Vol. Mmiiieditor: Lloyd Johnsonissue: January/February

Vol. MMIIIEditor: Lloyd JohnsonIssue: January/February

Vol. MMIIIEditor: Lloyd JohnsonIssue: January/February

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. Black’s 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 Black’s 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 Black’s 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 Black’s 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. Black’s 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.