EMMA PIRHALA / NEWS EDITOR

The search for the best bathing suit, or even a decent one, dominates my pre-summer thoughts, turning me into  a crude Californian version of Goldilocks — too large, too revealing and  too conservative. Rather than wasting any more of my time, I turned to the next best option: nudity. 

Although frowned upon at most beaches, La Jolla’s Black’s Beach offers a haven for the bathing-suit-have-nots. Known for its breathtaking cliffs, waves and paragliders, the landscape is not the only sight to see at Black’s Beach. Beachgoers ditch their tops and bottoms, and so did I, to finally determine the answer to the age-old question for native San Diegans and tourists alike: “To go nude or not to go nude?” After dipping more than just my toes in the water, I believe nudity is the answer.

Now, I consider myself an inexperienced nudist — except for one time in the Netherlands, where nudity is accepted as a norm at spas. Like  many  other WASPs,  white anglo-saxon protestants, the particular freedom to express myself was not so free and often met with shrieks and “I’m so sorry for not knocking!” 

I even find myself to be quite prudish, rarely wearing revealing clothing and instead heading for the chunkiest, most-enveloping cable knit sweaters I can find. Yet, I found myself drawn to the upsides of people seeing my downside. For instance, I wouldn’t need to worry about those pesky tanlines getting in the way of my tube tops, or the unfortunate sand-filled bottoms after an inevitable wipeout. Plus, after a season of midterms galore, a brief day of freedom is exactly what I needed. And why not? I came into this world naked — why not just go full circle? So, I ditched my swimsuit and headed straight for Black’s. 

I was not warned beforehand of the trek to get down to this nudist nook. So imagine me clutching onto the side of a cliff  while  passerbys wait for me  to  get  over my fears of  falling to  my death. I find it  important to note that I was, in fact, fully clothed at this time. However, after 30 minutes of fight, flight  and freezing, I arrived at the charcoal shores of Black’s Beach. 

I gladly stripped to the nude and very quickly swam into the ocean to avoid any potential flashing of spectators trying to enjoy the sun and not my moon. Despite my fears, I found myself feeling free, and unbound by tests, obligations and the expectations of others. Nothing quite beats skinny dipping in the piercing Pacific on an overbearingly sweltering day.

Going nude to the beach can be a freeing experience. Photo courtesy of @Alexey Demidov/Unsplash

Some may shy away from this particular nude endeavor, instead choosing to cower  in their bikinis and boardshorts — citing the questionable legalities and potential risks. San Diego County Code prohibits public nudity, even at Black’s Beach. But, rangers  and lifeguards  are historically laxed in enforcing this law. Even when another bare beach-goer cut her foot on glass, the lifeguards gladly, and respectfully, helped out  

Yet  this doesn’t even begin to cover perhaps the most stressful aspect of nudity — the embarrassment. I, like all people, have my insecurities, and I do not often put them on display for others to see. However, from my experience, nudity beckons a sort of etiquette. I don’t necessarily believe the queen of etiquette, Emily Post, would approve of such a ‘rulebook,’ but by baring it all for others you enter into an  agreement of mutual respect. Don’t stare. Don’t approach a fellow nude alone. Don’t set up camp on an empty beach right next to a group of nudes. Just don’t be weird. As long as you respect these rules, you can expect a safe nude experience. 

However, some things you cannot plan for — like a group of 40 churchgoers, with young children, making their way down to the nude beach while you have all of yourself on display. Surprisingly, this was not one of my most embarrassing moments and did not deter me from my nude awakening. 

Despite  all  the worries I had in my head, and the  ones  which  actually did occur, I would still 100% go nude again. I do not  think I will drop out and  join a nudist colony anytime soon, but I appreciated gaining a sense of total freedom in a world where  not  much  is  free  — where rules and deadlines and consequences  reign supreme. My little break from reality was much needed, and I recommend that everyone bares it all on Black’s at least once. 

While the San Diego County Code does not allow public nudity, Black’s beach-goers are accepting of it.  Zoe Rogers/ The USD Vista

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of  The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.