Searching Online About Nudism

As I got more skilled with Internet searches and as more organizations went online, I began putting the words "Christian" and "nudist" in the search engine box. There actually were a few Web sites hosted by Christians who made the case for including nude recreation and nude living in one’s life. Initially, I wondered if they were simply well-intended people who got it wrong somehow, but several of these Web sites had some real content to them. They made a very compelling case for returning to nudity as much as circumstance will allow. In short order, I could see that social nudity was not merely morally permissible, but offered some positive psychological benefits, particularly in homes with young children and teens and that the Bible verses commonly used to condemn simple nudity had been taken out of context.

Armed with this new knowledge, and the growing number of real world recommendations of nude recreation, I set about finding a nudist resort or camp within a reasonable drive of my home. Of course, there was the resort who mailed me the brochure a few years prior, but I wanted to consider all my options. In my searches I found a web page run by a nudist from my home state. In the email link, I asked him if he could recommend a place. He responded fairly quickly. He said that there are several places in this area one could go, but he and his wife enjoyed visiting one campground in particular. I thanked him by email and said, I’d drop by the campground sometime.

Nudist Camp!

It took me a few days, but I worked up the courage to place a telephone call to the office of this nudist campground. I was pleased with how pleasantly my conversation with the manager went. I was a single guy, going alone, but he said that that was not a problem. I later learned that many nudist parks are not nearly so open to unescorted males.

I carefully wrote all the directions down and on a hot sunny day in July, I headed into the mountains. The highway took me out of the city into progressively more open and lovely countryside. The road became a gravel driveway and within a few more minutes, I saw their simple wooden sign arching over the road. Back in the days of my first visit, things were so, so casual that there wasn’t even a gate to the nudist campground, you just drove in!

I rounded the bend in the road to see a pool and clubhouse and a lively crowd of people. Then the realization sank in that that all these people were totally naked! People of all ages were walking, playing, and swimming, as you might expect at any other campground, except for their complete nudity. It was the most amazing sight and it took me a while to get over the shock.

Suddenly I felt very overdressed. I wasn't entirely prepared to take the next step, but I thought, "I guess I am ready enough". I found a parking space in the gravel lot, got out of my car, unceremoniously took off all my clothes and left them in my car trunk.

Taking nothing but my keys, a billfold, and a towel (yes, I knew about that custom), I walked totally nude into the office. No one noticed that I was nude! It was the oddest sensation. Behind the counter was a very attractive lady. She introduced herself as Sherry. She wasn't wearing a thing and she had no tan lines! She had just come in from the poolside to help me get settled in. I did my best to keep my eyes on her face. Her sweet demeanor helped put me quickly at ease.

After we had handled the paperwork, Sherry walked me out to the pool and introduced me to a few people.

One lady in particular, Megan, was quite sociable (informal welcome committee) and I found a lounge chair next to her and began conversation. Then I looked down and remembered that I was naked. I felt nervous and even a bit chilled in the July heat. Megan saw that I was momentarily self-conscious and she offered, "Take a deep breath, hold it a second and let it out". The trick worked, our conversation resumed and it wasn't long before I forgot all about myself. W

ithout going into too much detail, Megan confided that she had had a very rough past and she told me that nudism had helped her get her bearings in life again, find confidence in herself and her body.

From my poolside vantage point, I decided to take inventory of these nudists around me. I learned that four or five people that day were socially nude for the very first time, just like me! Others had grown up with it. No one seemed at all self-conscious, but the children seemed to be the freest of all.

I wondered if my body would react inappropriately at the sight of nude women, but that turned out to be a needless concern. Sure there were one or two particularly young and pretty ones present that day, but it didn’t matter. I wasn't alone in a car on date, I was at a campground surrounded by dozens of people. Nudity can be quite beautiful, inspiring in some cases, or more commonly, just ordinary looking folks. Regardless, in a campground, nudity does not create a sexual temptation. This is simply not the time and place for lust.

I can't stress enough how much life at this campground was just like any other mountain campground, except that this one was friendlier. I grant you that no one in this pool was wearing swim suits, but bikinis don’t cover much anyway.

In short order, total nudity in mixed company had become my new normal.

After an hour or so by the pool, I joined a group of people who wanted to try out the nature trail. Some wore shoes, some went barefoot, but otherwise, we were all nude. I overheard that several of these people were first-timers to a nudist resort, just as I was.

