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Important Bates Beach Details
The clothing-optional area begins where the concrete retaining seawall is on the northwest end of the beach (see photo). Our agreement with the County Parks Department and SB County Sheriff’s Department says local deputies still have the right to ticket should the circumstances warrant it. That is why the County Parks Department did not remove the “No Nudity” sign at the top of the ramp. Since the law has not changed just the enforcement of it, they reasoned that they could not take it down. However, nudists will no longer be ticketed if they remain in the traditional nude area near the concrete retaining wall. Tickets will be given if nudists wander east of that boundary.
We will mark this boundary during our frequent visits to the beach, using a FOBB flag or a sign similar to that shown, so nobody will be confused.
Since 2017, FOBB has made sure beach behavior guidelines and other literature is distributed in the nudist area asking people to cover up whenever other beachgoers walk past to greatly reduce the possibility of user conflict. This has proved very successful as deputies have come down the beach only a few times in the past three years and no tickets have been issued.
To summarize, this is not the complete legal restoration we had hoped for, but the County Supervisor told us we can “earn our beach back” with good behavior, and then the County can revisit our request to have the county nudity ordinance amended. Hence our new effort to have everyone sign our petition so we can demonstrate our support.
Current Beach News
Rocks, Tar, And Less Sand Cause Bates Beachgoers To Move Farther West
September 3, 2022 - Because there has been so much sand erosion at the place our clothing-optional area begins, many are moving farther west, about 50 yards or so to use a smoother stretch of sand wit...
Read More Mid-Week Beach Visits Expands to Tuesdays and Thursdays
By popular demand (and great weather), we have added an additional weekday to visit Bates Beach as a group. Effective immediately, we will have our team there on both Tuesdays and Thursdays starting a...
Read More After Twenty Years, Nude Volleyball Is Back at Bates Beach!
The first weekend picnic day on June 11 went really well for the 20-30 people who attended. It was nice to see some new people come down to the beach, see us, and decide to join our area.
While it wa...
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