Vol. MMIX Author/Publisher: Lloyd Johnson Issue: Jan/Feb

Vol. MMIX Author/Publisher: Lloyd Johnson Issue: Jan/Feb

The Beach in General:

Beach weather has been cold and raining much of November and December. Late December we did get some warm and sunny weather. Some mud did accumulate, and you do have to take care where you step, but the beach retained much sand.

This is the time of year when you can only expect dozens of people on weekdays and a few hundred on sunny weekends. It's really only warm from about 10am to 3pm. The water temperature is already down to 57.

We always get a heat wave with temperatures in the 80s in January, so stand ready and keep your calendar clear.

Calendars:

We are again offering a Black's Beach Calendar, filled with photos taken at Black's Beach. National holidays are listed as well as Catalina sunset dates. This year it features a mix of wildlife and people. Low-resolution samples are available on our "merchandise" page. The price is $20, shipping already included.

Trail:

The trail suffered some erosion from heavy rain but is intact. This was as Black's Beach Diggers planned. They could not come up with a design that could survive so much water, unscathed. Instead their design is a matter of acceptable losses. They will be busy this winter with upgrades. They will be using 2x6s, in case you want to donate supplies. Cash donations are always accepted. Give it to them when you see them, or send it to me and I will pass it on.

The Passing of Lee Baxandall:

Black's Beach Bares mourns the loss of Lee Baxandall, founder of The Naturist Society (TNS). His passing on November 28 was not unexpected, as he was suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Although I never met him, his vision still inspired me. Those of us who never met the man still appreciate and honor him. It was his dedication to freedom that has preserved our right to use public land. He was the one that formed an organization to defend what many of us take for granted today, our right to use public land in our natural state. When some new law to ban our form of freedom reared its' ugly head, he and his organization stood against it. Saddened by this loss, TNS continues this struggle without him.

Sunsets and the Green Flash:

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

Parking Lots:

The Buick Invitational will be February 2-9 this year. The good news is that improvements will be made to the dirt lots, in preparation for the event. The bad news is that it always impacts our parking and slows traffic to a crawl. There will be no street parking. Attendants may try to bar access to the lot. When you reach the front, tell them you are going to the beach and they must let you in. Parking will still be hard to find.

Perihelion:

Perihelion is when Earth is closest to the sun, 91.5 million miles, instead of the average 93 million miles. It is not the cause of our seasons. It is when the sun looks the biggest, by about 3% and it's when Earth travels the fastest. The date varies from January 2-5, due to leap year issues. This year it will be January 4 about 7am our time.

Spring Tide:

Spring tide is a condition of very high and very low tides in the same 24 hours. The highest occur about 12 hours apart, but I only list the higher, of the two. This time of year it’s a matter of finding dry sand. With the seasonal loss of sand and high tides in the morning, there isn't much dry sand for day use. It may be necessary to bring a tarp or chair.

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

moon / low / high
Jan / 11 / full / -1.6 / 6.9 8:38am
Jan / 26 / new / -0.8 / 6.9 8:38am
Feb / 09 / full / -1.1 / 6.5 8:24am
Feb / 25 / new / -0.1 / 5.5 8:53am
Mar / 11 / full / 0.1 / 5.4 9:08am

Clothing Optional Oases:

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

Camping Bares is a travel club that meets for potlucks, day hikes and camping. Naturists in the Orange County (NitOC) work closely with Friends of San Onofre Beach, and they organize nude activities at the Huntington Beach City Pool and Gym. They have two coming up, January 24th and February 28th.

There is only one nudist resort in the area, De Anza Springs. A little farther away are Glen Eden and Olive Dell.

Up north near Hesperia is Deep Creek Hot Springs. Hot water spills out and is caught in an assortment of natural pools. Access is not easy though. There's a long washboard road and a two-mile hike. It is well worth it.

Flies:

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

Your Submissions Please:

Long-time readers may notice that many things are repeated month after month. Much of this will continue, as there is information that first-time visitors need to avoid injuries and legal problems.

You can help add variety to these newsletters by submitting an article of your own. I haven’t refused a submission yet. You can mail it, email it or give it to me personally.

Subscriptions:

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

Subscriptions are $10/year. I ask a $2 donation for email subscriptions. Please consider making a donation. There are monthly expenses for operating the website. Donations can also be directed to Black's Beach Diggers' trail work. You decide if the newsletter, the website or the trail have made your visit better, and donate accordingly.

http://blacksbeach.org