary of a resort.

While voyeurs and exhibitionists think they are among us, they are not.  Voyeurs enjoy watching, and/or photographing others, especially when their subjects are oblivious.  Exhibitionists take pleasure in shocking people with lewd behavior.  They both have victims.  Without victims, their thrill is gone.  If we naturists have victims, it is unintentional and unnecessary. 

Voyeurism is rude.  Exhibitionism is rude and lewd.  Don’t expect Black’s Beach Bares or TNS to defend these as freedoms. 

Summer Sunburn:
The summer sun burns skin faster, so it’s easy to go home with an all over sunburn.  Try staying under an umbrella until 2:30 and using sun block all day, instead.  There’s plenty of sun in the later afternoon, for a tan.

The Beach in General:
April has been mostly hot and sunny, with hundreds of people making the most of it.  The sand is already hot enough to burn feet, so it might be a good idea to have some sandals close at hand. 

We can hope for hot and sunny weather through May and June, but that would not be typical.  May haze and June gloom are the norm.  We lost very little sand this winter and we have not yet regained it, but spring tides may bring it back this month. 

Sunburn or Sun Tan:
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. 

Future Events:
The time of year when Black’s Beach Bares sponsors events is approaching.  We will host Sunday picnics beginning May 30.  This year they will all be contingent on good weather.  There will be no picnics scheduled in June, since June gloom often forces cancellation anyway.  Ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot Sundays. 

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-May and early June.  The highest tides here occur around 10, am or pm.  If you stay to watch sunset in the summer, be careful that the rising tide doesn’t catch you off guard.  You wouldn’t want your stuff to get soaked by a wave, or lose your keys in it. 

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

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

UCSD graduation is Saturday, June 12.  This will be a traffic problem and it will impact parking on the street and at the glider-port. 

Tar on the Beach:
The currents sometimes wash tar up onto our beach this time of year.  Some of us try to pick it up, but more keeps washing up.  Watch your step and watch where you spread your towel.  It’s very hard to get it off.  To remove it, use any oil-based product.  Some people carry baby oil, or suntan oil just for that purpose.  Even lip balm should work.  If you see some, do the beach a favor and put it in your litter bag, but try not to touch it. 

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 has a prickly feel to it, and it will itch, but don’t scratch.  It leaves behind microscopically tiny pods that inject more venom.  Advice from lifeguards has been to dab on rubbing alcohol.

Sea Lions:
A sick sea lion beached itself on Black’s Beach April 29 and Sea World didn’t come to the rescue until the next day.  In years past there have been several beaching themselves throughout San Diego beaches.  If many wash up here, people should know what to do. 

The animals appear to be suffering and people want to help.  The animals don’t know you are trying to help.  People want to cool it with water, give it shade and feed it.  Would you really want menacing looking strangers so close when you are weakest? 

Attempting to help only makes a bad situation worse.  Leave the poor animal alone and call Sea World rescue 800-541-7325, or San Diego lifeguards 221-8800. 

Falling Rocks:
Landslide activity continues north of Valentine Slide.  Nearly every week dust and gravel is seen sliding down to the base of the cliff.  The dust and gravel that fall today undermine the rocks that fall another day.  The rocks you see in the sand there are recent additions to the beach.  Spending the day among those rocks should be considered risky. 

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, meaning that 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 be here at night, take some water home and shake it up in a dark room.

Spring is here!
The sun now graces us with more daylight than darkness.  Daylight hours now exceed twelve hours.  Favorable beach weather did not come with the equinox, but it did come soon after.  Spring in San Diego is typically a mix of sun and storms.  Make the most of those sunny days by spending them at the beach.

Let’s not forget that that the sun will be higher in the sky and sunlight will pass through less airmass to reach our skin.  Sunblock will be more important.  Visitors trying to get their all-over tan in one day often go home with an all-over sunburn.

The Beach in General:
Much of March was cloudy and cold, but the month came to a close with a stretch of hot sunny days.  The sand was even too hot for some feet.

Hundreds of people took advantage of that sunny weekend.  Dozens still show up on gloomy days, hoping the marine layer will burn off.

We have not yet regained our sand, but we still have more than is typical for this time of year.  People have not been forced against the cliff in search of dry sand.

Future Events:
The time of year when Black’s Beach Bares sponsors events is approaching.  We will host Memorial Day picnics May 30 and 31.  We will not be hosting Sunday picnics until July 4^th this year.  The reason for no June picnics is that June gloom often forces us to cancel them anyway. 

All picnics will be contingent on good weather, as last year.  Homemade ice cream will be made on exceptionally hot days. 

