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June 2017 President's Message
by Richard Mason
Free beach movement is reignited in Florida
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The growth of additional, designated naturist beaches in Florida has always been the goal of South Florida Free Beaches / Florida Association, Inc. (SFFB/FNA), and it is a strategy that the volunteers in our association have worked at tirelessly for over 37 years.
After we established Haulover Beach in 1991, it took us a while to get to the next legally established beach. There are many reasons for that that I will not dwell on here, but the establishment of Haulover Beach led to many efforts by the enemies of nude beaches to make mere nudity on public lands a felony crime in Florida. This well-financed and professionally managed anti-nudity effort included introducing anti-nudity bills at the Florida legislative level as well as having anti-nudity laws passed by Florida county commissions in a county-by-county strategy. These actions detoured temporarily our efforts to add additional naturist beaches to the Florida coastline, as we geared up for anti-nudity bills in Tallahassee, Florida's capital, and ran around the state, lobbying county commissions and speaking at their public hearings.
There was also an increase in the number of people being cited and arrested on Florida beaches for top-free or mere nude sunbathing, and we jumped into over 250 cases by contacting those people and sending them instructions on how to get their cases dismissed. This was important to prevent our enemies from having a lot of cases of convictions to carry around and from confusing state legislators and county commissioners with non-standing case law. With every case we won, we educated a law enforcement department and a prosecutor about the real law on the issues. This reduced future citations.
About three years ago, Blind Creek Beach on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County became the first recognized naturist beach in Florida since Haulover was established. Local naturists, who were tired of driving to Haulover Beach to skinny-dip, accomplished this by using the same strategy that SFFB/FNA had used to acquire Haulover Beach. This success has reignited the free beach movement in Florida.
SFFB/FNA has always stated that it would take local naturists to set up an incorporated association in their locality for a new naturist beach to be established. A team from SFFB/FNA and B.E.A.C.H.E.S Foundation Institute, our 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and charitable adjunct, would then meet with them and train them on the strategic plan for success. We are now working with the revitalized Tampa Area Naturists (TAN) and the newly established Palm Beach Naturists. (See related article below.)
I do not want to leave out the role of AANR-Florida, the Florida region of the American Association for Nude Recreation, in these efforts. About four years ago, under new leadership, AANR-Florida contacted SFFB/FNA and B.E.A.C.H.E.S and offered to join in this effort. They have been a great help in bringing greater dimension and resources to the effort.
AANR-Florida then hired the same lobbyist that we use, Ramon Maury of Maury Management Group, Inc., giving the Florida naturist beach movement a bigger bang with the legislature and government agencies. As we reported in the April 2017 issue, last year, AANR-Florida initiated and funded a professional study on the positive economic impact of nude beaches and resorts on the economy in Florida.
A few years ago, SFFB/FNA, B.E.A.C.H.E.S., and AANR-Florida met with VISITFLORIDA®, Florida's official agency responsible for promoting tourism, and established a relationship with them to promote nude recreation in Florida. The existence of nude beaches and resorts in Florida is now addressed on their web site.
All these steps have been taken to destigmatize nude recreation and to place it on the same legal level as other forms of recreation. That is what will help us obtain additional naturist beaches. So, if anyone reading this message is driving too many miles to get to Haulover and believes it is time to establish a clothing-optional beach at a more reasonable distance to visit, this is your call to action, and we can help.
"We are the people we have been waiting for."
SFFB/FNA has been there for naturists for 37 years, but we need your support to be able to continue with our mission.
If you are not a current member of South Florida Free Beaches, please consider becoming one — numbers matter. At $35 per year for your household, it costs just 67¢ per week. A key benefit is the continued, clothing-optional use of Haulover Beach. How much is that worth to you? Join or renew at sffb.com.
We also have a separate Legal Defense & Political Action Fund that supports our government affairs efforts and assists individuals cited for nude sunbathing. Even if you're not ready to (re)join just yet, please consider donating to this fund (not tax-deductible) to help with current challenges. Donations by bank check should be mailed to the address below (in e-mail version of newsletter). Thanks!
