Vol. MMVEditor: Lloyd JohnsonIssue: August

The Beach in General:

There were many great warm and sunny days in July. There were also many overcast and warm days. It even rained once, but just a sprinkle.

There have been perhaps a thousand people on sunny weekends. At least a hundred show up, even on overcast weekdays.

The water is clear and warm, with temperatures in the mid-seventies. But there have been wildlife problems. Lots of jellyfish have been seen in the surf lately. Hardly a day goes by without somebody getting stung by a ray.

Past Events:

We hosted five Sunday picnics in July. We have kept two grills going, due to high demand. Some of the foods included, zucchini, sweet corn, hamburgers, hot dogs, turkey burgers, chocolate bananas, chicken, pineapple, apple, carne asada, steaks, potatoes and salmon. July 4th we also had a picnic and made ice cream. It was banana with white chocolate.

We also hosted several volleyball games and a surf competition. It was our first surfing event, so we weren't very organized. Only two of the three competitions actually took place. I saw a list of winners, but they didn't seem to know they won. We have to look at it as a learning experience.

Future Events:

Black’s Beach Bares continues to organize Sunday picnics. We keep a hot grill going for general use. We take turns cooking our food and sharing. Be warned: If you sit near us, we will feed you. Please bring something unusual and share.

We will also offer volleyball, body boards, sand castle molds and organize swims to the reef. We will sponsor another surf competition but the time has changed to 1pm.

Aug 7 / Sunday Picnic
Aug 13 / Surf Competition
Aug 14 / Sunday Picnic
Aug 18-21 / Western Gathering
De Anza Springs Resort
Aug 21 / Sunday Picnic
Aug 28 / Sunday Picnic
Sept 4 / Sunday Picnic
Sept 5 / Labor Day Picnic
Sept 11 / Sunday Picnic
Sept 18 / Sunday Picnic

The Naturist Society Gathering:

The Naturist Society (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. With their continued help, you may find more clothing optional destinations closer to your home.

TNS organizes regional conventions every year, called gatherings. The purpose of these gatherings is to share information and organize. This year the Western Gathering is at De Anza Springs Resort, in Jacumba, August 18-21. Black's Beach Bares, Claudia, Dave and Lloyd will be giving presentations at the gathering and bringing participants to Black's Beach. Please try to visit De Anza for the gathering and/or meet them on the beach August 21st.

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 tides a few days before and after are comparably high, and the highest tides are closely tied to the new and full moon.

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.

moon / low / high
Aug / 5 / new / -0.3 / 6.1 10:32pm
Aug / 19 / full / -1.5 / 7.5 9:38pm
Sep / 3 / new / -0.1 / 6.1 9:42pm
Sep / 18 / full / -0.5 / 6.3 10:13pm

Parking Lots:

The area of the lot nearest the glider port has been plagued by deep sand this year. Visitors who park there often have trouble getting out. Be careful not to stop when passing through this area.

High demand summer use has already resulted in a full west lot and people have been 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.

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. Stingrays 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 give some 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 vinegar, but it’s unclear that it actually helps. Rinsing with seawater may be just as effective.

Avoiding Sunburn:

The mid-day summer sun is too high and intense for tanning. You will more likely get sunburned in the morning without realizing it. Then, if you continue sunbathing in the afternoon, your sunburn will just get worse. 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. There is plenty of ultraviolet in the afternoon sun for a tan.

Romantic Sights in the Sky:

Venus is bright enough to see in broad daylight, if you know where to look. Venus and the moon will be very close the evening of August 7th. The crescent moon is a good guide, so try to enjoy the view late that afternoon. They will be about twice the diameter of the moon apart, with Venus above and to the left. They will get even closer after they go below the horizon, but that's a sight for people living further west.

With a sharp horizon and a clear sky, it should be possible to see the green flash following sunset. Once the sun gets low 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.