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.

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

Trail and Cliffs:
The trail has suffered little damage from recent storms, but there’s sure to be more rain.  Sand bags on the Burro Trail have been showing signs of wear.  Some of them have been replaced recently. 

There continues to be significant landslide activity at the Bares hangout, just north of Valentine Slide.  That is the area of gray rocks between the Burro Trail and Indian Canyon.  Even seeing gravel and dust falling is cause for concern, since it weakens the bigger rocks above.  A refrigerator-sized rock, and many smaller rocks, were found on the beach March 29^th that was not there the day before. 

Tar on the Beach:
The storms sometimes wash tar up onto our beach in the spring.  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.  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, try to avoid touching it with your hand. 

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 cloudy days. 

Camping Bares is a travel club hosting camping trips, day hikes and potlucks.  Naturally California hosts nude swims in Escondido, Sundays once a month, and a nude roller skating party, date not yet set. 

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 Dell.

Spring Tide:
Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours.  Here in San Diego the highest typically happens about 10, am or pm.  The highs for April and May are in the evening, so they are not much of a problem.  If you stay late on such a day, 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.

Wildlife:
Black’s Beach is home to a wide variety of birds, gulls, whimbrels, willets, and sanderlings, just to name a few.  Even the locals still appreciate spotting dolphins.  Stingrays and jellyfish are the ones that might cause you some injury. 

The squirrels are insatiably hungry this time of year.  You might find it easier to leave them some food that’s difficult to get.  It might keep them busy enough that they leave your food alone. 

The kelp flies can be bothersome too.  You can reduce the pests by sitting far from all kelp, or moving all kelp far from you.  Don’t put the kelp where people are likely to walk, or they will swarm every time someone walks near.  Placing it against the cliff is probably the best remedy. 

There is a small variety of jellyfish that wash up on shore this time of year, sometimes thousands of them.  They are by-the-wind sailors.  Their remains look like plastic disks, with a half circle standing up from that.  The live ones have a purple underside.

Spring is coming!
Beginning with the equinox, we will have more daylight than night. March 19th is the equinox. At about 10:45pm the sun crosses into the northern hemisphere, making it spring here. This still means cloudy and cool weather for the beach. It also means the sun will be higher in the sky and sunlight will pass through less airmass to reach our skin. Sunblock will be more important.

The Beach in General:
There were many great warm and sunny days in January, but not so many in February. San Diego was hit by a few storms in February and they took the usual toll on the trail and beach.

Sometimes there are over a hundred people taking advantage of sunny weekends. Dozens show up hoping the day will turn from gloomy to sunny, even on weekdays.

High surf and storms have removed sand and cut trenches into the beach. The sand is still around, under the waves. It will be back early in the summer. 

On windless days, flies have been a nuisance. It's a good idea to bring fly repellent this time of year, just in case.

Trail:
The trail suffered only slight damage from recent storms, so far. Erosion has been the worst in the narrow ravine, but there is still a clear path. The sandbags just below that ravine have been showing serious signs of wear lately, but remain functional.

Vandals recently rolled a boulder down the trail, damaging steps on the way. The worst of that has been repaired, but more must be done to insure a long life for the staircase. 

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. 

The gliderport has obtained more telephone poles. Some of those poles have been used to make parking in the far west end of the lot more orderly. Others have been used to expand gliderport use of land previously used for parking. 

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. 

Highest tides are closely tied to the moon, but sometimes occur a few days before or after. Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high.

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. 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, so it doesn't get stuck to your fingers.

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.

The nearest nudist resorts in the area are De Anza Springs and Swallows Sun Island. A little farther away are Glen Eden, Mystic Oaks and Olive Dell.

Swallows is open but has still not recovered from fire damage. Insurance did not cover infrastructure and the loss of income nearly forced an unpopular sale. It was closed for six days, pending sale to a clothing compulsive developer. But, they dodged that bullet.

The hot tub is running. The tennis courts are open. The fence is up, making the whole resort clothing optional again.

Replacing the infrastructure is the greater problem right now. They can't get residents back in without it. If you can volunteer your labor, skilled or unskilled, call up and offer to help. They lost their backhoe to the fire. If you know of a bargain backhoe, call them and pass it on. 619-445-3754

Camping Bares is a travel club, hosting potlucks, day hikes and camping trips.

Naturally California gets together monthly for pizza and swims. They also organize roller skating parties, and they're having a whale watch cruise March 14th, out of Oceanside.