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Beach Ambassador training
Do you spend a lot of time on Miami's nude beach? If so, you have a chance to give back by volunteering as a Beach Ambassador (BA) to help maintain naturist standards on Haulover Beach and keep it safely nude for all to enjoy. Sign up for and attend a training to become part of a wonderful corps of volunteers.
BAs serve as beach monitors and greeters, a combination of block watch and welcome wagon. For their service, BAs at Haulover Beach get a cool hat, ID badge, and free parking on their duty days. Seasonal residents are welcome to participate.
Beach Ambassador training for the remainder of 2017 is scheduled for Haulover Beach in Miami on Saturday, July 8, and October 14. If you have any questions or wish to sign up for a training session, contact Ken.
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Florida free beach updates
Reminder: Treasure Coast Naturists (TCN), mentors of Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce, have a fun event coming up, the 3rd Annual Blind Creek Beach Skinny-Dip on Sunday afternoon, July 16 in conjunction with Nude Recreation Week. TCN actively welcomes new members and donors to help care for Blind Creek Beach, including the expense of maintaining port-a-potties in the parking lot, which TCN provides (not St. Lucie County).
Tampa Area Naturists (TAN) are hosting a clothed, beach sunset dinner (bring your own) at Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin, FL on Sunday, June 4 and the 1st Annual TAN Tribal Council at Sunnier Palms Nudist Resort in Fort Pierce, September 22-24, including days on Blind Creek Beach.
The recently formed Palm Beach County Freedom Beach Initiative has changed its name to Palm Beach Naturists, resurrecting the name of a former group to reflect its purpose and scope. "Like" its new Facebook page at facebook.com/pbnaturists to be kept informed of developments. For a bit of history, read 1970s rewind: How a nude beach in Palm Beach County took off (literally).
Palm Beach Naturists submitted to the Palm Beach County Commission on May 18 a proposal for a clothing-optional beach at the north end of that county's Gulfstream Park in Delray Beach (not to be confused with the racetrack / casino of the same name in Broward County). The proposal was forwarded to the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council for review.
The proposal quickly gained local media attention, including in the Palm Beach Post and on WPBF 25 News (video clip). The group holds its first beach cleanup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, June 17, followed by an informal discussion of the group's plans.
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SFFB Board meeting on Haulover Beach, June 11
The Board of Directors of South Florida Free Beaches usually meets on the second Saturday of every month at 2:00 p.m. under the North Chickee (thatch-roofed shade structure) near Lifeguard Tower 15 on Haulover Beach unless another date and time or location is announced. See below for the long-term schedule. Any planned exception to the second Saturday pattern is noted with an asterisk.
The meetings are open to SFFB sponsors / members, supporters, and invited guests. Prior to setting out, check the upper left-hand corner of SFFB's home page at sffb.com (under Today's Beach Reports) for any change in date, time, or location due to unavailability of Board members or in case of bad weather, when the meeting may take place indoors.
Don't miss an SFFB Board meeting — add the schedule to your calendar now!
Sun., June 11, 2017*
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July 8, 2017 |
August 12, 2017
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September 9, 2017
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October 14, 2017
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November 11, 2017
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December 9, 2017
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Women in Naturism Weekend, June 3-4, 2017
The second annual Women in Naturism Weekend (WINW) is June 3-4, 2017. WINW is an international open house by women for women with the purpose of introducing women to the naturist way of life and providing naturist women an opportunity to network. Several naturist resorts have special programs for the weekend, including Cypress Cove Nudist Resort & Spa in Kissimmee, FL and Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort
in Loxahatchee Groves, FL. For more information, visit the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR)'s Women in Naturism Weekend page.
