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BUT PIRATE’S COVE CAN REMAIN NUDE-OPTIONAL
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NOVEMBER 18, 2008
Nov 18, 2008 – As expected, the County of San Luis
Obispo purchased the 32 acres of bluffs and
buildable land at Avila Beach. The Board of
Supervisors unanimously agreed to the $12.2
million purchase at its November 18 meeting,
and took an option to purchase later an additional
27 acres that includes Pirate’s Cove nude beach
below the bluffs.
The current owners of the land, San Miguelito
Partners, has owned the beach and bluffs for
several decades and has been trying to sell it to
the county for several years. Under the new
agreement, Miguelito will dedicate the 3100-ft
stretch of beach to the County, and the County
agrees to “improve the beach parking lot, and the
beach access trail.” However the County has to
apply to the Coast Conservancy for the money to
make these improvements, so it may take several
years before ownership can pass to the county,
according to local news stories.
What does this mean in plain English? Nudists
can still use Pirate’s Cove with no changes in
status for the foreseeable future.
Our thanks to Allen Baylis, the Naturist Action
Committee, and other locals who prefer to
remain unnamed for their efforts to make this
result happen.
We ask that NO letters or emails should be
sent to SLO officials at this time.
What has been missing at Pirate’s Cove is a
group of dedicated beach-goers who can selfpolice
the sand and bluffs above to shoo away
the voyeurs or persons intent on performing lewd
behavior in the bushes. The Whales Cave
Conservancy and others local are beginning such
an effort both among the regulars, and also at
nearby Cal Poly College whose students often
visit the beach during the summer.
OCTOBER, 2008
Two hundred miles to the north, there is a new
threat endangering the nude section of Avila
(Pirate’s Cove) beach near San Luis Obispo.
KSBY-TV, the local station there reports that the
San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
are considering buying the 67 acres of land in
Avila Beach for more than $1.25 million. 32
acres are located at Pirate's Cove, and includes
the nude beach. The report said if the purchase
goes through, county officials will likely put an
end to bathing in the buff.
The entire Avila Beach property, 131 acres
including the bluffs as well as the beach, is
owned by San Miguelito Partners, who have
been trying to sell it for several years.
Two years ago, the county tried to buy the land
for $10.25 million but needed help from the state
to cover the costs. But the state said it had no
money to give, and so the deal fell through. This
time the county says it has the $1.25 million
necessary for a partial purchase that may or may
not include the beach itself but just the bluffs
above. In any case, the county will need to find
other revenue to clean up the beach and rebuild
the trail and parking lot so they are “familyfriendly.”
The supervisors plan to vote on the purchase at
their November 18 meeting. NAC sent a letter to
the San Luis Obispo supervisors asking them to
take the long tradition of nude use and presence
of the local naturists into consideration. Our
people on the ground there are telling us that it
would not be productive or possible to try to
block the land sale. Rather, we need to be
involved in the process when the county goes to
actually set up the management of the beach
area.
In the meantime, the county also plans to step up
patrols at Pirate's Cove to curb problems of
illegal activity, such as lewd acts.
ON-LINE POLL ABOUT KEEPING BEACH NUDE
In response to the probable sale of the land, the San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper ran an on-line poll last week, asking its readers to vote, "Should Pirate's Cove remain a nude beach?”
In response to that request, SCNA and several other local naturist clubs and organizations sent an email to their members asking those who have visited Pirate’s Cove and who wish to keep it clothing-optional to go on-line and vote.
The response has been overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the beach nude. As of 10/28/2006, 1376 people have voted and the results show:
AVILA BEACH LAND PURCHASE DEAL HITS FINANCIAL SNAG
The proposed sale of the nude beach and its
adjoining property near San Luis Obispo from a
private corporation to the County has hit a $6
million snag, according to a local newspaper
report last week.
SLO County was hoping for a $3 million grant
from a federal coastal conservation program to
cover half of the purchase price, but their grant
proposal was submitted 3 months passed the
annual grant deadline and the next money will
not be awarded until the Fall of 2007 at the
earliest.
Last month we wrote about the need for
members to text-message their support to
maintain Pirate’s Cove at Avila Beach as a
nude/clothing-optional location. We are happy
to report that the on-line poll conducted by the
San Luis Obispo Tribune there showed 95% of
those voting in favor of the nude beach.
One of our members called a Tribune reporter
after the vote and told us the reporter was
“shocked” at the lop-sidedness of the preference.
County officials were quoted as saying the
overwhelming preference for the nude beach
means the County will probably lean toward
maintaining its clothing-optional status should
any sale take place in the future.
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