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October 2016 President's Message
by Richard Mason
Update: SFFB's effort to protect Haulover's naturist beach through increased 2016-17 budget for more safety personnel
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The following report may be lengthy, but educational. It is important for you to know the dynamics of Haulover's naturist beach and why, if we ask you in the future to call or e-mail a Commissioner or the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, it will be important for you to do that. If you wish to continue to have a naturist beach to visit, you should understand that those that control our future need to respect us as visitors to Haulover's naturist beach.
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Chance to win a nude Caribbean cruise or other great, naturist vacation prizes for two!
B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation Institute and South Florida Free Beaches / Florida Naturist Association are running our 2016 "Keep Our Beaches Bare" fundraising raffle. Make a donation* and enter the drawing for a chance to win a balcony stateroom for two on the Bare Necessities Big Nude Boat / Dare 2 Bare Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Pride, February 5-14, 2017, round trip from Tampa, FL to the Dominican Republic with stops in Key West, The Bahamas, and Turks & Caicos or one of six three-day, two-night naturist vacation packages for two in Florida (except as otherwise noted), including stays at
• Hidden Beach Resort - Au Naturel Club by Karisma (5 days/4 nights), Kantenah, Riviera Maya in Mexico's Yucatán peninsula (one hour south of Cancún) plus round-trip airfare from select U.S. gateways
• Cypress Cove Nudist Resort & Spa, Kissimmee (two prizes)
• daddy O hotel miami, Bay Harbor Islands (textile, but near Haulover Beach)
• Lake Como Family Nudist Resort, Lutz ("loots," near Tampa)
• Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort, Loxahatchee Groves (near West Palm Beach)
and two lunch or dinner packages for two at Werner Staub's Peppermill Restaurant on the Intracoastal Waterway in Sunny Isles Beach (textile, but walking distance to Haulover Beach).
Get all the details and order your raffle tickets at: beachesfoundation.org/fundraiser
* Donations will be used for naturist education, free beach advocacy, capital improvements to Haulover Beach or other clothing-optional beach sites, disability beach access program, and other purposes as listed in the scope of B.E.A.C.H.E.S.' mission and SFFB's mandate.
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We reported in last month's issue that South Florida Free Beaches, Inc. (SFFB) had further contracted in June with our Tallahassee lobbyist, Ramon Maury, to assist us in getting Miami-Dade County to increase its budget for Haulover Park for
| ... the Miami-Dade Department of Parks ... had not put any additional monies in its proposed budget to ... employ more ... police officers and ... rangers to patrol the beach and parking lots. |
2016-17. We were disappointed to learn that the Miami-Dade Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces had not put any additional monies in its proposed budget to meet our requests to employ more Miami-Dade police officers and professional, public safety "park rangers" to patrol the beach and parking lots. The Parks Department has its own small police force, but it will not hire additional officers and station them at Haulover Park because it would have to pay them a higher hourly rate. We were also disappointed to learn that the County Commissioner for District 4, where Haulover Park is located, would not support our request. The Commissioner's decision was based on there not being sufficient recorded police citations to justify our request for an increase in public safety personnel. We cannot fault the Commissioner for that, because it is true. The present decision, however, does not take into consideration that, if there are no police in the park and we report an incident, by the time an officer arrives at the scene, he or she is too late to witness the incident and therefore can not write up a citation.
Furthermore, it is known that the police were instructed in the past, for budget reasons, not to write up any incident reports that would not justify a prosecution, and thus no incident reports are on file. We have been on the beach for 25 years. We have asked for little and now that we have asked for a few improvements, rather that respecting our request, it is dismissed as not meeting a standard that we believe others do not have to meet.
The uniformed personnel that occasionally patrol the beach in unmarked cars are listed as "guards." They are not public safety grade or police academy-trained, have no authority to cite anyone, and have been instructed not to write up an incident report unless they witness it. They have no authority to force a perpetrator to produce identification nor to hold a person until a police officer, when called, arrives. Zilch! The "guards" do not have a marked, 4-wheel-drive vehicle, megaphone, or searchlight to assist in clearing the beach. They are not on the beach early in the morning and, by working alone in the evening and at night, they are not effective in clearing the beach of undesirable trollers. Another zilch! Hello, folks!
| [I]f Haulover's naturist beach gets a bad reputation, you as a visitor will get one as well. Authorities will blame it on the nudity... |
Why is this important? Because, if Haulover's naturist beach gets a bad reputation, you as a visitor will get one as well. Authorities will blame it on the nudity and you know how those results will manifest. We are determined not to let that happen.
