NAC Advisory - Blacks Beach

**********************************************************************
                    NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
                            ADVISORY
**********************************************************************
                  http://www.naturistaction.org

**********************************************************************

Copyright 2010 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible
for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or
redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its
entirety and without alteration.

DATE   : January 8, 2010
SUBJECT: Black's Beach Rumor is NOT TRUE
TO     : All naturists

Dear Naturist,

This is an advisory from the Naturist Action Committee (NAC) concerning an INCORRECT RUMOR about Black's Beach in San Diego County, California.

Torrey Pines State Park, which is often referred to, informally, as "Black's Beach," is still clothing-optional. A rumor has been circulating recently that nudity is no longer permitted at Torrey Pines State Park. THE RUMOR IS NOT TRUE.

The unfounded "news" has been circulating by word of mouth and online via e-mails, social networking sites and message board postings, under titles like: "Blacks Beach Officially No Longer a Clothing optional Beach" and "Blacks Beach is No More." THE RUMOR IS NOT TRUE.

CALIFORNIA DPR WEB SITE

The rumor seems to have arisen from a flawed reading of the Web site of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. A portion of the text on that Web site describes a 10-mile hiking trip from Scripps Pier to Torrey Pines State Beach and back. The text says: "This beach hike begins at Scripps Pier, passes along Torrey Pines City Beach, known locally as Black's Beach, once swimsuit-optional, now enforced suits-only."

The text is correct, but please note that it refers to Torrey Pines CITY BEACH, and NOT to Torrey Pines State Park. The City Beach is located south of the State Park. Despite their respective official names, both the city beach and the state beach are popularly called "Black's Beach."

Some have asserted that the DPR Web site's reference to Black's Beach has changed recently. NAC's check of Internet archives reveals that the text at the center of the rumor has not been changed.

THE END, A DECADE AGO, OF NUDITY AT TORREY PINES CITY BEACH

After years of clothing-optional use, the City of San Diego declared in 1999 that nudity would no longer be accepted on the City portion of the beach. Lifeguards daily established the boundary between the City beach and the State beach by setting out orange traffic cones and (initially, at least) a amall sawhorse with a makeshift sign that said: "NUDITY LINE."

In 2002, City lifeguards stopped putting out the cones and the sign, because a concern had developed among some officials that the sign might be seen as endorsing or designating nudity on the other side of the line. The ban on nudity on the City Beach only, remains in effect.

Other boundary markers come and go. Reflecting the continuing official caution for avoiding inadvertent designation, some markers have simply been posts that say: "BOUNDARY" or cones that say: "LINE."

TORREY PINES STATE BEACH

Clothing-optional use remains the norm on a stretch of beach of Torrey Pines State Park about one mile in length. For details, see the Web site of Black's Beach Bares, local naturist stewards of the beach. http://blacksbeach.org

The Naturist Action Committee works closely with Black's Beach Bares, which is affiliated with The Naturist Society and publishes an informative newsletter.

THERE ARE THREATS TO TORREY PINES / BLACK'S BEACH

Despite the falsity of the recent rumor, naturists are justified in being wary of threats to the clothing-optional status of the traditional area at Torrey Pines State Park. For more than thirty years, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has managed for clothing-optional recreation through its Cahill Policy and the Harrison letter that affirmed it. However, recent DPR actions at nearby San Onofre State Beach, make it clear that DPR officials feel they can terminate the Cahill Policy without public input at any time and at any State Park unit of their choosing.

In fact, it's likely that the official heavy-handedness at San Onofre has made the untrue Black's Beach rumor easier to believe.

WATCH FOR INFORMATION FROM NAC

Watch for NAC Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this and other important issues affecting naturists.

PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!

The Naturist Action Committee remains committed to the vigorous defense of the clothing-optional use of public land. Activism on behalf of naturists can be expensive, and NAC relies entirely on the voluntary financial support of people like YOU.

Won't you please send a generous donation to:

 NAC
 PO Box 132
 Oshkosh, WI 54903

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 (8AM-4PM, Central Time, weekdays) to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/

Thank you for choosing to make a difference.

Naturally,

Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee

---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton       - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Allen Baylis (CA)  - rab@baylislaw.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick  - naturist@sunclad.com
---------------------------------------------------------------