Several weeks ago on a sunny Friday evening, a few remaining naturists were quietly relaxing at Crescent Rock beach waiting for sunset when the police arrived. Through interviews with several different people who were at the nude beach at that time including a family friend, I have pieced some of the following together. First on scene was a BNSF hi-railer with a BNSF officer and White Rock RCMP officer that arrived at approximately 7:00 pm. They yelled at several people to get off the train tracks and they complied by climbing down a trail to the nude beach. The officers did not follow and nobody was given a ticket for trespassing, which carries a fine of $500 per person. At 8:30 p.m. another officer arrived walking south from Crescent Beach. They instructed people still relaxing au natural to get dressed, telling them that the only nude beach in the Lower Mainland was in Vancouver. Unfortunately nobody got the officer's name, badge number or even the police force they worked for.
In 2008 I filed a report with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) over the same similar conduct involving an officer from the Surrey RCMP, knowing that according to Canadian law, Crescent Rock was legal for sunbathing and skinny-dipping. To their credit, they did investigate this incident and completed a final report as to the officer's actions and the legality of what is known as Crescent Rock beach. I met up with Staff Sergeant Dave Brown from the Surrey RCMP who gave me the report confirming that I was correct in my legal understanding of public nudity laws in Canada that have statues for nude recreation at isolated and remote areas. At that time, Sergeant Brown promised me that the Surrey and White Rock RCMP would no longer visit the beach for complaints of simple public nudity, nor would they attempt to enforce public nudity laws there. The OPCC report detailed Crescent Beach as the rugged and secluded 6.5 km of shoreline at the bottom of the Ocean Park bluff from White Rock to Crescent Beach, out of sight from the public beaches in Crescent Beach and White Rock and shielded from the houses above.
Since that time the nudists and naturists that visit Surrey's version of Wreck have had a good working relationship with the police who occasionally visit when requested for nefarious activities, or simply patrolling on their ATVs. With the transition to the Surrey Police Service plus all of the new recruits, I thought there might be issues with Crescent Rock beach's officially recognized legal status, not to mention it also being legal for adult beverage consumption. I did contact the SPS and they investigated if the officer at the beach was one of their own but there were no calls for service to that area during the time frame in question. They also admitted to knowing about Crescent Rock beach and its nude-friendly status, having obviously been briefed by the Surrey RCMP. The identification of the cop at the beach is still ongoing but it would seem that one officer was unaware of the history of this shoreline, its legal status, or even the name of the world famous Wreck Beach in Vancouver. Here we are 18 years later and suddenly it feels like the freedoms secured by Surrey's United Naturists (SUN Assn.) are once again being challenged and threatened.
Part of this issue might be the jurisdictional quagmire that exists at the bottom of the Ocean Park bluffs. Firstly you have the City of Surrey, which most people would wrongly believe includes Crescent Rock beach. The BNSF Railway has control of their rail corridor 100 feet on either side from the centre of the tracks. Both the City of Surrey and the BNSF Railway's jurisdiction ends at the high tide mark on the beach, which is under Province of B.C. control. The ocean water is under the jurisdiction of the Canadian government with the Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans and other federal agencies and departments ruling the waves. It is because of this that both the cities of Vancouver and Surrey do not have any information on their websites about the nude beaches in their vicinity. The only listing for Wreck Beach on the Vancouver website is for an oil spill that happened near there years ago. It is almost as if the two most popular nude beaches in the Lower Mainland (there are others) fail to exist. While both of these cities pride themselves on being culturally diverse, this does not apply to the culture of naturism that they discriminate openly against through omission and absence.
In 2007, outdoor signage with information on Crescent Rock beach was cut down by the City of Surrey after only one complaint of nude use, even though its history of naturism goes back to 1945 with families from the Netherlands. Another sign with information about the Crescent Rock boulder was repeatedly vandalized and eventually removed from near this 120 tonne boulder. Since then, a flat rock on the beach that points the way to the nude-friendly area has been used as a way to let people know they may encounter nude bathers and skinny-dippers at Crescent Rock. It has been vandalized more times than I can count with several people including a little old lady claiming she was doing "God's Will" responsible for the damage. This year it was re-painted again and remained in place for over three months, which was a record. Sadly, the simple "NUDE BEACH" with an arrow first became DE BEACH (which was mildly funny), before it was completely spray-painted over a week later in what is believed to be separate attacks likely by two vandals. I should note here that graffiti and tags left on the beach boulders are never painted over, including ones with profanity and vulgar images.
