Wreck Beach

Wreck Beach
Vancouver, British Columbia * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_Beach
One of my favorite beaches in the world because the sub-culture and community that it embraces and its location in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia. For the years that I lived in the area it was my weekend spot during the warm months and even in the fall/winter evenings a remote spot where we could have rituals, campfires, fire spinning, and beach parties. Wreck is one of the world’s most popular clothing-optional beaches. It is located in the Pacific Spirit Regional Park which encompasses the University of British Columbia Endowment lands on the western shores of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The beach itself stretches 6.5 km from Acacia Beach to the north and the Booming Grounds Creek. The beach is well marked as a “clothing optional” beach and is administered by the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). Most of the beach is rocky but the proper main beach is a large sandy stretch where people do beach activities, swim, play volleyball & frisbee, sunbathe, and socialize. Part of Wreck Beach has an area where dog owners can unleash their pets. Smelt fishing is also done here during smelt season. Wreck Beach connects with Acadia Beach (accessible from a parking lot on Marine Drive) that has a grassy area with picnic tables; Tower Beach which is accessible by Trail 3; and Point Grey by the steeper Trail 4 located by the Museum of Anthropology. It’s possible to walk along the entire stretch during low tide. Tower Beach has two tall concrete gun towers from WWII. The rainforest creates a boundary from Marine drive down through the cliffs up to the ocean’s edge in some places minus Wreck Beach proper with its large sand bar and banks. Bald Eagles, Kingfishers, Sea Lions, Seals, and nesting herons can often be seen here. There has been sightings of Orcas in the past. Wreck Beach proper has the most developed trail in the area leading down the bluff to the sand – the stairs number approximately 400 steps. Wreck Beach is also home to an enormous community of naturalists and nudists who caretake the beach and police the area making it safe. There are some legal vendors down below that sell clothing, drinks, snacks, sunscreen, sarongs, and cooked food. However, Wreck Beach is most notoriously known for its black market vending of alcohol, cocktails, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and LSD. Local law enforcement police the area often to crackdown on the black market which is so openly available that contributes to Vancouver’s reputation of being the “Amsterdam of North America” even though none of the subtle wares and substances are legal in British Columbia. Its difficult for the police to crack down on the illegal substances here because the community that sells them keeps a watchful eye for them and warns everyone when they are spotted. Nudity is legal on the beach and its an openly ‘clothing optional’ family location. This is not a adult beach. Families, children, parents, teenagers, and adults can be found enjoying the beach. Most beach-goers go nude, regardless of age or sex. Often, the clothed will feel out of place. Because the beach is located by the University of British Columbia, alot of students can be found at the beach. Wreck beach is publically accessible. It can be accessed via road, water, and public buses. TransLink runs a number of bus routes (4, 9, 17, 25, 33, 41, 43, 44, 49, 84, 99, 258, and 480) to the UBC bus loop. From there it is a five-minute walk west, down University Boulevard, to UBC Gate 6 (from which Trail 6 takes it name). Turn right on N.W. Marine Drive and the trail is immediately to the left about 100 meters. From Highway 99, turn west on one of these roads: S.W. Marine Drive, 41st Avenue (which eventually merges onto S.W. Marine Drive) or 16th Avenue (which eventually ends at S.W. Marine Drive, then turn right). Alternatively, from the north only, take the 4th Avenue exit off the Granville Street Bridge (then from 4th Avenue, turn right on N.W. Marine Drive). From Highway 1, take the Grandview Highway exit (28A) westbound (this eventually becomes 12th Avenue), turn right (north) on Clark Drive, left again (west) on 6th Avenue (this eventually becomes 4th Avenue), and then turn right on N.W. Marine Drive. There are toilets at the top and base of the stairs. There is no running water. [synopsis composed with data from above wikipedia link] [ sorry cameras are not allowed on the beach, so no beach photos]

University of British Columbia

Botanical Gardens

Museum of Anthropology

University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

Pacific Spirit Park