Naked Beach

There is a beach that I always go to in San Francisco. (The one pictured at the top of this blog, in fact.) It has great views of the GG bridge and beautiful rocks, both for collecting and climbing on.

It also tends to have lots of naked people down on one end. My children think this is the funniest thing they've ever heard about, and even before we left for SF, Nathaniel asked if we could go there and if he could be naked, too.

I should note that I think the idea of a nude beach in a place that is always cold and always windy and has even colder water is silly. Just plain silly. But also, I like that my son is still free enough of body image issues that he would consider doing such a thing. So, like any mother trying to avoid the question, I said, "We'll see."

Nathaniel playing in the water on the more conventionally clothed side of the beach. This water is so cold that it numbs one's toes nearly upon contact.

This is my friend Damian who picked us up and drove us to the beach. Which makes him an accomplice. (He looks in the picture as if he is just barely tolerating me taking it...which is probably not too far off. He should have been grateful, though. Usually when we're at points of cold water, I make sure he gets good and wet. I was really nice this time. Mostly because I was tired, but still.)

See? Great view of the bridge! That's probably why everyone and their dog gets their engagement photos taken on this beach. I've yet to be there when there's not a professional photographer there. The couple being photographed while we were there had wandered a little too far down towards the this side of the beach, though, and had to dodge the naked guy who was walking back and forth along the surf and right into their pictures.

I would just like to say, I would LOVE to get that wedding announcement. Can you imagine? Cute couple looking all lovey dovey with the Golden Gate Bridge and a 40 something, average looking, naked white man behind them. Picturesque, indeed! I would be equally excited to attend their reception. If they've got the guts to send out that wedding announcement, I'm thinkin' the party could be a little more than just a chocolate fountain and wedding cake!

Here are the pretty rocks while the sun is setting.

And here is the picture that I plan on pulling out to show every single girl that Nathaniel ever even thinks about bringing home to introduce to me. My son, building a "sand toilet". I can't wait until he's 16!

By the way, in case you're wondering how Nathaniel received permission to be naked on what he now calls "Naked Beach", he wore me down until I finally said, "Fine. But you have to be the one to tell your father about it."

Well, what did you expect from someone who sends her kids to the hippie-commie preschool where even clothing is optional? (Though they do ask kids to at least wear underwear while at school, strictly for hygiene, but underwear nonetheless.)