(From a field guide [pdf] to the public beaches of Malibu by the Los Angeles Urban Rangers.)

Next month, the Los Angeles Urban Rangers will again be leading safaris to the beaches of Malibu. The safaris are free and scheduled as follows:

SUN Aug 2, 11:00am-2:30pm
SUN Aug 16, 9:00am-12:30pm
SAT Aug 22, 3:00pm-6:30pm

Spaces are limited, so e-mail info@laurbanrangers.org with your name, the number of people and preferred date as soon as possible.

The beaches you'll be touring are all public. In fact, all that stretch of wet Malibu sand are yours, mine, ours. All that awesome views of the Pacific, blocked from the road by developments that line the beaches, are your right.

But there seems to be a concerted effort by private property owners to obfuscate the lines of ownership, making the public feel like criminal trespassers in some exclusive enclave of millionaires and celebutants. If you aren't met by security guards at the very few public access entrances, this after navigating through barriers just to get to public parking lots, there are signs warning you that you are passing through “private property” and entering a “private beach.”

Thankfully, the Los Angeles Urban Rangers will show you how to hunt for these hidden entrances, spot the illegal signs, and map out the public-private beach boundary. There will even be a public easement potluck, one of the many activities you can do (legally) in your beach.


POSTSCRIPT #1: By demand, the rangers have added a fourth (sunset) beach safari: SUN Aug 23, 4:00pm-7:30pm. (29 July 2009)

POSTSCRIPT #2: A homeowner is seen and heard in this YouTube video calling participants in a Malibu Beach safari “a bunch of scumbags” and the ranger leading the tour “an ugly old lady.” The same guy later shouts at the group: “Go back to the valley!” (27 August 2009)