Our position is that the visitors to Haulover's naturist beach pay over $1.5 million in parking revenue annually. About six years ago, after always being told by the park management that it had no money to take care of our basic needs, we recommended adding a $1 surcharge to the parking fee for the purpose of funding our particular needs. We estimate that the surcharge has been paid for well over one million vehicles. That equals more than one million bucks, folks!
We have paid the surcharge and have not seen any of the money being spent for our needs over and above the basic needs that are satisfied for visitors to any beach. We have never been invited to a stakeholder meeting on the issue and there has been no proactive effort on the part of Parks Department management to account for how the surcharge money is spent, despite repeated requests. We have never been consulted on the needs of visitors, either.
| Parking Lot 1 floods when it rains and the puddles stay for days. The potholes do not get filled and cars get damaged... |
Parking Lot 1 floods when it rains and the puddles stay for days. The potholes do not get filled and cars get damaged when they drop into a hole that is under the water. Mosquitoes breed and hatch and there is no accountability for that health hazard. The drains in the parking lot are filled with dirt and requests to clear them and to drain the water with portable pumps are ignored. Basically, we are treated as second-class citizens. Tourists from Europe are continuously shocked at the condition of the parking lot and have referred to it as a "third-world" parking lot.
A second shower on the beach, which we requested two years ago, was promised but never delivered. Were we lied to? You make the judgment. Had we been told "no," we would have built it ourselves. We had the location selected, met with a State of Florida environmental officer, and received her approval. We could have raised the funds and it would have been built two years ago. B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation Institute, with a contribution from South Florida Free Beaches and a small grant from the County, built the existing shower on the beach. It took three years of B.E.A.C.H.E.S.' persistence to meet specifications, overcome all obstacles, and get it done.
| ... Haulover's naturist beach has an economic impact of over $1 billion annually and is responsible for creating more than 10,000 jobs. |
Haulover's naturist beach is a major tourist attraction along with serving the needs of local naturists. It is a "destination" beach. It most likely has the largest annual attendance of any facility in South Florida. On a consistent basis, studies indicate that over 60% of its visitors are classified as tourists. Using formulas of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the State of Florida's VISIT FLORIDA® agency, Haulover's naturist beach has an economic impact of over $1 billion annually and is responsible for creating more than 10,000 jobs. The tourists and residents that stay at area hotels and dine locally also pay a substantial amount of dollars in sales and resort taxes that the cities and county collect, only to be spent on other recreational facilities, but not here at Haulover. When you add the value of homes and condos purchased by visitors to Haulover, the amount of the economic impact climbs substantially.
SFFB's members and beach visitors have been good custodians. We keep the beach clean, glass containers off it, and people out of the dunes. It's only reasonable to ask that a fair share of the monies from the beach parking and surcharge and resort taxes that we are responsible for contributing to Miami-Dade County be put back into Haulover Park, the economic engine that generates them. They should be used to fund the additional public safety personnel and longer hours for lifeguards that we seek. We have not asked for this additional public safety or police staffing to come from the existing Miami-Dade Police budget.
| [The Mayor] has the authority to make changes to the budget and to shift funds around to correct inadequacies... |
The budget hearing in September is now past. The existing proposed budget for Haulover will remain the same for now, but that is not the end of story or of our effort. Miami-Dade County has an Executive Mayor form of government. The mayor produces and recommends the budget to the County Commission. He has the authority to make changes to the budget and to shift funds around to correct inadequacies when they are brought to his attention with supporting facts.
Our lobbyist, Ramon Maury, has remained in Miami to meet with the appropriate officials, and he sees progress in our efforts to right a wrong. Our effort and its expenses will continue, and we will do whatever it takes to accomplish our goal to protect the visitors to Haulover's naturist beach and the reputation of both the beach and its visitors. Respect is achieved when you stand up for your rights. Stay tuned!
It is your beach! You can support our effort to protect Haulover Beach and its visitors by contributing to help pay for this additional professional work. The best way is to donate on line at sffb.com (scroll down to SFFB/FNA Legal Defense / Political Action Fund), or you can make out a check to SFFB/FNA and mail it to the address shown at the lower left in this e-mail. Thank you in advance for donating and for reading the whole message. "Knowledge is power!"