The trail led deep into the woods, down a hill into a narrow creek valley. A few summer wildflowers lined our path. The trail was a little rocky for my bare feet, but this first time I wanted the total nudity experience right down to my toes. Once we reached the creek, we had welcome relief from the heat of the day and it was fun to splash around in the deeper pools. Being nude added to our comfort as well, no soggy swim trunks or wet shorts to detract from the walk back up the trail.

Back at the camp center, I showered and walked upstairs to a short order grill for lunch.

I was hoping for a less conventional menu, more whole grains, raw vegetables and fruits, but I guess the local folks aren't ready for that. Or should the camp have shown a little more leadership and offered healthier foods as an option?

After lunch I alternated between sand lot volleyball, water volleyball and getting acquainted with folks around the pool.

As I was playing sand court volleyball, the motion of lunging and jumping for the ball began to stimulate me. I could handle the sight of attractive women, but I hadn’t counted on my reaction to playing volleyball. I politely took a time out on the bench, sitting with my towel for a few minutes. When the unwanted sensation faded, I returned to the game and didn’t need to sit out any more of the game.

I learned that every Saturday evening, some of the regulars cook steaks on the grill. Those who want to participate are asked to either bring a steak or pay a few dollars to help cover the cost for those who did buy steaks.

It was a great chance to get acquainted with everyone around the dinner table.

Among them, I met Megan's boyfriend, Dave who had come separately since he had to work earlier in the day.

I rented a small cabin for the night. It wasn't cheap, but just this once I wanted to try it. On subsequent trips I would either camp on the premises or in the national forest. The campground owner also owns a small RV park right outside the camp boundary for exclusive use of campground guests. I understand that some folks spend much of the summer there.

The campground had few visitors on Sunday, but it was a very relaxing day. Some of the guys introduced me to a game called “Petanque”. Several of us enjoyed a bit of sand court volleyball as well. I live about two hours away, so as long as I left by 7:00 or 8:00, I would get home in plenty of time to get a good night's rest prior to work.

Distance and work have kept me from attending every weekend, and my love of camping and backpacking need to be accommodated as well, but I would like to spend a lot more time visiting this little community than I do.

In my visits to this mountain nudist campground, I have met several Christians, including a pastor and his wife. They drive more than 100 miles to this place, bypassing a campground close to their home. They travel this far to avoid a chance encounter that someone from their congregation or town will recognize them. In God’s eyes they have nothing to be ashamed of, but nudism is badly misunderstood in some communities.

When I first started visiting, one of the managers at the camp, an ordained Christian minister has conducted weddings on the grounds.

On another occasion I met a guy named Paul who was there with his wife. We got to talking and I learned that they attend the same denomination church as I do. The conversation continued and I learned that Paul actually worked in the same office where I do, but in a different department!

A couple of weeks later, I ran into Paul at a company-wide meeting. Taking him aside, I said, “Hey Paul! It’s Rick! Remember me from the “campground”? With that, he suddenly recognized me and grinned from ear to ear. And then we both had a good laugh. Nice to have a naturist buddy right there at work. And inside jokes are always fun.

Our campground is a great place, but from time to time you may run into a few regulars at the campground who drink too much, but the park rules prevent them from misbehaving in the common areas around the pool and lodge. They risk being evicted if they drink to excess in public so they tend to retire to their campers off site.

I have no trouble avoiding that sort of behavior when I visit. Around the pool, it is family-friendly all the way.

The program director makes sure that there are plenty of activities for the teenagers especially. The kids who were born naturists have the easiest time being nude. A few of the boys have a little erection phobia and wear shorts, but our teen girls have no such worries and are completely confident: totally nude in and out of the pool. I think their confidence puts a little positive pressure on the boys to drop those shorts and be naked too.

One strategy our activities team has with our teens is to form group cohesion first, taking the teens bowling, playing miniature golf or trips into town. That builds esprit de corps. Then the nudity typically comes easier once a bond of friendship and community has been forged.

And this place’s specialty is welcoming children. On one occasion, a summer holiday weekend, 50 kids were counted among the guests. And there are plenty of events for them as well.

Late September Hiking and then over to my favorite Nudist Camp

The weather was too wonderful for words. After a morning of hiking while it was still cool, I headed over to our mountain nudist campground for a swim.

