Just recently, the Friends of Gunnison Beach did a Nude Polar Bear bare swim in the icy cold winter waters of the beach.

Polar bear swims are the one thing I will never do!

Give me warm weather and a nude beach, please!

One of the best ways for a nudist to remain positive is to think about warm beaches, to visualize the ocean, and to feel the comfort of the surrounding warm air.

You may have heard of Gunnison Beach, a popular nude beach in New Jersey. It's a small part of the Sandy Hook National Park peninsula.

Did you know there is more to do in the area than just the nude beach?

Of course, nothing beats the freedom from clothes that a nudist destination offers. But Sandy Hook park offers other attractions besides just Gunnison Beach.

Activities Requiring Clothing:

These things are not nude activities, but they are still fun diversions and a reason to consider spending a weekend at or near the beach.

1. Biking/walking or inline skating on the 5 mile multi-use path
2. Hiking on the various Sandy Hook trails
3. Seeing the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the oldest one in the US
   
4. Looking for species of birds and butterflies that have been spotted in the park:
   
• 340 species of birds
• 50 species of butterflies
  
5. Visiting the bird observatory
6. Visiting the Fort Hancock Museum, the Battery Potter (an old gun battery), and the History House
   
7. Surf fishing
8. Get on the water: boating, windsurfing or kayaking
   
9. Dining at the Highlands - Actually outside of the park, this is the place to go for dinner or to a pub
   

Nude Activities:

After all of that activity, lounging on the nude beach the way Mother Nature intended sounds like a great way to relax. While on the nude beach, there are fun things you can do:

1. Have a nude picnic lunch
   
2. Read a book
3. Take a nap
4. Go for a swim
5. Play a board game or a card game
6. Play Frisbee
   

Additional information about Sandy Hook park and Gunnison Beach:

• Friends of Gunnison Beach - a non-landed AANR nudist club, they play an important part in making Gunnison what it is today!
• National Park Service Website: Things to do at Sandy Hook
  
• A Guide to Sandy Hook
  
• "Sandy Hook: A Different Sort of Beach"
• Sandy Hook Bird Observatory

And if New Jersey is too far away for you, consider western Canada's Wreck Beach (that I recently visited). Located in Vancouver, it has plenty of charm.

Kleidungsarm am Eisbach im Englischen Garten (München): Manche lassen die Hüllen fallen
Originally uploaded by humpelbein

The English Garden (Englischen Garten) park in Munich, Germany is one of many clothing optional bathing locations in the historic city. The locals spend the day nude sunbathing in a section of the park.

Besides this park area is a river to cool off in and do some skinnydipping. This picture shows the Eisbach river, the small man-made river that flows through Englischen Garten.  Click the picture to go to the photographer's Flickr page where he describes the seen further.

After sunning and swimming, Englischen Garten visitors can get dressed and head over to the beer garden for a drink or two. Nude sunbathing and beer. Can't beat it.

(View article)

USA TODAY interviewed John Kinman, the President of AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) about nude beaches. Kinman recommended what he considers as the Top 10 clothing-optional beaches.

1. Little Beach, Maui, Hawaii
2. Wreck Beach, Vancouver, Canada
3. Cap d'Agde, France
4. Hawksbill Bay, Antigua
5. Haulover Beach, Miami
6. Gunnison Beach, New Jersey
7. Collins Beach/Rooster Rock, Oregon
8. Orient Bay, St. Martin
9. Samurai Beach, Australia
10. Black's Beach, San Diego, California
    

A good list. Of course, the list is subjective. What makes a great beach? A great nude beach is a beach that meets your needs or that you have great memories about.

Many other nude beaches are worth considering. Here's some others where memories have been made:

• Adriatic Coast, Croatia - the coastline is dotted with all kinds of nudist beaches and campgrounds (Valalta near Rovinj, Croatia, pictured at right)
  
• La Jenny, France - a nice, family-friendly beach and nudist campground/resort
• Barcelona, Spain - topless everywhere, there's a section near the east end that's legally nude (signs posted). There's a beach cafe but nothing fancy. Barcelona is a great place to visit and this nude beach is a great place to lounge after seeing the tourist sites.
• Sorobon Beach, Bonaire, Caribbean - At Sorobon Beach Nudist Resort reviewed here.
• Many more...
  

To me, Cap d'Agde is the best, not just because of the beach but because of the facilities and activities in the village. Shopping nude at the many small stores dining out in nude restaurants in the naturist village is great fun.

Today's Pearls Before Swine comic makes light of the age old cliche: "Why are the people who go to nude beaches the only people you don't want to see nude?".

