Rating: B
Less than 10 people are usually spread out at the clothing-optional shoreline known as Hole In The Wall. But on the warmest days, the population may soar to several dozen. True to its name, this 600-foot long beach can only be reached through an opening in a wall of rocks at the south end of Panther Beach. Even in low tide, access can be hazardous: the water in the passageway between the two beaches looks deceptively calm. In a few seconds, it can turn deadly. Over the years, numerous drownings have been reported. And in 2002, a wave swept two men through the “hole” and into the sea; one never returned.
Legal status:
Privately owned, with public access under state law.
How to find it:
From Panther, walk south and through the hole.
The beach:
About 25 to 50 yards wide and backed by tall cliffs ending in a rocky shelf. Farther south, low rock shelves continue for several hundred yards.
The crowd:
Like Panther, Hole in the Wall attracts only a handful of users. On the hottest days, though, expect up 30-50 people.
Problems:
Fog; cold water; wind; rough waves; rutted parking lot; eroded trail; auto vandalism; litter.