B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation Institute, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational and charitable adjunct of SFFB, is conducting a fundraising raffle, the proceeds of which will be shared with SFFB. There are eight great prizes, including grand prize of a nude Caribbean cruise. See above right for more info and to order raffle tickets.
If you are not a current SFFB member, please consider becoming one - numbers matter. Join at sffb.com or fill out an application on printed page 7 of the Naturist Beach Guide booklet found in the news dispenser boxes on Haulover Beach.
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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.
The final Beach Ambassador training in 2016 is scheduled for Haulover Beach in Miami on Saturday, November 12. If you have any questions or wish to sign up for a training session, contact Ken.
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Treasure Coast Naturists launch membership drive
Treasure Coast Naturists (TCN), the organization that mentors Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce, FL through its Friends of Blind Creek Beach (FBCB) committee, has kicked off its membership program. For just $20 per year, you can be an active part of the organized naturist group that manages this clothing-optional beach, stay informed of all things related to Blind Creek Beach, get invited to naturist and other special events and clothing-optional gatherings for members, obtain discounts on TCN merchandise, and more.
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Click on image to view video.
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Fill out and mail in the membership application form with your dues payment.
TCN and FBCB have put together a short, promotional video clip about Blind Creek Beach. Watch and enjoy!
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Kite festivals at Haulover Park
Skyward Kites, Inc., the kite concessionaire at Haulover Park, hosts the 24th Annual Kitetober Fest on Saturday, October 23 from noon to 5 p.m. In their words, "[This] free event ... feature[s] ... paper kite-building classes and demonstrations from longtime kite enthusiasts. In addition, there will be kite-flying competitions. People of all ages are encouraged to come out to fly their kites, make their own kites for free, or purchase an already-made kite. There is no limit ... to the size and type of kite. Those who just want to watch can bring a blanket and enjoy the sight of hundreds of kites in the air and some great live music. Food and refreshments ... will be available for purchase."
The next kite event at Haulover Park after this one is the 25th Annual Kite Day, Saturday and Sunday, February 18-19, 2017. If you attend either event, mention SFFB.
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Paris City Council approves clothing-optional zone
The City Council of Paris, France gave approval in principle at its meeting on September 26 to a proposal by its Green Party members to create a public, clothing-optional zone next year. Although the location was not specified, it will probably be in a park or one of the city's main forests, either Bois de Boulogne or Bois de Vincennes. The councillors argued that, although France has two million naturists, there is no public place to go nude legally in the capital other than at one municipal pool that is crowded and has a very limited schedule for nude use. See Nudist park is planned for Paris.
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SFFB Board meeting
The Board of Directors of South Florida Free Beaches meets on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at noon under the North Chickee (thatch-roofed shade structure) near Lifeguard Tower 15. The meeting is 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 inclement weather, when the meeting may take place indoors.
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Tallahassee Naturally celebrates 30th anniversary
Tallahassee Naturally, the naturist club in the "Big Bend" area surrounding Florida's capital, celebrated thirty years of existence on September 25 with a picnic at clothing-optional Suntan Lake, the facility near Monticello, FL that it leases on weekends year-round. The club also organizes trips to secluded wilderness areas.
Tallahassee Naturally takes pride in nurturing young adult naturists, with a special outreach to college students. For more than 20 years, the club has sponsored the annual nude College Greek Athletic Meet in the tradition of the ancient Olympics. The club also mentors and co-hosts some events with Naturally FSU, a recognized student organization at Florida State University and the only official collegiate naturist group in Florida.
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Southern California Naturist Association wins awards
Southern California Naturist Association (SCNA), a naturist travel club of which Friends of Bates Beach (near Santa Barbara) is a division, was honored at the August convention of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) with three media awards for 2016.
For the fourth year in a row, SCNA won the Ilsley Boone Award for Best Newsletter for a club of its size. For the second year in a row, it won the Best Original Article Award for a unique travel piece in its August 2015 newsletter. SCNA also won the Serendipity Park Web Site Award for Best Amateur Web Site. Access to the SCNA newsletter is for members only. Find out about joining SCNA.
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October brings Columbus Day Regatta, Oktoberfest, Fantasy Fest, and more
by Richard Mason
October is here already! Wow! This year is going fast, so let's enjoy what is left of it. The following traditional local activities are going on in South Florida in October and they are bucket list events that we all should enjoy before they "deep-six" us.