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God's Garden grows with steady offering of events
God's Garden for Naturist Christians continues to grow, with several members joining weekly. The group enjoyed the wonderful amenities of Cypress Cove Nudist Resort & Spa in Kissimmee, FL, May 11-14. For its May 21 movie night, the group selected Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock, followed by a skinny-dip in a private, heated pool. At press time, the group was planning to enjoy a home-cooked meal on Friday, June 2 at Naturally Nude Café at Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort in Loxahatchee Groves, FL, followed by a swim in the heated pool, a soak in the outdoor hot tub, and a drum circle around the bonfire at 9 p.m.
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An ice cream social is scheduled for Sunday, June 11 with a wide variety of flavors and toppings. The group also attends textile events, including the free Eagles tribute band on Friday, June 16 at Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton, FL and the free Beatles tribute concert on Father's Day (Sunday, June 18) at Meyer Amphitheatre on the waterfront of West Palm Beach, FL.
Future get-togethers feature discussions on Christian ethics and the challenge of introducing non-nudist partners to our lifestyle, a chiropractor discussing how to live a healthy life, along with nutrition advice, and how skeletal adjustments influence our overall health, and a board game / poker night.
The contacts for God's Garden are Victoria and Mike Stewart at (954) 829-9911 or GodsGardenGroup@gmail.com. Get more info and request to join at meetup.com/Gods-Garden-for-Naturist-Christians.
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Some nudists resist Willoughby nude beach upgrades
At the southern end of the long and narrow Lake Willoughby in Westmore, VT is a secluded beach that has been a skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing spot for many decades. It has grown in popularity, as evidenced by the increasing number of cars parked along the highway in season. In response, Vermont drew up plans during the past winter to add parking, boardwalks, and restrooms. These developments called for the removal of four acres (1.6 hectares) of trees.
Officials were taken aback in public hearings at the strongly negative response of some beach users, who objected to the scale of the work or feared environmental impacts as well as a possible state takeover that might result in user fees and contention with non-nudists for access. For additional details, read Vermont nude beach fans against parking lot, boardwalk.
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Federal court upholds San Francisco anti-nudity law
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled on May 25 that San Francisco's ban on public nudity, adopted in February 2015 (with exceptions for certain permitted events), does not violate the First Amendment, as claimed by plaintiffs in a lawsuit. For details, read San Francisco Ban on Public Nudity Ruled Constitutional by Ninth Circuit and No First Amendment right to political public nudity — even in San Francisco.
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June deadline for 2018 AANR scholarship eligibility
We reported in the April 2017 issue that AANR-Florida had revamped its scholarship program for naturist college and university students and that applications for the 2017 cycle were due by May 1. No one applied, and there is therefore no award for 2017. Requirements for eligibility include being an AANR member for at least one year as of the award. For the 2018 award cycle, anyone considering applying who isn't an AANR member must join AANR no later than June 2017.
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Understanding reached with Santa Barbara County officials to accommodate nudity on Bates Beach
by Gary Mussell, Member, B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Board of Governors and Director,
Friends of Bates Beach, a division of Southern California Naturist Association
After several months of discussion, Santa Barbara County, CA Supervisor Das Williams agreed the traditional nude area at North Rincon (Bates) Beach at the Santa Barbara / Ventura County line should be that way again. He called the County Parks Department and the County Sheriff, both of whom agreed not to enforce the County's anti-nudity law on that beach unless someone registers a complaint. He informed me of this change in policy on April 19.
On April 21, after discussing this change of status with our Bates Beach team, I asked Williams' Field Deputy, Ashley Kunzel, to approve a letter to be given to all the deputies so that there is no chance of a rogue cop going down and giving a ticket on his own. She agreed it was a good idea and, during the first week in May, I sent her sample language for such a letter, as put together by Naturist Action Committee Board member Allen Baylis and Shirley Mason, Executive Director of B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation Institute.
