Nearly 50 years ago, the city of San Diego put an end to the nation’s first municipally recognized “clothing-optional” beach, banning nudity on a 900-foot strip of shoreline at Black’s Beach.

But today, beachgoers continue to stroll, sunbathe and frolic buck naked on that stretch of sand, in defiance of the law.

I can attest to this illegal behavior, having witnessed it myself. Let me explain.

During a recent visit to San Diego with my girlfriend, we came upon Black’s Beach at the base of 300-foot cliffs below the Torrey Pines Glider Port. No sign at the parking lot alerted us to the beach’s history. As we set down our beach chairs, we spotted two fellow beachgoers strolling by, sans bathing suits. And then a couple more lounging in their birthday suits. And then a few more.

“Didn’t you research this beach before we came?” my chagrined girlfriend asked.

Cue me, looking befuddled. Had I done my due diligence, this is what I would have learned.

The counterculture days

It was the 1970s in San Diego. Antiwar protesters marched in the streets. The Earth movement and the hippy-themed musical “Hair” were all the rage. “Nature freaks” roamed the city, said Carol Olten, a historian for the La Jolla Historical Society.

Amid the counterculture vibe, the San Diego City Council voted in 1974 to create what is believed to be the nation’s first “clothing-optional” beach. Secluded at the base of 300-foot cliffs and hard to access, Black’s Beach was the prime spot for it.

But a first-anniversary party at the beach — attracting more than 15,000 nude and semi-nude folks, playing volleyball, tug-of-war and wandering beyond the designated 900-foot boundaries — sparked opposition, primarily from wealthy homeowners on the bluffs above, who complained of drug use, sexual deviates and smoking. (No such problems existed, according to newspaper coverage and lifeguards at the time.)

Following a citywide advisory vote that favored banning nudity, the San Diego City Council ended the “clothing-optional” zone. Fines began at $15.

Who was Black’s Beach named for

William H. Black, a “rich guy” who made his money from oil in Texas, bought about 250 acres on the bluffs above the beach, according to Olten. “His two main interests were thoroughbreds and fancy cars,” she added.

Enforcement of the nudity ban

California is home to 32 nude beaches, according to Californiabeaches.com. The website notes that public nudity is banned across the state, but enforcement is mostly limited to state beaches. Black’s Beach, which is on city land, borders Torrey Pines State Beach. Neither San Diego police nor state park rangers would disclose how often they patrol or cite nudists at Black Beach, but locals say it is very rare. Even the city’s tourism agency mocks the enforcement of the nudity ban, saying on its website that “the only real deterrent” to going nude at Black’s Beach is “the hike to get there.”

Running from the law

Enforcement of the nudity ban has never been a high priority, but in March 1994 police rushed onto the beach in force, with a helicopter buzzing overhead. A suspected car thief had scaled down the cliffs, with police in hot pursuit, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. To lose his pursuers, the thief shed his clothes to blend in among the nude sunbathers. When that didn’t work, he tried to swim away but was caught shivering in the surf.

“We arrested him naked,” a police spokesman said.

The week’s biggest stories

Angiostrongylus is a parasite found in rats. It is also called rat lungworm.

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Advertisement

Health and Science

• A virus without a vaccine or treatment is hitting California. Here’s what you need to know.
• A neurological disease called rat lungworm has been found in wild animals and one zoo animal in San Diego County, marking its first establishment in California.

War in Iran

California governor’s race

Crime and courts

What else is going on

Must-read

Other great reads

For your downtime

Legoland in Carlsbad has a new space-themed roller coaster in Galacticoaster. It’s an indoor ride that reaches speeds of 40 mph.

(Legoland / Merlin Entertainment)

Going out

• Theme parks: Legoland opens a new land and its most thrilling coaster yet, inspired by Space Mountain.
• Dating show: L.A. Affairs, The Times’ popular dating and romance column, is jumping from the printed word to a Hollywood stage with a live audience. Get your tickets now.
• Mall parks: Open-air “mall parks” are on the rise in SoCal — and exhausted parents are loving it.

Staying in

L.A. Timeless

A selection of the very best reads from The Times’ 143-year archive.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.