Truth is, nudists are human and represent people from all walks of life. They come in all shapes and sizes. For most people, being at a nude beach is simply about enjoying a beach, not the people. It's the beach without the constraints of a bathing suit. It's being naked as you are in a safe, private environment.

Who cares how other people look?

[Sorry, picture no longer available. Guess you'll have to imagine something really, really cool.]

This comic strip implies that anyone can go to a nude beach. The awareness created is a good thing.

Here's another blog post about the nude beach myth.

Bar S Ranch Clothing Free Resort and Country Club awaits on its vast 380-acre wooded, hilled grounds in Reidsville, N.C.

On a normal day, Bar-S nudist resort gives visitors and members the chance to be one with nature, to enjoy peace and solitude. If you like the outdoors, Bar-S-Ranch has miles of trails, Lake Wanda with swimming and fishing, plenty of camping, a swimming pool, and the Cow Pasture Golf Course (watch your step). Bar-S is the only nudist resort I recall whose website lists “reading” as one of the popular pastimes, a reminder that social nudism is not always about socializing - reading a book is fine too.

“Come enjoy our dream. Leave the stresses and pressures of life behind while you relax in the tranquility, security and privacy you will find at the Bar S Ranch,” says the Bar S Ranch website. This is an escape from the world of cell phones, text messaging, big box retailers and traffic jams.

That’s a normal day.

A less than normal day will be Saturday, August 11, 2007. On that day, Bar-S-Ranch tries to take nudist recreation to new heights with the first-ever clothing optional sprint triathlon. Offering nudists and the courageous a completely novel experience, the event makes the most of Bar-S-Ranch’s trails and lake. Participants will do a 500-meter lake swim, a 20-kilometer (12.4 mile) bike ride and a 5K run.

Clothing? Only a helmet is needed for the bike ride, a cross-country fusion of hilly terrain, wide golf cart paths, gravel road and single tracks. (A cushioned bike seat may come in handy too.)

Keeping in the theme of “clothing optional on your own terms” while encouraging participation, the triathlon event is not open to general spectators except that each participant can bring a guest. Resort members and volunteers will be there too.

To a lot of people, this level of privacy is desirable. This is a contrast to World Naked Bike Ride which involves riding through the streets naked amongst clothed people and an exceptional comfort level with being nude in public.

So think about the triathlon and the rare, historical opportunity it presents. You could be one of the first participants in the first-ever clothing optional triathlon in the United States. More on the event and registration here.

If the Clothing Optional Sprint Triathlon is too much for you, take pride in your hide! That’s right, the “Take Pride in Your Hide 5K Walk & Run” is planned for Saturday, July 28^th, 2007 at 9:00 AM at Bar-S-Ranch Nudist Resort.

Or, just visit on a normal day. As the map at right shows, the grounds hold plenty of opportunity for outdoor nude recreation.

--Nudist Footnote--

When it comes to nudist fitness and sporting events, Pete Williams’ Fitness Buff Radio Show seems to know what’s best. If you want to stay in the know, subscribe to their e-newsletter (fill out form on the Fitness Buff Radio Show website). That’s how I first learned about the Clothing Optional Sprint Triathlon at Bar-S-Ranch Nudist Resort. Host Pete Williams plans to participate in the event. Go Pete!

Pictures of Wreck Beach, Vancouver's famous clothing optional beach, are hard to find. Like every nudist destination I know of, photos are not allowed of nudists. Correction: After recently visiting, I did not notice any signs prohibiting cameras, though the regulars would probably toss a camera in the water if they saw someone trying to take pictures of others without getting the consent of the subjects first. So no need to worry. This preserves the privacy rights of clothes free beach goers.

Fortunately, travelers have taken photos of Wreck Beach taken during the off-season and when the weather is too cool for naked people to be around.




On a warm summer weekend afternoon, the place is surely packed and much nicer to look at.

Leaving the beach:

With a bunch of trip report updates in rough drafts, I need a break! It is hard to return to work after a nudist vacation!

Comfort is found in the thoughts of upcoming trips. One upcoming destination will beWreck Beach in Vancouver. As I learn more, I will share.

Though not a resort, the people of Wreck Beach organize fun events and are dedicated to keeping nudist history alive for future generations.

Though the 2007 calendar is in the works, the Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run/Walk is already planned:

• Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run/Walk: Sunday, August 12, 2007 at 11:30 am Sharp! Registration opens at 9:00 am at the bottom of Wreck Beach Trail No. 6 in Pacific Spirit Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Email beachgirl@look.ca for details.

During the cold winters, the Wreck Beach Swim Club organizes indoor events. Learn more about upcoming events and Wreck Beach at www.WreckBeach.org.

My wife and I just returned from an adventurous weekend at 2 of the biggest nudist resorts in North America: Paradise Lakes Nudist Resort and Caliente Nudist Resort.