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Kunzel also wanted copies of the Baca letter about hiking in the Angeles National Forest and the letter signed by the Miami-Dade County Chief of Police regarding Haulover as a guide to how such a letter should be written. I also sent her a list of all tickets issued at Gaviota and Bates Beaches over the past several years, and a copy of the instructions given to juries in California about the evidence needed to convict a person for indecent exposure or lewd conduct. The Supervisor had asked for these documents as well.
I also asked that the "No Nudity" sign at the top of the ramp going down to the beach be removed, as it would only confuse people. She said she would ask her boss to call County Parks about the sign. Kunzel and I agreed to meet on May 5 to finish the details.
When we met on May 5, Ashley Kunzel and I agreed on many points:
- Nudists will no longer be ticketed at North Rincon (Bates) Beach if they remain in the traditional nude area that starts 3,000 feet (914 meters) west of the ramp down to the beach. This boundary is about 100 feet (30 meters) west of the old, rusty pipe that sticks out of the cliff above the beach. The County's Undersheriff, Bernard "Bernie" Melekian and the Deputy Parks Director, Brian Yanez, have agreed to this, although they will not provide a signed letter signed acknowledging this.
- The Sheriff's Department agreed not dispatch its deputies to the beach except on complaint, and then they will only request the nudists get dressed for the remainder of the day to avoid user conflict with the complainer (someone other than the deputy). This is almost identical to the old "Cahill Policy" used in the California State Parks system until a few years ago.
- Tickets will be given only if nudists wander east of the agreed-to boundary.
- Kunzel said there remains some fear among some in law enforcement that the nudists may attract "a bad element to the beach" and so "we would be back to where we were in 1999." Friends of Bates Beach (FOBB) will engage with beachgoers to be sure that any lewd activity is kept at a minimum. Tickets may be issued for lewd activity, which the Sheriff's Department will continue to enforce with the help and support of FOBB and its Beach Ambassadors.
- The County Parks Department has backed off from removing the "No Nudity" sign at the top of the ramp above Bates Beach. As the sign is barely visible now because of a nearby overgrown bush, however, the County agreed not to trim the plant so that the sign would be totally hidden by the end of the year.
- Although Kunzel expressed some nervousness, Friend of Bates Beach is going to purchase a portable sign to be placed at that boundary in the sand announcing the nudity policy. Rather than confuse the beachgoers, we will simply explain that the "No Nudity" sign at the top of the ramp still applies to the eastern half of the beach. It also will warn nudists to be dressed east of the sign. This will also help avoid user conflict.
- It is up to FOBB to make sure beach behavior guidelines are followed. After a few initial nude visits to the beach in June and July to acclimate the bathing-suited ("textile") beachgoers to our presence, FOBB plans to hoist the volleyball nets and have our first nude game on the sand in almost two decades. Nude volleyball is a tradition across the country and was a staple of activity every weekend at Bates for decades. We hope that this will cause no complaints as people will be expecting it as the Beach Ambassadors will hand out literature beforehand along the entire beach.
- Only if there are a lot of complaints for nudity will the Sheriff's Department consider rescinding this agreement and return to ticketing for mere nudity. They will speak to Kunzel and me first so that I can discuss it with the nudists to see if we can improve relations with the other beachgoers.
- Kunzel is going to speak to the County Parks Department to place a couple of trash cans at the foot of the ramp up from the beach so people can deposit trash and pet refuse there.
- Regarding dogs, as everyone knows, Bates is also an unofficial "dog off leash" beach in defiance of the County Leash Law. Dog walkers from all over bring their animals to romp across the sand. FOBB has not objected to this, but we did point out to the County the hypocrisy of allowing dog owners to disobey the law while nudists were being singled out. Kunzel told us that County Animal Control has decided to ignore the off-leash dogs at Bates unless there is a complaint. This is the same logic they have now applied to the nudists' request.
To summarize, this is not the complete restoration of legal nudity we had hoped for, but we were given some hope that, if we "earn our beach," Supervisor Williams and the County may revisit our request in a couple of years to have the County's anti-nudity ordinance amended and the nude beach made fully legal.
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