Northern Nudes

So with the weather cooling quickly, I've put a lot of thought into how to continue the wonderful world of being naked, when wearing more layers would be the normal course of action.  In my previous posts I covered the beach at Hanlons Point, Ponderosa resort etc, which are less of an option as we move into another Canadian winter.  Ponderosa is still an option as they have an indoor pool and other activities available. I think I will venture to the resort one weekend to see how the nightlife and special events are are a naturist resort and if/when I do, I'll be sure to blog about it.  However even in the summer, the main place I enjoy my freedom is in my own home.  Its convenient, no intimidating crowds, and best of all its free!
On the surface winter should not present a problem at home but there are a roadblocks even there.  Last year I made use of extra layers, blankets, slippers etc, so that I can use less heating, thus saving some money on the gas bill, and being slightly more environmentally friendly.  But now a few pennies here and there seems a small price to pay to raise the temperature at home a few degrees and allow me to continue my nude at home lifestyle.  Jury is still out on this but with no beach to look forward to until spring, I am leaning towards raising the heat a little.
Another thing to think about is the windows.  So far I have figured out what windows need the curtains or shutters closed so as not to expose myself or shock the neighbours.  I know some naturists insist that this is should not be necessary but I am not looking to draw any attention to myself .  My house backs on to a wooded ravine so I tend to leave those shutters open during the day. With the leaves falling I've been wondering that the nosey neighbours across the way might have a view right into my living room and bedroom, where I have been spending 90% of the time in the buff even with the shutters open.  Do I say to hell with the neighbours and get my dose of Vitamin D or close those shutters as well?  So far I have been leaving them open, it would take some effort for the couple across the ravine to get a good view, who am I to deny the woman (or her husband) a show if they put the effort in to see it.  I may change my mind as the trees become as bare as I am, but for now the good times continue.
And it has been good fun.  I spend a fair majority of my home time in the nude now. I tend to keep a pair of track pants and a t-shirt nearby in case there is a knock at the door but have yet to need it.  I relax in front of the TV and on one rather cool evening I even got the fireplace going which was an excellent experience I highly recommend. There is a significant amount of novelty doing everyday things naked as well. I've made myself diner (nothing with bacon, I'm not crazy), watched Baseball on TV, and my job allows me to work from home now and then, so why not do that in the nude too?  No Video conferencing though!  And to add a little irony to my life, I now enjoy doing the laundry while naked, which as an added benefit, there is less laundry to do when you wear fewer clothes!
I may bundle up more as the nights grow colder and if I learn any tips to delay the inevitable layers, I'll be sure to share them.

The Naturist Experience

This whole nudist/naturist experience so far has truly been (for lack of a better word) liberating.  Having been to Hanlon's Point a few times now I have begun to question why this is not more common.  If you read my previous posts, you know my biggest draw back to the whole clothing optional beach thing is the "optional" part.  I get that for newbies it can be intimidating especially for women who even though legal almost everywhere to go topless but still face double standards making them uncomfortable to take advantage of this right. But once you go in the buff, you start to notice those around you who are not. Eventually I realised I didn't care, I was there for me, not them, but for those new to this, I can imagine this may scare some away completely

So for those feeling so bold I would suggest you consider a "Naturist Resort".  There are two in the Toronto area.  I've been to one, I plan to try the other, until then I wont attempt to compare the two.

• Ponderosa Nature Resort - Located just off Hwy 6 about halfway between Hamilton and Guelph - ponderosaresort.ca/
  TripAdvisor Reviews - http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g154990-d1238971-Reviews-Ponderosa_Nature_Resort-Hamilton_Ontario.html
• Bare Oaks Family Naturist Resort - Just north east of New Market, about 30 minutes outside Toronto. - www.bareoaks.ca/
  TripAdvisor Reviews - http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g804488-d1005325-Reviews-Bare_Oaks_Family_Naturist_Park-East_Gwillimbury_Ontario.html

Both are essentially camp grounds with some trailers or Cabins to rent, or you can stop in for the day for about 50$. I thought that seemed a bit pricey but there are deals for families or couples and when you compare to parking and the ferry in Toronto its not that far off.  They have pools and all sorts of other activities and target "family friendly" environments.  I chose Ponderosa first based on proximity only as I live just west of Toronto. 

