Sunbathing’s OK again at Avila Beach, if you stay 6 feet apart and can find a place to park

Good news for beach lovers: Blankets, umbrellas and other beach gear are no longer forbidden at Avila, or any other beaches that come under the jurisdiction of the Port San Luis Harbor District, including Pirate’s Cove.

So pack up the sand pails, the Boogie boards and beach towels.

Build a sand castle. Read a book. Daydream.

But be forewarned: Under absolutely no circumstances can you mingle with other groups; physical distancing rules still apply.

We’ve already gotten a taste of what can happen when people don’t follow the 6-foot-separation requirement aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus; the Harbor District will take harsh measures.

Last time that happened, Pirate’s Cove was closed completely, and Avila and other Harbor District beaches were open only for limited activities like walking, jogging and surfing. Even then, visitors were asked to limit their time on the seashore to no more than one hour.

That created a weird dichotomy between Avila and nearby Pismo, that had no similar restrictions.

That wasn’t good — it funneled too many people into one area, making it harder to maintain the social distancing so important in this COVID-19 crisis.

It makes sense to have consistent rules for neighboring beaches, which is one of the reasons the Harbor District decided to loosen the restrictions.

The district also wanted to take a more positive approach to managing its beaches.

“We changed the messaging to, ‘Help us keep our beaches open,’” Harbor District Manager Andrea Lueker said.

The district is taking measures aimed at limiting the number of visitors.

The large parking lot is closed during the day, and street parking is limited. San Luis Obispo County, which has jurisdiction over parking on Front Street, is installing barriers to limit the number of parking spaces.

There are others restrictions: The pier, swings and slide at Avila Beach are closed. The fire pits at Olde Port Beach and the fish cleaning station at Harford Pier are closed as well.

And for the time being, restaurants are open for takeout only.

But now you can scarf down those fish tacos or French fries while relaxing on the beach — as long as you’re at least 6 feet apart from the nearest blanket.

This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.