While people realize they cannot discriminate anymore against skin colour, they somehow believe they can be prejudiced over the amount of skin showing. It is the last bastion of hate that is widely accepted by governments and police agencies who continue to pretend that the natural human form is evil, bad and immoral. True acceptance would mean having governments include listings of nude beach areas for recreational purposes. It would mean an end to police showing up and asking crowds of naturists and nudists to get clothed under the threat of arrest. Naturism is defined as a way of life in harmony with nature characterized by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect, body acceptance, respect for others and for the environment. It is amazing that even with these positive attributes, those people visiting nude beaches still find themselves under attack. The way to stop this at Crescent Rock beach would be to put information about it on the City of White Rock and Surrey websites plus post proper outdoor signage at the two shoreline access points along with the top and bottom of the three stairways and other trails leading to the nude beach. The other method might involve a trip to the Human Rights Tribunal to try to force these cities and possibly the BC Government, who all like to brag about their cultural diversity, equity and inclusion, into the 21st century.
To learn more about naturism and local nude beaches, check out these links and Facebook pages.
The City of White Rock invites residents and visitors to enjoy a free Canadian Forces Snowbirds aerial demonstration over the city's waterfront on Wednesday, August 12. The snowbirds will showcase their exceptional teamwork and skill with a 45-minute performance starting at 5:30 p.m.
“The Snowbirds are a true showcase of Canadian pride, and we are incredibly excited to welcome them back to White Rock,” said Mayor Megan Knight. “With the Semiahmoo Bay and our iconic Pier as the backdrop, this will be a memorable event for our community. We look forward to seeing everyone come together for this thrilling experience.”
The end of an era, after over 5 decades of service, this may be one of the last opportunities to ever to witness the Canadair CT-114 Tutor Jets being used by 431 Air Demonstration Team (The Snowbirds) before they transition into new CT-157 Siskin II aircraft expected in the 2030 season.
The event is free to attend, and spectators are encouraged to walk, cycle, carpool, or take transit to the waterfront.
White Rock will be featured as a filming location for an upcoming production on August 12 and 13. As filming activities will take place in the area of Johnston Road and Royal Avenue, there will be road closures in the area to accommodate production vehicles parked along Johnston Rd., Pacific Ave. and Roper Ave.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we welcome this production to our community! For details visit https://tinyurl.com/jpxe8463 .
SPS Investigating Early Morning Shooting in Cloverdale
Surrey Police Service (SPS) is investigating an early morning shooting outside a residence in Surrey’s Cloverdale neighbourhood, where one victim sustained a non-life-threatening injury.
On August 12, 2026, at approximately 3:52 am, SPS Frontline officers responded to reports of a shooting near a residence in the area of 60 Avenue and 177 Street in Surrey, where two people were shot at, with one sustaining minor injuries. The suspects fled the scene. Upon arrival, police located an adult male victim with an injury that did not require medical intervention.
SPS’s Major Crime Section (MCS) has taken over the lead on the investigation, and the Integrated Forensic Identification Services (IFIS) will be in the area processing physical and digital evidence.
The investigation is in its early stages however it is believed to be targeted and not extortion related.
Anyone with information about this incident, including CCTV or dashcam footage, or who may know the identities of the suspects is asked to contact SPS’ non-emergency line at 604-599-0502, and quote file number 26-85268 (SP).
August 10, 2026
White Rock's Greg Mueller Finishes Third in Poker's World Championship for $3.75 Million
Gregg Mueller with his father Peter in front of family founded fish n chips shop Moby Dick's
Canada came within touching distance of poker's biggest prize as British Columbia's Greg Mueller produced the deepest World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event run by a Canadian in 16 years.
A new PokerOrg feature spotlights White Rock, B.C. resident Greg Mueller after his remarkable run to third place in the 2026 WSOP Main Event, earning a career-best $3.75 million after outlasting 9,208 players in the fourth-largest Main Event field in history.
The former professional hockey player and three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner came within two places of becoming Canada's first Main Event champion since Jonathan Duhamel's historic victory in 2010.
Reflecting on his remarkable run and the support he received throughout the tournament, Mueller shared with PokerOrg: “It's been so amazing. The love — it trumps the poker and the money — that's what life's all about.”