The pool was a comfortable 87 degrees, but was unheated. I learned that they cover the pool at 6:00 every night and then remove the cover every morning and let the sun do all the warming. I ran into some old friends from previous visits and enjoyed catching up with their lives. I accepted an invitation to play petanque, a French game that involves rolling a steel or titanium baseball sized ball toward a small rubber ball. (Closest throw wins). About 5:00 pm, I went back to enjoy the pool again before they closed it for the night. Since it was a Saturday, the permanent residents were cooking steaks again. I brought a steak for myself and they put it in with all the other steaks to soak in a marinade. After that, they put them all on a couple of gas grills. I also brought a few tomatoes to share. (I found them earlier at a roadside stand). After the steak and some very tasty side dishes, I decided that it was time to head home. As I was about to leave, I ran into Dave, Megan and Megan's daughter, Alison, the same family that that had welcomed me on my first visit. They were on their way in as I was leaving, but I was glad to briefly say hello.

Combining a trip to do some sightseeing, hiking, biking or camping with a visit to a nudist site is not a bad idea. In the long days of summer in particular, you can pack a lot in.

Other Naturist Places

I eventually visited the resort that sent me the brochure. They have awesome volleyball tournaments, an extensive nature trail, a couple of nice pools, more singles, and I even worshiped with them one Sunday, but I find the greatest appeal in the smaller campgrounds that offer a strong sense of community. Maybe if I were more of a regular, I would get better plugged in at this larger resort, but it would take more time than at a smaller place.

For those getting involved in nude recreation, there are two basic kinds of groups: landed clubs (that own property) and non-landed clubs.

Non-landed clubs do not own property. Instead they have group meetings at nudist camps and resorts or visit remote areas of public land for hiking or boating.

On two occasions, I visited a now-defunct non-landed club about 2 hours south of home. The club owner, we'll call her "Renee", owns a large wooded tract and opened her estate to nude camping about once a month. I joined her “travel” club and she agreed to let me camp out on her land for the weekend. So here was a travel club that always met on land owned by the club owner: a landed non-landed club.

Arriving late, I used my flashlight to find the padlock and use the combination Renee gave me. Her three dogs met me at the gate barking ominously, but she got them calmed and they were friendly the rest of my stay.

I pitched my tent in one of the larger fields on her land and quickly went to sleep.

Bill, one of her old friends also came to visit since Renee did not know me well yet. Bill was a genial guy and helped make a pleasant visit even more delightful. He was active in a non-landed club in my city and I eventually joined them as well.

Other than Renee's home, there was no development of any sort, nothing but piney woods and meadows on this large tract of land. Neither was there was a pool nor lake on her property, but there was a small pretty creek and extensive trails all over her land. In addition, Renee had created a meditation garden in a sunny glade, planted wildflowers here and there in this garden and had some outdoor benches for repose.

I visited Renee's property the following summer and met a nice couple, Doug and his wife visiting from a rural area an hour or two further south. Naturists were welcome to come and go like this all through the warmer months, Renee told me.

Renee's club has gone inactive, but it was a nice experience to roam nude over so many acres of forest. I love the developed camps and resorts, but this place appeals particularly to the nature lover in me.

I have been to one other nudist event on private property. Some friends of a friend hosted an Independence Day party and I was so grateful that they opened their home up that way.

Sometimes if there is no suitable resort or campground near home, nudists have to build their own network of friends and visit from home to home as their privacy allows.

Joining a Nudist Club far from Home

A number of years ago, when the recession was at its worst, I found a long-term contract in the northern US, far from my home in the Deep South. By then, I was a new nudist, AANR member and I wasn't about to let my disconnection from home, also disconnect me from naturist life. So I got on the Internet to find out what clubs there were in my new home.

Nude beaches were out, it was too far and winter was coming on fast.

But I learned that local naturists had this winter thing all figured out: they rent gymnasiums, health clubs, private swimming pools or even public pools in some open-minded towns.

Sure enough, there was a very active club about 3 hours from my workplace. In the winter, one night a month, they rented a health club that had a swimming pool, hot tubs, sauna, steam, and a fully equipped weight room.

I told Ray, one of the guys on my project, about nudism and asked him if he'd like to give it a try. He was very interested in it and that very weekend, we drove up together to do a little sightseeing and that evening, headed over to the health club right as they were opening.

The club had the windows covered temporarily with posterboard, so no one passing by would see naked people. As an AANR member, I got in with no difficulty whatsoever and Ray was my guest, so he was okay too.

