Southern California Naturist Association Travel Corner

PIRATES COVE UPDATE ON CLEANUP AND TRASH PICKUP

Leaders of Whales Cave Conservancy report that their September 20, 2014 Coastal Cleanup event there had 56 participants. WCC is the non-profit group that oversees Pirate’s Cove, the clothing-optional beach near San Luis Obispo. The group collected 55 bags of trash, including a couch. Notable among the participants was State Assembly member Sam Blakeslee and his daughter.

The request for trash cans from the County continues to make progress. They are seeking approval for an alternative location for twice-a-month trash pickup since the county trucks find it impossible to get to (and turnaround from) the first spot requested. WCC is concerned that between pickups, this area will become a large pile of trash. An alternative is to pay for private pickup, something WCC cannot really afford to do at the moment.

WCC is also seeking donors to help with their annual $1600 general liability insurance premium that is due in December. The insurance is required by the county. If you wish to donate, contact WCC at PO Box 541, Pismo Beach, CA. 93448.

SLO COUNTY CALLS IT QUITS ON IMPROVING PIRATES COVE

August 21, 2014 — Pirate’s Cove, San Luis Obispo County’s only nude beach, will stay just as it is if county supervisors Tuesday accept a staff recommendation to scrap all planned improvements for the isolated area.

The $1.5 million project hit a major roadblock in July when the state Coastal Commission denied nearly all of the improvements the county had planned for the cove, which is half way between Avila Beach and Pismo Beach. Pirate’s Cove County Park consists of a dirt parking lot, a trail down a bluff to the beach and a narrow hillside trail connecting it to the north end of Pismo Beach. The Coastal Commission rejected plans to pave the parking lot, add a restroom and interpretive signs, and improve the trail to the beach.

The commission only approved plans for a new segment of the California Coastal Trail to Pismo Beach called Cave Landing Trail. Several local residents had appealed the project saying it was unnecessary.

In a report to supervisors, parks manager Curtis Black said abandoning the project altogether makes the most sense because of uncertainty about the continued availability of three state and local grants that funded the project.

“This option would end efforts to construct the Cave Landing Trail and Pirate’s Cove Park, and these areas would remain in their current condition as desired by many of the appellants,” Black said in his report. Other options include constructing only Cave Landing Trail or submitting a new permit application for the entire project to the Coastal Commission. Building only the trail would require a significant engineering redesign to deal with drainage issues.

Both alternatives would take years to complete, and the grants would likely be lost. By canceling the entire project, the grant money would be returned and used for other park projects in the area.

Upon hearing Black’s recommendations, the locals at Pirate’s Cove did not waste any time protesting the county’s decision, since part of what the Coastal Commission recommended will now be lost. This included bathroom facilities in the parking lot and bi-weekly trash pickup.

Local beach leaders plan to speak to the local Supervisor as well as other county officials to try to get some of the available grant money to fund these necessary conveniences.

“The county is really licking its wounds after seeing its grand plan rejected,” said one beachgoer. “It would be a shame if they now deny us everything else that we all agreed on.”

No doubt the Coastal Commission will have something to say about the loss of the improved Coast Trail above the beach, as many of the Commission members made it clear they wanted to see this part of the proposal implemented as soon as possible.

COASTAL COMMISSION RULES PIRATES COVE WILL REMAIN NUDE AND “NATURAL”

At the July 11, 2014 California Coastal Commission meeting, the eleven Commissioners voted unanimously to uphold an appeal aimed at stopping any planned developments at Pirates Cove that had been approved by county officials last year. The county had planned to add picnic tables, benches, a restroom, trash cans and interpretive signs at Pirates Cove, as well as construct a 300-foot-long trail/staircase leading from the bluff’s edge to the beach.

Sean Shealy, an avid hiker who represents the grassroots group Friends of Pirates Cove, and others, appealed the county’s decision, arguing what was being proposed didn’t fit with the rural character of the area. The group also contended if the changes were allowed to move forward, it would forever alter the landscape.

"We’re heavily involved in Pirates Cove and what the future is going to look like," said Commissioner Erik Howell, who lives in Shell Beach and made the successful motion to uphold the appeal but allow only construction of an 1,800-foot-long pedestrian/bicycle trail from Cave Landing Road to Shell Beach.

