The Rock Report - December 2007
Old man winter appears to be spending some time down at Crescent Rock Beach these days. Several snowfalls have blanketed the shores of this naturist area, turning the grey sand into a beautiful white beach. Even the Crescent Rock boulder got into the act, imitating the famed White Rock, but in this case it was from a layer of freshly fallen snow and not a coating of white enamel paint.
Crescent Rock beach under winter's spell.
In related naturist news, the City of Surrey decided not to appeal the recent B.C. Supreme Court decision giving access to the Newton Wave Pool back to Skinnydipper Services Inc. for their monthly nude swims. It is hoped that those in City Hall will finally turn the other cheek and realize that nudists and naturists are part of the diverse society of Surrey that should not be discriminated against for endorsing the culture of positive body acceptance. While no formal announcement has been made, expect the Skinnydippers to be back at the Newton Wave Pool some time in the new year. Please note that their monthly nude swims are still being held at the Renfrew pool in Vancouver on the second Saturday of every month.
In tragic news, a 79 year-old Delta man was struck and killed by an Amtrak passenger train on the BNSF tracks at West Beach in White Rock on the night of December 11th. While the RCMP investigation concluded this was not an accident, it still shows how mixing trains with busy beaches and public walkways results in injury and death. Two more people have now been added this year to the dreaded 'BNSF Hit List', and SUN wonders how many more people will have to be struck by trains on these historically dangerous tracks before they are moved back to a safer inland location. Our prayers and condolences go out to the staff of the Amtrak train, the emergency personnel that tried in vain to save this man's life, and his surviving family members who endured this unfortunate tragedy during the holiday season.
Because of SUN's opposition to Nav Canada's new YVR landing vector that has brought commercial jet airliners and their noise pollution to the skies above Boundary Bay, SUN President Don Pitcairn has been invited to join Delta Mayor and Council at the VACC in Newton on January 8, 2008. Besides asking questions and reviewing operations inside Nav Canada's headquarters, Mr. Pitcairn plans to use this opportunity to address Mayor Lois Jackson, who is also Chairperson of Metro Vancouver (formerly GVRD), to press for the preservation of the Ocean Park bluffs and Crescent Rock Beach as a Metro Vancouver park and the creation of a nature trail on the area presently occupied by the BNSF railway as part of the Greenway Vision Plan.
Surrey's nude-recreational groups, SUN and Skinnydipper Services Inc., have decided to team up this year to co-host the 2nd annual Polar 'Bare' Plunge at Crescent Rock Beach on 'Nude' Year's day. Look for results and pictures next month in the January 2008 Rock Report and on the Skinnydipper website at www.skinnydipper.ca.