His run ended in dramatic fashion after a hero call against Finland's Lauri Saaskilahti, bringing to a close one of the biggest performances of his distinguished poker career. The $3.75 million prize is the largest live tournament score of Mueller's career by a considerable margin.
Mueller's unique journey from playing professional ice hockey in Germany to becoming one of Canada's most accomplished poker professionals, with three WSOP bracelets and more than $3.5 million in career earnings before his seven-figure score, is a compelling sports story highlighting the country's deepest WSOP Main Event run in more than a decade.
August 04, 2026
Thousands Celebrate 75th Annual Diamond Anniversary of the White Rock Sea Festival
The City of White Rock was pleased to welcome more than 50,000 attendees to the waterfront from July 31 to August 2 for the 75th Diamond Anniversary of the White Rock Sea Festival. Marking 75 years of community celebration, the festival brought residents and visitors together for a memorable weekend of entertainment, cherished traditions, and family-fun activities across the waterfront.
Attendees kicked off the three-day festivities with a free outdoor screening of Hoppers on Friday, July 31, presented by the White Rock BIA and Fresh Air Cinema. Throughout the weekend, festival-goers enjoyed live entertainment at the Busk Stop Stage on the White Rock Pier and the P'Quals Main Stage in Memorial Park, featuring performances by NTWINE, Totally Twain, and local artists. Visitors also explored the vendor marketplace along the promenade, learned from environmental education booths, visited the Indigenous Marketplace, and enjoyed family-friendly activities throughout the festival grounds. The popular Hot Rodz Car Show and Award Ceremony returned to the festival lineup, adding to the excitement of the Diamond Anniversary celebration.
The popular Torchlight Parade returned on Saturday evening, lighting up Marine Drive with colourful floats, performers, and community groups. The festivities concluded Sunday night with a spectacular fireworks display over the waterfront, bringing the milestone celebration to a memorable close.
HUGH ELLENWOOD from the White Rock museum takes us for a walk down memory lane of sea festivals we have known and loved!
Order of British Columbia
The Order of B.C. is the province’s highest honour, recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to British Columbia and beyond. Established in 1989, the order celebrates excellence across all walks of life and fields of endeavour.
2026 recipients of the Order of British Columbia
Congratulations to local resident Stephanie Cadieux
Stephanie Cadieux, Surrey – for driving lasting change in public policy and empowering people with disabilities throughout Canada and beyond,
The appointees will be invested at a ceremony at Government House in Victoria on Sept. 24, 2026. Jill Bodkin has chosen to defer her investiture and will be invested at a future ceremony.
Surrey Police Service (SPS) has arrested one man and seized a firearm and ammunition following an arrest early on August 2, 2026.
Shortly before 1:30 am on August 2, 2026, SPS Frontline officers responded to a 9-1-1 call that a driver of a vehicle was slumped over in their car that was stopped in the middle of the road near the intersection of 18 Avenue and 138 Street, Surrey.
Officers arrived on scene and safely boxed the suspect vehicle in with police cars to prevent it from driving away. The driver, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, was found to be slumped over in the driver’s seat and unresponsive to SPS officers despite repeated commands. Officers were concerned the driver needed medical attention and as officers tried to take him into custody, the man regained consciousness and tried to start the vehicle and drive away, which was prevented by the police cars. The driver was safely taken into custody and an unloaded firearm, along with ammunition and three knives, were all located inside the vehicle and seized.
Christopher Joseph Allan Faucher, a 33-year-old male, has been charged with one count each of the following Criminal Code offences:
Possession of an unloaded prohibited or restricted firearm with accessible ammunition without a licence, contrary to Section 95(1) of the Criminal Code;
Occupying a vehicle knowing there was a prohibited or restricted firearm, a handgun and loaded magazine, contrary to Section 94(1) of the Criminal Code;
Careless transport of a firearm or ammunition, namely a handgun and loaded magazine, contrary to Section 86(1) of the Criminal Code;
Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, contrary to Section 88(1) of the Criminal Code;
Obstruction of a peace officer, contrary to Section 129(a) of the Criminal Code; and
Failing to comply with conditions of an undertaking, contrary to Section 145(4)(a) of the Criminal Code.
Christopher Faucher has been remanded in custody for a bail hearing later today.
Visit the August Uptown Gallery exhibit "The Wild Among Us" featuring the works of artists Catherine Sheppard, Bruce Hiebert, and David Klassen and their unique perspective of wildlife and urban and natural landscapes.
For details visit 
Congratulations to local resident Stephanie Cadieux
