All beaches go through cycles of popularity and Black's Beach is one. Fifteen years ago the place was packed to the point where there were even more than 10,000 people on the two mile stretch of sand from the access road on the south to the far north side. People were playing volleyball, horse shoes, and jogging up and down the beach backwards (remember Pablo). There were quiet folks and penile superstars (remember BD Dave). Invaraiably there was a geek gang of clothed idiots who would prowl the beach searching for single women to harass. In short, long- long ago in a galaxy far away there were a huge contigent of Black's Beach regulars, from Zaven the body painter to...well the list goes on and on. Trust me there were thousands of people, each with there own social nitch.
Counting people is an art. I say there are a thousand people at a Cindy Sheehan anti-war ralley, right-wing wacko Sean Hannity may think there are a handful. Who knows.
Last winter 2004-2005 Southern California experienced an enormous amount of rain breaking hundred plus year old records; so much for El Nino. When Jen and I walked to the Black's Beach trail from the gliderport, it was in really sad shape. Geologically, the cliffs form a sedimentary "Marine Terrace" with serious erosion problems associated with rain. Over the years the trail has been built and re-built by volunteers, with no help from state funding or any Army Corp. of Engineers. Likewise, the beach has been perpetuated by the social will of the people.
I understand back in the nineteen seventies conservative voters from La Jolla and San Diego attempted to put an end to the nudity issue via a ballot measure, Proposition D. The only thing its passage succeeded in accomplishing was to restrict nudity to the state portion of the beach, north of a sign. So Black's Beach nudity lives on, if its 150 hardy folks on a cool day with a stratus cloud layer, or on a warm July 4th weekend with throngs of beach goers. Enjoy.