Inferior Planets:
Perhaps you've noticed what appears to be a bright star in the west, just after sunset. That's no star. It's Venus. Both Mercury and Venus will be at greatest elongation March 29th, meaning that they will be highest and most visible after sunset. If you look with a telescope, they will look half full. Mercury is difficult to see otherwise.

Venus will be especially noticed March 24th, when it's near the crescent moon. It will be very near a star cluster called Pleiades April 2nd and 3rd. The Japanese call the cluster Subaru.

Superior Planets:
Mars is still visible, but no longer the spectacle it was last September. It will also pass near the Pleiades March 22nd.

Saturn is a very visible planet lately. It's now about straight up at sunset, in the constellation of Gemini.

Jupiter is at opposition, in the constellation of Leo. It will rise at about sunset each evening in the east, and be up all night. Only the sun, the moon and Venus are brighter, so it's the brightest thing in the east. March 5th and 6th it will be near the moon.

Happy Perihelion!
We will be closest to the sun Sunday, January 4th. Since the winter solstice is past and our days are getting long, there is cause to celebrate. Some Bares will not wait for perihelion or a warm ocean. They will be taking their traditional New Years Day dip in the ocean, sort of a Southern California version of the Polar Bear Club.

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 minor 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, and leave us with little dry sand. When tides are as high as six feet, there is very little beach.

Flies may be a problem from time to time. When the wind is dead, the flies are the worst. It might be a good idea to bring the repellent of your choice.

As of this date, the trail has suffered no significant damage. But, we can expect that storms will do some damage before the next newsletter is released.

Waves and Erosion Experiment: 
Scripps Institute of Oceanography has completed their experiment on Black's Beach. Their trailers, outhouse, instruments cables and relay stations are gone.

Parking Lots:
There's a large pothole at the entrance to the gliderport, but we can expect that to be fixed soon. Lifeguards have marked the area behind the gate as no parking. It's the entrance to their emergency access road, which many people use as a walkway.

The Buick Invitational will be February 10-15 this year. Typically the parking lot is graded the week before. In the past, street parking has not been allowed those days and parking at the gliderport has been scarce. In previous years there have been attendants at the parking entrance. They will let you through to park and access the beach, but golf fans also lie to them in order to park close. Also, be prepared to fight traffic leaving the beach those days.

Beginning in March, the north and east lots may be closed, for the glider runway. This forces people who use the north lot to share the south lots. 

Landslide Activity:
There has been continued 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 2002. Looking up the cliff, it's clear that there will be more.

It's tempting to sit against the cliff, when the tide is very high. But, sitting among those recently fallen rocks would seem foolish, when there's dry sand elsewhere on the beach. The Bares sit to the side a little, on wet sand, using tarps and chairs.

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 day. People may choose to sit near the unstable cliffs, if they find dry sand there. Then the tide gets higher late in the afternoon.

Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high. January 21st is the date to look out for. There will be no dry beach that day. You should plan to bring a chair or a tarp. . 

Topfreedom Battle in Florida:
Two months ago ten Florida women filed an historic lawsuit to declare nudity laws which discriminate against women unconstitutional on equal protection and due process grounds. Those interested in learning more, or making contributions, should call Kayla Sosnow at 352-378-4172 or visit their website at http://www.legalfreedom.com/topfree

Inferior Planets:
Perhaps you've noticed what appears to be a bright star in the west, just after sunset. That's no star. It's Venus. Both Mercury and Venus will be at greatest elongation March 29th, meaning that they will be highest and most visible after sunset. Mercury is difficult to see otherwise.

Venus will continue to be an evening spectacle through May. It will be especially noticed February 23rd, when it's near the crescent moon.

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 sponsors activities like camping, potlucks and hikes. Naturally California has get-togethers including pizza, roller skating, monthly swims and a whale watch cruise coming up. 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. 

Swallows Sun Island is mostly up and running after their fire losses. Their fence is rebuilt. The burned homes have been removed, but not yet replaced. The pool and spa are running. Their restaurant is open the usual winter hours. At the time of this newsletter, clothing is only required on the main lawn, between the tennis court and the Roost. This is only because the gate that opens to release rushing water has not yet been replaced. It may be replaced very soon

Subscriptions:
This is a good time to remind people that subscriptions are $10/year. Many subscribers have renewed recently, and to you I say thank you. Other subscribers have not paid for renewal and I have not checked for expired subscriptions. I have not added up the gains and losses from 2003, but I'm certain losses exceed $100. Please renew your subscription or make a donation, if you value these newsletters. I ask a $2 donation for email subscriptions, but most email subscribers pay me nothing.

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.