“If there is any development on this site, we want to make sure we get it right,” Howell added. “The only way to get it right is to get back to the original, universally accepted (trail). If we can get that trail, it will be a great improvement for our community.”

Commissioner Jana Zimmer said that clothing-optional recreation at the site has a long tradition that needs to be upheld. “Developing the property will bring in more visitors who inevitably would destroy this traditional use that is important to many Californians.”

The next step is for Whales Cave Conservancy and Friends of Pirates Cove to get the County to agree to restrooms above the beach (with frequent servicing!) and adequate trash containers to handle the almost-daily beach cleanups done by these volunteer groups (also with frequent pickups). WCC has a good working relationship with County officials, so despite this defeat, the county seems determined to add these amenities sooner than later.

Feb 25, 2013 — SLO County Supervisors approved the purchase of Pirates Cove Beach and surrounding area. They agreed to keep the beach officially clothing optional! Improvements must be made to the trails down from the parking lot and also the parking lot itself must be paved and rails put up to prevent cars from rolling off the cliff. Coastal Commission must approve all these improvements, so nothing will change for nudists for another 18-months to two years. Nudists there have organized as the Whales Cove Conservancy.

“My report is that it was perfect and no problems at all. Water is cold, but they have a very nice group of people and they play volleyball regularly on the weekends. It was 3 hrs from my driveway in the San Fernando Valey to the parking lot but then only a 15 min walk from the parking lot down to the beach. Pirate’s Cove is a tough climb but it is an easier climb down and up than More Mesa.”

MORE MESA RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT CAVE USE

10/2014 — The three caves carved into a sandstone bluff rising above the Pacific just north of Santa Barbara don’t look particularly dangerous. And they probably wouldn’t be if no one ventured inside them.

The beach has long been a destination for naturists, hikers and joggers, and responsible users say they don’t want their access restricted.

But in recent years, more young people have been drawn to the More Mesa caves, where they camp overnight, build fires and drink beer. Some draw graffiti on the large boulders that form the caves’ jagged mouths.

Neighbors who live along the 265 acres of coastal wild land that make up More Mesa have long complained that the unwelcome visitors trespass on their property and climb over their fences — with their backpacks, blankets, even bicycles in tow — to gain access to the mesa and the caves below.

But when a 19-year-old man was hit by a falling boulder and critically injured September 6, residents demanded something be done before someone was killed.

The man, who was there with several college-age friends, was hurt after “tugging on a cave rock which fell on him," said Santa Barbara County Deputy Fire Chief Eric Peterson. The victim, whose name has not been released, suffered severe head injuries.

Local residents are noticing a growing influx of college- and high-school-age people over the last two years, tromping toward the bluff’s edge and then navigating a rocky trail down to the caves, hauling logs for campfires and coolers filled with food and drinks. The caves are tall enough to stand in and roomy enough for campers to roll out their sleeping bags and stay for the night.

The unwelcome visitors aren’t only students, but members of a street gang who have carved their initials into nearby oak trees, she said. They leave trails of trash, and the wide beach is littered with shards of glass. Also, many leave their cars at the More Mesa entrance without noticing the signs barring overnight parking. Nudists who visit More Mesa tell us they have seen an upswing in parking tickets as police are starting to crack down on the area again due to the cave complaints.

TWO GAY COUPLES GET TICKET FOR NUDITY AT MORE MESA BEACH IN SANTA BARBARA

07/13/2014 — SCNA received a call from a man named Kevin who was ticketed for nudity at More Mesa beach. Both he and his male partner were cited, as were another gay couple farther down the beach (the couples do not know each other). About a dozen other people were nude on the beach at the same time, but none of them were cited. Kevin said neither he nor his partner was “doing anything inappropriate.”

The lead officer, whose last name is Harris, said there was a complaint made, but he refused to say who. The officers said they had observed the nudists from the cliffs above before climbing down the bluff from the western end to the sand to issue the citations. They did not use the pathway to the beach that everyone uses, which is why the nudists were surprised at the officers’ sudden arrival. They said they did not see any other nudists, and by this time word had spread the officers were there so everyone had gotten dressed.

