“You feel more connected with nature. I had stress. I thought how I do I get rid of it? Get naked! I get to be myself in nature. Nobody is here. Some people frown upon it. But a lot of people respect it. We aren’t hurting anybody. This beach is a calm place in nature.”

— Varinka Muldawer of Santa Cruz, who was walking down to the San Gregorio Ranch beach where she planned to disrobe. A nudist haven since the 1960s, the property’s recent purchase deal by the Peninsula Open Space Trust ensures its preservation as an extension of a neighboring state beach, though it’s clothing-optional future remains unclear.