San Onofre is the Spanish name of Saint Onuphrius Magnus, who lived about 400 AD in Christian Egypt, naked in the desert as a hermit and confessor. Ironically this naked saint was later adopted in the West as the patron of the weavers, where he was called Saint Humphrey the Great. Many celebrate his feast day on or around June 12 here at the beach during the Octave of San Onofre. Let us have fun!

It is said that the Saint intercedes when a good festival happens, thus insuring that the June gloom will go away, the surf will be excellent, and the sun will shine.

Spaniards named the Rio San Onofre most likely on June 12th, San Onofre’s Feast Day. They could hardly be aware that in the late 20th century San Onofre State Park here in Northern San Diego County would have a clothing-optional beach. San Onofre was used as a nude beach in the 1930s and 40s by surfers and naturists, returning to the ancient Indian custom of going naked. Since the State Beach opened in 1976 (leased from the Marine Corps), the area south of Trail 6 has always been used by those who prefer to go clothed “as Nature intended.”