SAN ONOFRE, Calif. - There I was, notebook in hand, trying hard to keep eye contact with my interviewees.

Don't look down, don't look down.

Things have gotten kind of nuts at the coast recently, and I swear sometimes I just crack up at the things I have to do for this job.

I had one of those days last week, as I walked the sand of Trail 6 down in San Onofre, looking for any nice naked people to chat with about their thoughts on the state's decision to try and shut the "clothing-optional" area down.

To the inquiries on whether I did the interviews at this beach naked - I did not! Get your minds out of the gutter! Although, it definitely was a first for me, having to jot down notes while the person I was interviewing had their stuff just chillin.

The state started on Monday educating people of the change coming up, and they've already put up signs saying "nudity prohibited." But the state folks said they won't be asking people to put their clothes on until Labor Day.

"We encourage people to keep going," said Allen Baylis, a naturist and lawyer who is spearheading a fight against the state.

So that means if you've always wanted to be butt naked on the beach and can't afford a plane ticket to Europe, now's your chance!

I was pretty amazed last week at the reader response to the story we ran last week about the state shutting down the small, secluded stretch of beach.

I wanted to share some of what readers said about the issue. All together by Tuesday, we had 1,847 people vote on the very unscientific poll, and about 200 people submit comments on the original story and the blog combined.

When it came to the poll, the majority at 1,394 said they were going to head down to the beach to take their clothes off, while only 221 said the state should shut it down. Thanks again for everyone for joining the conversation!

Here are some of the comments:

TOMCAT7:

State run beaches are for everyone to enjoy. Unless nudity is allowed at all beaches, they should comply by covering up or find another less exclusive location. My hope is that once enforcement of this issue starts with citations, the popularity of this area will decline and the parking lot will have plenty of spaces available for those of us who enjoy the place for what it is, a surfer's paradise. Too all you kooks who sit and sunburn: go home!

NAKATIONSDOTCOM:

This is America. Where is the freedom?

SAILAWAY:

I love the US, but... when I visited Australia, I wanted to move there. Not that they don't have problems as well, but it just seems like they don't sweat the little stuff (like someone topless on a beach), they seem to solve bigger issues like National Healthcare.

REALLAGUNAGIRL:

LOVE the photos here, completely cracked (har har) me up...how hard did that photog have to work to get "family friendly" shots? And how many did he take while thinking ("dude, waaaay too much naked guy in my viewfinder right now...") Kudos to you, my friend.

READERS RESPOND TO REPORTS OF SHARK SIGHTINGS

I gotta say I'm kind of sick of sharks.

They're freaking me out.

I got a call from Dana Wharf's manager Donna Kalez Sunday afternoon about a great white shark sighting right out of the Dana Point Harbor, near Doheny State Beach. The boat's captain Chad Steffen said the shark, about 15-foot long, was cruising alongside the Ocean Adventure catamaran at about 2:30 p.m. when it caught his eye. A marine biologist on board also saw the shark, but by the time Steffen tried to swing the boat around for spectators to get a look, it was gone.

This shark was about two miles off shore, but other alleged sightings this year have been close to the lineup. I decided it was time to pull together a map of all the recent OC sightings - many of which aren't confirmed, but reported on the Shark Committee Research Web site.

The response on the great white story was also pretty classic. On the online poll, I asked:

Are the recent shark sightings keeping you out of the water? Here's how 1,284 readers answered:

NO: They've always been out there: 709

YES: It seems like there are more sightings: 261

I'll hesitate to go in: 230

I'm staying away from Doheny: 84

Here's what readers had to say about the shark sighting:

SEAMOOSE:

Staying out of the water. I wouldn't go anywhere near the coastal waters of Southern California.

HENRI:

We've been in the same water as they for a long time. Personally, I hope I never meet a great white up close (unless I'm in a cage) but we all run that risk every time we step foot into the ocean. As a diver, I've seen different types of sharks and they all tend to run when they feel they've been bothered. I'll still be diving for many years to come. Just cause you can't see them doesn't mean they aren't there.

NORTHCOUNTY:

I am a scuba diver and I frequently beach dive. Many times we need to surface swim over 100 yards to the reef. I think about sharks sometimes, but I just try to stay ahead of my buddies when kicking out. Somewhere I read that sharks pick on the weaker, slower seals.

RUN!!!:

June 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 a.m.

Oh my GOD! A Shark where sharks are found!!!! One time I saw a human in the shopping mall. We evacuated the area immediately.