It had been a bitter cold day and even colder night, so I was dressed in layer after layer of clothes. In that warm locker room, it felt amazing to peel off every layer, one by one until I got down to bare skin! I felt 20 pounds lighter and that was probably exactly the case.

It was so much more comfortable.

I checked in on Ray from time to time to make sure he was not bored or uptight, but, he was doing fine. I avoid being the guy that girls dread to see coming, overbearing and imposing, but I am friendly and will smile and say hello to anyone I encounter, so I enjoyed meeting several of the single ladies who were there that night. However, I spent the bulk of my time working out, swimming laps and periodically visiting steam and sauna rooms too.

There couldn't have been a better cross section of humanity at this swim event. Couples with small children, singles (both male and female), elderly and even a few teenagers. After a couple of hours, the club leaders sent for pizza and we all gathered around in the meeting room watching a football game on television. One little girl, about five years old sprawled out on the plush carpet as comfortable with the crowd of people gathered around as she would have been in her own living room with just her parents. Kids like her who are born into nudism are truly the lucky ones. In my case, I eased into it gradually over several years, so I feel like it was not a giant leap, just the next logical step joining a club of like-minded people. Social nudity isn't everyone's next step. Some people simply become lifelong skinny dippers and that's it, but I feel confident that anyone who is comfortable in their skin: nudist, skinny dipper or free-thinker would support my right to practice nudism if the issue were put before them.

After the pizza, and a little rest, a lot of us went back to swimming or working out and then to the steam room, arguably the best place to socialize in the entire club.

As it came time to call it a night, most of us headed to the showers taking our turn since the attendance was good that night.

Finally my turn came and I walked up to the one of the shower heads in the big open room, turned on the water and closed my eyes to ward off the shampoo. When I re-opened my eyes, I looked over to see a beautiful young woman showering next to me under the adjacent shower head in this open shower room. She turned, looked me up and down, smiled and said (a little shyly), "Hi!". She was not thin, but neither was she obese. She had no tan lines and I could sense her comfort in her body, but both of us ever so slightly awkward for a moment. But I smiled, introduced myself and our eyes met and we started talking. It was the sweetest feeling ever to meet such a kindred spirit. I did find her body attractive and I had an idea that she liked my looks as well, but then we were connecting in a more important way.

Because of our clothed society, there is that period of adjustment, but in a matter of minutes, the thing that really mattered was that we were two new friends with a magical possibility of something more than that developing. Clothing? Irrelevant at this point.

One irony is that neither one of us has ever seen the other wearing clothes. I would like to think that is the way God intended things to be before our culture went off in a different (and unwise) direction.

I did see my shower friend earlier that night across the gym, but she was with some guy, so I thought they were a couple.

But in our conversation, I learned that he was simply a friend that she had decided to travel with for mutual support.

Good for her! I think this is helpful for a lot of singles venturing into the mostly coupled-up naturist scene.

I was sorry that it had to end there, but my project was winding down and it was time to head back to the Sunny South, my lifetime home.

So Ray and I bundled up against the chill of a northern winter and made the long drive back to the boring little town where we were working. It took a few hours to get to the event, but we both agreed it was worth it! I think I had a part in creating a new naturist and I was glad to have found a way to maintain my own naturism so far from home.

As the weather cools further north, summer hangs on in Florida. It's a great time to visit the nudist resorts down there, taking advantage of milder temperatures, while still hot enough for swimming and sunbathing.

Cypress Cove and Apollo Beach

One year I attended a singles weekend at Cypress Cove in Kissimmee Florida. It was a valiant effort on their part, but only one single woman attended, otherwise it was just a bunch of guys. I was impressed with the tropical beauty of the park and made some friends, but by Sunday morning I was ready to move on.

From there, I headed east to Apollo Beach, a small area where nude sunbathing is officially tolerated by the park service (Canaveral National Seashore). Parking was not available at the nearest lot to the clothing-optional section (southernmost area), so I drove to the next lot north and walked a couple of miles to the beach. (A bicycle would have saved me a lot of time)

Once there, I noticed a cluster of people quietly sitting and lying on the beach enjoying the sun. The heat was intense and there was no cover from the Florida sun. The only rest room with a drinking fountain is several miles away, near the entrance of the National Seashore. The other parking lots have waterless rest rooms, really just a sturdy concrete outhouse to be blunt. So, for my next visit I resolve to bring a small cooler with plenty of water, and perhaps a beach umbrella as well.

