Clara Bailey passed away January 27, 2009 at the age of 88.  She is survived by her daughters Debbie and Ruth.  I spoke with her a few days earlier and she wanted a salt water bath at Black's Beach.  She was happy, not sad.  She was satisfied with her life, her accomplishments and the length.  It is her wish that we celebrate life, not mourn her passing.

For those that don't know, Clara Bailey is an important figure in Black's Beach history.  She fought to keep it legal back in the mid seventies.  Technically she lost, and nudity is illegal on the city beach.  But, in the practical sense, she won, and nudity is legal on the state beach.  The continued nude use of Black's Beach is her legacy.  We bask in her sunlight.

A LEGEND IN HER OWN TIME
(BLACK'S BEACH'S CLARA BAILEY)

There is a legend in her own time
And she's so sweet, she feels divine,
But she's down to Earth & hangs so loose.
All that I have said about her, in the truth.

I met her many years ago,
On our favorite beach,
Where we had no woes.
We spent our life au natural,
Playing in the water and
Having many a story to tell.

Our beach was like paradise
On this present Earth,
Until those who came around had
No respect or didn't know its worth.

She functioned as Granny
Of all the Black's Beach clan
And I worked at her side
Playing Mother to our land.

We all felt like
An extended family,
Caring for each other and
Trying to keep our beach free.

She spent many an hour
Selling our beach wares,
On top of our cliffs above
Where we had no cares.

Our lives have evolved and
Many of us have moved on,
But all of us will remember Clara
Forever and our Earthly home in the sun.

Joann Newman-Aiassa (Joi) 5/98

Clara
selling shirts on Black's Beach (1977?)