“Harris was extremely rude,” according to Kevin, while his young deputy partner named Cipher, seemed to be a rookie because his uniform showed no markings of rank. The citation was issued at 11:51am. After both couples were cited, they were escorted off the beach back to their cars.

SCNA referred this incident to attorney Allen Baylis for review. Allen suspects this may be just a rogue cop out to harass gays on a nude beach.

A reminder: if you receive any tickets at any nude beach please let us know, as we need to see if this is the start of a pattern, where they are doing this, and what time of day.

Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:03 PM

Subject: Re: More Mesa

Stunningly beautiful day today at More Mesa. 60 people approximate w 60/40 mix. Many couples of various ages. A couple of regulars said there has been no sheriff presence since that one incident I think in Feb. And on that occasion they told us that the sheriff was pretty much forced to cite the nude group near the stairs due to the continual complaint of one man who was camping illegally on the beach w his young daughters. Apparently sheriff then escorted him off the beach and told him to be aware that More Mesa Is longtime c/o usage and to go elsewhere next time. The regulars think the sheriff is supportive of the naturists and they also have a supporter that has been recently elected to city council. All in all this is a wonderful place.

Rex (Sent from my iPhone)

3/10/2012 — Seven people received a public nudity citation on More Mesa beach today. They had 3 cops there 2 were Sheriffs and 1 was a City of Goleta officer. They walked the cliff above and then came down and took drivers licenses and made everyone walk up to the top and meet at the street by there cars. Several of the people cited were clothed but the officers said they saw them nude from the cliff above. The officers said that they were getting more complaints so that we’re forced to issue citations.

This follows an incident 2/4/2012 when we had a report of police taking nine men off the beach who were sitting near the cliff stairway. That night the local news had a story about of abandoned Panga boats being found at several nearby beaches, with evidence of both marijuana bales and abandoned life vests from what is assumed to be boatloads of illegal aliens being smuggled ashore. This, in turn, was prompted increased surveillance at our beaches by county deputies and the feds.

Because there had been little police activity at More Mesa over the past 20 years, we theorized this was one of those drug busts, since the nudists sitting nearby were not ticketed nor botherd by the police.

Guess we were wrong, or the police decided to make a return visit to try to bully us off the beach. (It won’t work!)

SCNA is in the process of directing those ticketed to legal representation if they want it. Unfortunately most beachgoers decide just to pay the fine and never come back. This is what the police count on, and why we lose nude beaches! Our attorneys say there are plenty of legal precedents for successfully fighting the tickets if people will simply stand up for their rights.

So if you witness something, or talk to someone who DID actually see something themselves, please get the name of the person so we can offer some legal advice. There is much we can do, but only if everyone starts helping!

Perhaps if we can get a volunteer to stay on the cliff above and cellphone the beachgoers when they see police approaching?

BATES TEAM PARTICIPATES IN CALIF BEACH CLEANUP DAY

Thanks to all who joined us at Bates Beach on September 20 for the annual beach cleanup and party afterwards. We had 18 adults and 4 kids collecting about 150 pounds of trash. This total was about half the amount from previous years, and no doubt is caused by our regular cleanups there. Overall, 1191 volunteers at 29 Santa Barbara locations removed 6,599 pounds of trash that morning.

Most unusual items were a mangled lobster trap and a 6-ft diameter heavy snow tire that looked like it had been used as a bumper on a boat. We also found a stash of empty beer bottles and cans at the far end of the beach by the seal sanctuary, obviously left by partygoers.

Our own beach party in the proposed clothing-optional area lasted from about noon to 5pm and was without incident or hassle. We were able to be nude and play in the surf all afternoon as none of the textiled beachgoers who were walking their dogs paid us any mind.

Afterwards, some of the members went into town and had dinner at Senior Frogs, a popular hangout spot serving Mexican food.

AUGUST BATES BEACH PARTY SEES LARGEST CROWD YET

The August Bates Beach party was a wonderful day with clear skies and the warm sun overhead. By the time I arrived at 11am to set up the banner and staked out the area, another couple was already nearby, still in their bathing suits, but waiting for more Friends of Bates Beach to arrive so they could take them off!

Other beachgoers walked by our area periodically throughout the day; some looked and turned back, some walked by without looking, and others smiled and waved. We even had a few people stop to read the sign and the beach etiquette/behavior rules we hung from the banner frame — and then they decided to join us! That was another important first.