With only dunes and marshes behind me and the sea in front of me, I was taken aback by the primitive beauty of this setting. It seemed only natural to drop my clothes in the sand as quickly as possible and put no barriers between my body and nature.

I noticed a couple of nude guys standing near the dunes engaged in a jovial conversation, so I greeted them and politely asked one of them if he didn't mind my interrupting long enough to tell me how he liked the beach. He replied that this was a quiet place and people well-behaved. Nor, he told me were there hassles from law enforcement. Nudity really was acceptable here in every sense of the word. I thanked him for the information and wandered over to the other nude bathers. Today there were a few middle-aged couples and a couple of young women by themselves.

Since I had just completed a two-mile walk, I reclined on my towel for a few minutes. Recharged, I walked down into the pounding surf. There was a bit of a level terrace on the dry sand, but the wet sand sloped quickly down to the water's edge and continued dropping quickly. The rough surf was pleasantly cool and invigorating. I then commenced a fairly long walk southward down the beach. The surf was undercutting the sand and the footing was a bit uneven. I walked by a few clothed boys getting ready to go surfing. They seemed accustomed to nude beach-goers and paid me no mind. A young couple walking hand-in-hand passed me, heading south. The man was nude, the woman was topless and wearing only a thong bottom. Thongs reveal almost as much as total nudity with a fraction of the comfort, but that was her choice.

Letting the couple walk on ahead, I stopped occasionally to look for shells and then to study a large piece of driftwood.

I did an about-face to the north and returned to where most of the nude bathers were resting. Once there, I alternated between reclining on my towel and splashing in the surf a couple more times.

By late afternoon, I decided that my bare skin had had enough sun, so I folded up my towel and began the walk back to my car.

Right outside the park gate is a seafood restaurant and it turned out to be a nice place for an early supper and the perfect ending to a great day. (Well, I still had a long drive home after that).

As much as I enjoy the social scene at nudist camp, the tropical resorts and serene beaches, I also want to spend time naked in my own back yard as spring arrives. The Great Recession cut my travel budget, so for several years, any naturism I enjoyed would need to happen at home.

Naked Sunbathing in My Yard Now

I don't know why I didn't come up with this before, but I found a way to sunbathe nude in my back yard.

For the longest time I assumed that I could not obtain privacy without a great deal of fencing. Well, that would be true if I intended to walk nude throughout the entire yard, but I wanted to start with something simple, just a little private alcove where I can expose my entire body to the sun. I am not trying to get a deep dark tan, I just want to make some vitamin D and use sunlight as a topical antiseptic, a natural way to ward off skin rashes and kill other germs that lurk under clothes in our long hot, humid summers. I have also been reading lately that vitamin D from the sun has been linked to a significantly lower rate of certain types of cancer. Now, moderation is the way! Bad sunburns are not healthy. Besides, I only need a few minutes on each side to get the sun I need.

So, I carefully scoped out what I could accomplish to take that first step toward a personal nudist sanctuary. On the west side of my yard, I have a few feet of privacy fencing and to my east is my greenhouse, which is wrapped in opaque plastic, providing plenty of privacy. To my south I had to put in a little bit more fencing and I have a what I was after: a few charming square feet where I put a wrought iron table for drinks and snacks, an outdoor lounge chair, a few plants for decoration and the bright summer sun is still unhindered most of the afternoon.

That did it! I now have a few square feet of my back yard that I can truly call my nudist sanctuary. Maybe one day, I will get the privacy fencing to "nudify" my entire yard, maybe I'll be living somewhere else by then. But at least I can enjoy outdoor nude living in that little corner.

It is awesome being out in the lawn, looking at the leaves rustling in the trees above me, listening to the birds. I felt closer to nature in my own yard than I ever have.

Summing it Up

Distance and budget constraints may not make nude beach, resort or even campground visits possible for everyone who wants to attend.

I recommend some form of social nudity for those who can participate, particularly if they want their kids involved in a community that is positive about the human body and learning those early life lessons in a place that fosters basic respect for all.

But whether or not you find it practical to dive head-first into the “The Community”, why not carve out a little backyard sanctuary for yourself where you can go all-natural, make some vitamin D and enjoy the freedom of a few moments in the sun without clothes?

Most of all, having a free heart and sharing those values with trusted friends is something we all can do, regardless of our access to the naturist community.

As for me, my little business is prospering again and I am more free to travel than I have been in several years. The nudist community has not seen the last of me. I am planning my return. How about you?

END - Part 4

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