I honestly wish I had gone here before Hanlon's Point.  I picked the Labour Day Monday to visit as the weather was perfect and this time I wanted a crowd hoping I would be lost in it and not stand out too much.  Wow, was this place jumping.  There was all walks of life, single, couples, families with children, young and old, and while predominantly Caucasian, there was a racial mix as well.  But what really made this a great experience was how friendly they all were.  The staff know you are going to be feeling awkward the first time so they walk you through everything, gave me a mini tour and even introduced me to some "regulars" and a few first timers like myself as well.  I was there less than a minute before I forgot I was naked and was chatting at the bar as if it was any other resort.  Because the pool area is mandatory 100% nude, you don't have the nagging feeling about gawkers or feeling self concious about your body as whatever your body type, you are not alone!  Even though I was there for only a day it felt like a full mini vacation, I read my book in the sun, swam in the pool (still my favourite part), and had a few drinks at the swim up bar.  I even went for a walk in the woods (though not well marked, Ponderosa has a fair amount of trails).

The one thing I did not expect was that the staff were all clothed, which is a bit hypocritical.  I get it for the guy working the kitchen, but the women working the front desk, the guy who gave me the tour, both bartenders, all clothed.  One bartender was in a swimsuit, fine, otherwise, I was completely confused by this.  Other than that, this was an excellent visit.  I had a great time, felt truly comfortable in my own skin, and it even changed my mind set for my next trip to Hanlan's (I'll probably talk about that more in a later post)

One other tip for newbies to a Naturist/Nudist resort. I say this now that summer is over, and most will wait for spring to likely give this a try. If you go on a busy weekend, or generally don't want to stand out too much as a newbie, go earlier in the year. I was by far the only one there with any visible tan lines. I may as well have been wearing a pair of white shorts.....so much for not standing out in the crowd on Labour Day.  Oh well.  I look forward to spring and working to resolve this issue.

One quick word on Bare Oaks.  While Ponderosa was a great experience with excellent facilities and I without a doubt will return. I've not been to Bare Oaks (yet) but what I can tell so far is their web presence is very well done.  Full marks for having a Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram and even a blog (go figure).  Use the link I attached near the top of this post and then scroll to the bottom of the home page for links to all their social media accounts as well as some partners pages.  Some of the best resources for newbies I've seen so far so check it out!

Still a "Newdist" but not a Newbie

It was a little over a week later I finally got another chance to make my way to Hanlan's Point Clothing Optional beach.  I was not feeling so brave as to face a weekend crowd yet however work and weather was against me.  Getting time off during the week was next to impossible, not that it mattered as the days had been cool or it was raining.  So soon enough I found my self on the Hanlan's Ferry on a Sunday, hoping that it being only forecasted to hit 23*C with a sun/cloud mix the large crowds would stay away.  It was not.  The beach while not overflowing with people was still rather crowded.
I did a quick look around as I arrived at the clothing optional portion of the beach, surprising enough the majority ware taking the option.  So I decide to be brave, undress right there and make my way through the crowds until I found a spot in the sun to lay out my towel.  The demographics were about what I'd seen last time.  Most of those on the beach were men and most of them were starkers. Some alone, some with their girlfriends, some with their boyfriends, even a few groups.  Only a few ladies were completely in the buff that I noticed, others were topless, most kept their swimsuits/clothes on.
I quickly got settled into my book but I am really having a hard time understanding why so many people visit a beach, that has both clothing mandatory and optional sections, would choose the optional beach but not take the option.  It didn't phase me to the point I felt uncomfortable or wanted to leave, but I can totally understand why that would bother someone who was new, especially if they were female.  On this occasion there was even a few families with younger children in the nude, how did their parents feel about the clothed people on the optional side of the beach?
Ok, so I have focused on the gawkers enough, back to my day at the beach.  I learned a few things from my first visit that I took advantage this time around.  First, most people sneak alcohol to this beach.  Some don't hide it much, others were using travel mugs etc. I am positive this is not legal, however from what I could tell, no one was really enforcing the law here either.  So I had along with me this time a few beers in a soft sided mini cooler along with my trusty travel mug, just in case.  I also learned from my first visit that while you can rent lounge chairs at Halan's Point, there is not always someone there renting them so I packed a small travel pillow along with my towel to make reading a bit more comfortable.
So what next?  Another day, fully naked in the sun.  This was becoming more comfortable very fast and I felt I needed to take the next step.  I knew there was nudist resorts not far from the city so I decided to start my research again.  Google this time was actually a lot of help, and it did not take long to realize there was a list of pro's and cons to these resorts.  I'll try and articulate all that in my next post.

