Vol. MMVIEditor: Lloyd Johnson Issue: September
Night and day will soon be equal in length, just for one day, the equinox. That day will be September 23rd. That makes September 22nd the last day of summer. Make the most of it and don't give up on October, often a very warm and sunny month.
Just as we saw Catalina Island silhouetted by the setting sun, there must also be dates when San Clemente Island should be visible the same way. Those dates are likely to be centered around September 22nd. Watch and see.
The Beach in General:
August gave us many warm days, though not as hot as is typical. The water temperature was usually 73. The beach has been wide and the sand too hot for bare feet. Thousands of people have been taking advantage of sunny weekends, while only a few hundred visit on weekdays.
Past Events:
We've hosted several picnics and one surf event. Surf Event winners include Craig and Selina. Linda and Dave won at body boarding, while Lloyd and Lauren won at body surfing.
Future Events:
Only a few picnics remain, and we will make the most of them. Bring something to cook and share, or just bring your appetite. We continue to offer volleyball, horseshoes, body boards, sand castle toys and swimming expeditions.
Sept 3 / Sunday PicnicSept 4 / Labor Day Picnic
Sept 10 / Sunday Picnic
Sept 17 / Sunday Picnic
Sept 24 / Sunday Picnic
Ranger Concerns:
New signs were erected August 4th. Both signposts were placed against the cliff. One post with signs was placed in the north, within Mussel Rocks. The other was placed in the south, at the City Beach boundary. Though we appreciate much of the content of the signs, there is one sign on each post that we find objectionable. It states, "NUDITY IN THE STATE PARK SYSTEM IS PROHIBITED." Photos of the signs are available on the "alerts" page of our website.
The statement on the signs falls short of the complex reality. Because we are concerned that this might encourage complaints, we have scheduled a meeting with a higher-level ranger. Complaints enable rangers to use the Cahill Policy to clothe the beach. Details of the Cahill Policy are covered in the April 2006 newsletter, which is still available through the website.
The rangers who erected these signs assure me that there will be no change in enforcement. There is no cause for alarm, but there is cause for concern. Black's Beach Bares is working the problem and will have more information in the October newsletter.
I have information that a citation was given to a man for urinating on the cliff. This is at the most a small offense, especially since there are no bathrooms on the beach. We would like to contact the man to see that he gets legal counsel.
Parking Lots:
All this summer the gate has been locked promptly at 8pm. That has not been a problem for people staying to watch sunset, since the other gate, the Salk gate, has always been left open.
That has changed recently. Both gates have been locked on weekends, leading to confusion and panic. There is a third exit. To find it you must head north and make a right turn just before the golf course, bear right and it leads to another exit.
Lost But Hoping to Recover:
Lifeguards lost a walkie-talkie style radio. It was lost up top, somewhere south of the glider port. The battery was dead and in need of a recharge. It's illegal to use and easily traced. There is no reason for anyone to keep it. Lifeguards hope to recover it, and offer a reward. If you happen to be the one who picked it up, please return it to any lifeguard as soon as possible.
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. Keep in mind that the tides a few days before and after are comparably high. Don’t be caught off guard when it reaches your spot.
moon / low / highSep / 7 / full / -1.0 / 7.0 9:38pm
Sep / 22 / new / 0.5 / 5.6 9:49am
Oct / 7 / full / -0.6 / 7.0 9:38am
A Contribution From Dave:
More information from my beach survey... 46% of the women found out about the beach from family, friends or significant others, 30% by word of mouth or have known for years.
When asked how they would describe their visit, 92% has a positive response with descriptions of relaxing, great, fun, pleasant, awesome, beautiful, joyful, positive and liberating. The other 8% that had negative responses use words like masturbators, aggressive voyeurs and gawkers.
When asked if anything would prevent them from coming back, 52% indicated that nothing would prevent them from returning. 16% said gawkers, masturbators, perverts, fully dressed men and lewd behavior might prevent future visits. 9% complained about the trail and a few said hidden cameras were a deterrent.
22% of women said they would advise other women to go with friends or significant others and to not go alone. 16% said be open minded and relax. 15% said to sit with the Black’s Beach Bares, and 11% said to sit near other couples or groups.
Another question was “what could we, as beach regulars, do to make their visit better”? 35% were blank or responded “nothing”. 18% said stay friendly, 13% said watch for gawkers and hidden cameras. 8% wanted the trail improved. 6% wanted a snack stand or at least water sales. A few mentioned signs, mandatory nudity, bathrooms and free beer.
Over all I didn’t find anything surprising with this. I pretty much got the responses I expected. It’s nice to know that I do have a feel for what is going on at this beach. It did bother me to read that many women said that they would not come alone. Some said that if they didn’t know any of the Black’s Beach Bares would be there, they wouldn’t go alone.
I understand why many feel this way. I just don’t like it. I tell women all the time that I can go to the beach any day of the year and nobody will bother me. They should be able to do the same. I would love to see the day that women could come and enjoy themselves and not feel like they are putting on a show for the gawkers.
More information will be available via the website.