Rolf and I made a point of introducing ourselves to anyone who walked by and seemed curious, so they knew what we were promoting. Friends kept arriving throughout the early afternoon until we had quite a large group.

The SCNA group got naked for most of the afternoon with absolutely no hassles from anyone! It seems the public is getting used to us being there and have adopted a live-and-let-live-attitude.

After 5pm we broke down camp and headed back up the path to the parking lot, then to a great dinner at Nutbelly Pizzeria & Deli in Carpinteria, where they are starting to recognize us with our two dollar bills.

July Bates Beach Party attracts nearly three-dozen Nudists on busiest beach day of year

I must admit I was a little nervous about this scheduled date since the Independence Day Weekend always draws the largest beach crowds. Indeed, when I arrived just after noon the parking lot was nearly full, which is very unusual for this beach.

Walking down the long ramp to the sand I could see many hundreds — perhaps over a thousand? — textiled beachgoers enjoying the day and watching the nearby surfers. But almost all of them were crowded together to the left (south/east) end of the beach; very few had planted their towels and umbrellas toward the west, which is our proposed clothing-optional end. So even on the busiest day, almost nobody uses the half of the beach where the clothing-optional section is!

It was a perfect beach day, and around three dozen nudists eventually arrived during the afternoon at our selected spot about fifty yards west of the rusty pipe that sticks out of the cliff side above the sand. Our large “I ❤ Bates Beach” banner was placed strategically so it could be seen by anyone passing by, and Mark had placed a line of traffic cones perpendicular to the ocean to act as a psychological barrier for anyone wanting to park to close to us (nobody did).

Clothes Free International sent a webcast TV crew to cover the event and to interview our members. I think having the TV camera visible on a tripod with obvious filming going on acted as an additional incentive for those walking their dogs past us at the waterline from disturbing us or perhaps calling in a complaint. We were very respectful of any families walking past, and by about 4pm we noticed the foot traffic past us had slowed considerably. Those who had not already done so felt safe removing the rest of their clothes and running down to frolic in the surf.

I need to add it was good to see Sonya and her friends again, who came down to join this beach event.

We went into Carpinteria afterwards and shared a delicious Mexican food at Senior Frogs on Linden Avenue.

This webcast is now available for viewing to CFI subscribers at: www.clothesfree.com/members/newsvideos.html

FOBB HOSTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MIXER AT BATES

SCNA’s Friends of Bates Beach (FOBB) division got the opportunity to host one of the monthly Carpinteria Chamber of Commerce after-work mixers on July 23, and we did not waste the moment.

We rented the Pavilion picnic area above Bates Beach at Rincon County Park and brought in some excellent food platters from the local Albertsons (whose team did all the cooking for us). Rolf brought background “beach” music to further set the mood. We also handed out beach balls and leis to everyone to make them feel more “beach-in.”

We had an information table so the local business leaders in attendance could ask questions about our proposed clothing-optional area on the beach below. We also took signups for the Beach Cleanup Day in September, and we had brochures explaining how the Beach Ambassador program worked.

Our team members took the time to point out the local landmarks so the attendees would know just how far down the sand our proposed area was away from other beachgoers, and we showed them where the proposed Coastal Trail will cut into the hillside above the beach in a few years.

We received an excellent reception from the 50+ in attendance! I think we are rapidly approaching the moment (probably after the November elections) when there can be a public hearing on our beach with a good possibility of the City Council approving the proposal.

Thanks to our team of Rolf, Tim, Paki, Helen, Mark, Walt, and Patty for making this day a success!

APPLAUSE FOR BATES BEACH CAR IN CARPINTERIA PARADE

On Saturday, June 28, 2014 SCNA and Friends of Bates Beach participated in the annual Rods-N-Roses car parade down Linden Avenue in the heart of Carpinteria.

Ten members attended the event, enjoying the display of old hot rod cars from the 50’s and 60’s that lined the street. During the afternoon the group separated into teams that bought food and souvenirs using $2 bills (the official nudist currency in town). They also passed out beach balls with our club logo on the side.

Four members (Rolf, Gary, Paki, and Sally) got to ride in the parade car and wave to the crowd. We received another great reception, as people there now know we are the ones working to bring back the city’s nude beach.