They are in an area north of Tampa, Florida I call the “Florida Nudist Corridor” with Paradise Lakes and Lake Como Family Nudist Resort next to each other and Caliente Nudist Resort just 4 miles north. All are about 30 minutes from Tampa Airport. All are important in American nudist history and to the people who experience them.

I met one nudist gentleman, nearing retirement, who was fortunate enough to live nearby. He recalled frequenting Lake Como Nudist Resort in his younger years. The resort opened in the 1950s and was one of the biggest nudist facilities in its day. Due to life events, he took a break from social nude recreation years ago when a place called Paradise Lakes was only an idea waiting to open in 1981.

He soon grew to miss the nudist experience. He was re-married more recently and broached the subject of nude recreation with his new wife. She said she'd try it and now they enjoy nude recreation together, making their own nudist history.

He and his new wife have a membership at Paradise Lakes and visit other resorts frequently, including Caliente Nudist Resort, opened in 2004, where I conversed with the gentleman a few days ago.

For my wife and I, this was our second time at Paradise Lakes and first at Caliente. Our first time at the Paradise Lakes was only a handful of years ago and it was our first time visiting a nudist resort.

Over the next several days, I'll be recounting our story, our experiences at these two Florida Nudist Corridor nudist resorts.

I'll look at what to expect, how much to pay, what to do when the weather is great, and how to make the best of rainy weather that rains out a big event. (In our case, the event was Caliente's Bare Bods and Hot Rods Car Show which has been rescheduled for April 29th.)

Reader opinions might be heard too to expand upon my limited experience.

Would you try nude swimming in Antarctica?

The crew and guests aboard the 24-day "Dive Antarctica" voyage had the opportunity. The trip's purpose was to explore the Antarctic undersea world and the above-ground landscape.

Calling this a 'vacation' is not the right word. The excursion seems more of a 'quest', an adventure into lands few have seen. The intense and physically challenging Antarctic diving required that the guests be highly trained and experienced divers. They were rewarded with incredible sights throughout the trip.

Between spectacular diving sessions, the travelers had a little downtime. Some tried swimming in the cold waters. After shedding clothing, a few on the excursion took the opportunity to swim naked - the ultimate nude Polar Bear swim.

Here's footage of a man and woman from the Dive Antarctica excursion skinnydipping in the Antarctic Sea:


(YouTube)

During the trip, the team discovered some pollution in the waters, some from tourism and more at a research station. In a noble effort to keep the environment pristine, Dive Antarctica is proposing to return in 2007 to do a clean-up mission.

Literally. The temperature is in the 80s. During January, February and March, the temperature will stay in the 80s with a very slight chance of rain. That is the forecast.

On the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean is Sorobon Beach Naturist Resort, a small family-oriented nudist resort and a nice place to escape from the cold winter weather of North America.

This is a place where you can sit on a quiet beach and just lounge around naked all day in the warm sun...maybe read a book or two. The laid-back atmosphere of the resort reflects the tiny island of Bonaire, an island with no traffic lights.

Between lounging sessions, naturists can keep busy with other activities not typically found in United States resorts.

There’s nude snorkeling in the crystal clear water of the 4-foot deep bay the resort is on. Watch the fish and even sea turtles swim by. Snorkeling equipment is available at the resort.

On Mondays, a trimaran sailboat named the “Woodwind” takes visitors on a nude cruise. The boat takes passengers out to another snorkeling area during a 3-hour trip. According to the resort's website, “all you need is a towel, sun-cream and a smile.”

If you’d rather be captain of your own ship, the resort has kayaks available for use. Nude kayaking sounds like fun and a perfect way to see nature.

Twice a week, yoga classes are held on the beach. The small beachfront restaurant also has a bar. And if you just cannot get away from the Internet, the resort has wireless access.

For accommodations, the resort has about 40 one and two bedroom chalets for visitors to stay in and every chalet is within 50 yards of the sea. For a 1-room chalet, rates are about $150 a night during low season and just above $250 a night during peak season (winter).

Here’s an aerial photo of the resort using Google Maps aerial photo. The resort's website only has a limited aerial photo but this Google Maps view does a better job at showing how secluded the resort is. Zoom out and the small size of the island of Bonaire is clear.

Being nude in public for the first time is a scary thought for many people. The thought keeps a lot of would-be nudist travelers from trying nudism.

Nudist resorts and campgrounds go out of their way to make it easy. Many even give a clothed guided tour to newbies.

If it still sounds scary, NetNude.com's first-time reports section is now up to 64 first-time reports. This is worth a read if you are new to nudism.

There's nothing to worry about. Give nudism a try.