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Columbus Day Regatta
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First, there is the 62nd Annual Columbus Day Regatta, October 8-9. Several thousand boats raft up in Biscayne Bay, north of Elliott Key. This is a real regatta sponsored by several sailing groups, but most attendees do not care. It's just an excuse for party time. Many of the thousands of attendees, most of whom might never get naked at Haulover Beach, will bare something at the regatta, although exposed genitalia are not allowed. Mostly alcohol or that inner desire takes hold and the ladies quickly drop their tops. String bikini bottoms are the fashion for them, but, for the men, those ugly surfer shorts. What happened to male pride or any awareness of beach style and fashion? Gone!
The regatta is held in an area that spreads into several jurisdictions, county, state, and federal. Law enforcement (on land and water), ocean safety personnel, and others are there. While many boaters complain that they should be elsewhere, e.g., protecting our borders, the fact is that their presence has saved many lives from drowning, alcohol poisoning, dehydration, heat exhaustion, and overexposure to the sun.
While the first-time and amateur nearly naked people add excitement to the event, the music and fellowship among most of the attendees make the event traditional. There will always be the jerks that show up to make fools of themselves, disturb the peace, and push the party atmosphere beyond the limits and tolerance of law enforcement, but they are not welcome and are quickly extracted from the scene, and the fun goes on.
Next, there is Oktoberfest. Several restaurants in the area promote events for this, but the best one, now in its 59th year, is at the German-American Social Club of Greater Miami in Miami-Dade horse country. A celebration of German culture, it takes place on two weekends, October 14-16 and 21-23, and features authentic German beers, food, music, and folk dance. Many attendees wear traditional German / Bavarian clothing. Good food and good people - merriment, German-style. There is also Kitetober Fest with Skyward Kites, Inc. in Haulover Park on Saturday, October 23. (See related article above.)
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Nearly nude revelers at Fantasy Fest
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Then, most importantly, there is Fantasy Fest in Key West the last week in October. This year's dates are October 21-30. This event is a must! Those that have attended previously are the best people to talk to about it to get an idea of what it's like. The whole week is party time on Duval Street, Old Town's main drag.
Wear your own risqué outfit and feel the breeze on your body parts. Exposed female breasts are okay, but the nipples must be covered. (What is it about the female nipple that makes elected and law enforcement officials feel threatened?!) There is a different event every day with the main parade with floats on Saturday night. Remember, the Fantasy Fest zone for bare breasts and buttocks (exposure of genitalia is not allowed) is restricted to Duval Street and one-half block from there on all side streets. If you go beyond those boundaries, an officer will ask you to go back. Enjoy yourself and be careful out there.
Attention, ladies: The merely exposed female breast violates no Florida law, but you could get a citation for it, regardless. If you are to be ticketed by any officer, inform him or her that the Florida State Attorney for Monroe County (of which Key West is the seat) has notified all City and County officials not to submit any citations for an "exposure of breast" because they will not be prosecuted. Request the officer to check with his or her legal affairs department before issuing a citation. If you still get one, visit the Office of the State Attorney in Key West and ask that it be canceled. If you have to go to court, plead not guilty. Avoid pleading no contest because that is essentially an acknowledgment of guilt.
If you get a citation, know what law you are being charged with violating. If it is Florida Statute 800.03 (Lewdness; Indecent Exposure), that is an extremely serious charge, albeit a wrongful one in the absence of any lewd and lascivious conduct. If you are convicted of or plead no contest to that charge, it could permanently change your life in a negative way.
If you are traveling from North or Central Florida, add a few days to visit Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce (St. Lucie County) and/or Haulover Beach in Miami.
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Lake Como Family Nudist Resort hosts Annual Freedom Fest Veterans' Weekend, November 11-13
Lake Como Family Nudist Resort in Lutz ("loots"), FL, near Tampa, hosts its annual Freedom Fest in honor of veterans over the weekend of November 11-13, 2016. For details, see the event program (preliminary and subject to change).
Freedom Fest is a fundraiser for Tampa Crossroads Athena House, which provides housing and assistance to female veterans in need. Here are some of the features:
• Veterans' Parade & Tribute Ceremony
• Music | Vendors
• Charity Golf Scramble
• Charity Silent Auction
• Free admission for U.S. and Canadian veterans and active and reserve military members
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