You always remember your first

Once you are laying out in your birthday suit on a public beach, you end up doing a lot of thinking.  Some thoughts not too surprising, is the naked woman staring at me, does she think I am staring at her? Why are there so many clothed people on a clothing optional beach when the clothing mandatory one is not far away? Should I care?  And now what do I do?  I had been over thinking everything all day so I decided to grab my book and try and be as if it were any other day on the beach, just with a slight increase in exposed skin.
I was actually feeling very proud of myself, I've always considered myself rather liberal and open for anything, this fit that bill 100% for me.  I was very quickly comfortable and being naked was no longer a concern, perhaps still a novelty though.  Its hard to describe the feeling of being naked in public and truly enjoying it.  I went for a short dip in the lake, which was really cold, walked along the shore for a small distance.  I didn't really notice the people around me any more than I would any other day, nor did they seem to pay any notice to me.  It felt like any other day at the beach and I was loving it.
Being a Friday afternoon it started to become a bit more crowded as the afternoon progressed. The demographics did not change much, though the clothed people who must really like being surrounded by naked people seemed to be increasing faster than those who went in the buff.  I was trying not to let this distract me too much but it was hard not to think about it.  Maybe they are working themselves up to taking their swim suits off, which some eventually did, maybe they can't afford to go to a strip club and really like to see naked people in the flesh as it were.  I almost packed up and left early but I was determined that I was there to be naked and free, not worry about those who were not.  Thankfully I was able immerse myself in my book and ignore those around me, clothed or not.  My time at Hanlan's Point was overall an amazing first time at a clothing optional beach but sadly I was forced to keep it short, I had plans with friends that night and only had time for a little over an hour on the actual beach.  I was determined to be nude as long as possible though so I picked up my things, walked as far as I could along the beach until I got to the "Clothing is Mandatory beyond this point" sign and that was it, I was once again clothed and on my way home.
I didn't go far before I started to plan my next visit though, I was on the boat back to the mainland already checking the forecast and trying to figure out what day next week I could use a spare vacation day.  I was determined to try this again but I still wanted to stick with weekdays where there would be fewer crowds.  The whole time I was smiling though.  Its hard to explain the feeling or accomplishment, that you did this thing so many people may judge you for even considering.  You very quickly realise that you feel proud, not ashamed, you feel free, not exposed.  Although I felt awkward at first, that changed to comfort very quickly, and I could not wait to have that feeling again

Tearing off the band aid

So here I am, a stay at home nudist as it were, finally ready to take advantage of the all to easily accessible clothing optional beach a short trip from my place of work. The first step is never the easiest.  Being fully inexperienced in this area I turned to the internet.  Google let me down on this one, while there are plenty of sites out there with info, hell I even looked up Toronto Island's Hanlan's Point beach on Trip Advisor, nothing seemed to prepare me for my first time. Other than plan to be surrounded by more men than women, more gay than straight, and being a clothing optional beach, plan for fewer people to take that option than do, I didn't have any idea how this experience was going to feel or impact me. I was looking for the experience side and I never did find it really.
Eventually the cards were played for me. The boss tells our whole team we get a half day off work on Friday, which is so rare for me, as a reward for performance results.  It also happened to be a perfect day according to the forecast, very warm but not hot, lots of sun, zero chance of rain. So while the department made plans with family, reservations at the local pub, I prepared some sun screen.  All my failed research was behind me now, I had decided to just go for it and packed a bag.
The morning was a giant blur, most people were going on about their plans for the early weekend, I told some lie about visiting my sisters family for a picnic, mid day came before I knew it, so off I went.  I had a change of clothes with me, used a local coffee shop restroom to change into a pair of shorts and a tank top, otherwise I am walking on to a clothing optional beach in a suit and tie, how silly would that be.
Before I know it, I am at the Island ferry terminal, waiting to the next trip to Hanlan's Point, a stark variance in demographics from those waiting at the Centre Island ferry where the children's village is. Its not a long ride over to the island, maybe 10 or 15 minutes max, then you have about a 15 minute walk along the path to the well marked "Clothing Optional" beach which is a tad awkward when there is a group of people all walking to the same destination which is still a bit "taboo" in my mind.  Based on the expressions on others faces, I was obviously the only one with "taboo" on the mind.
Soon enough I arrived at the beach access and I paused.....oh look, public restrooms and I suddenly have to pee. That was the last delay though, I now finally had feet in sand and as predicted, I was sufficiently surrounded on a not too crowded beach by mostly men, most obviously older or obviously gay, all naked.  There was a fair amount of women too, not that I stared, either topless or also going the Full Monty.  Throw in a an equal number or clothed people who chose the clothing optional  beach and not the clothing mandatory one about 100 yards north for some reason, so really no surprises.
I picked my spot, an equal distance from anyone in any direction, still in my shorts and tank top.  How does one undress in public?  I had no idea, top first, bottoms first, standing up or discretely sitting down on my towel?  Am I putting too much thought into this?  Likely. Having no point of reference I decided to go the bold route, stood up, quickly dropped my shorts, shed my top and allowed the sun for the first time in many years to hit the full glory of my far less than perfect body.  That last moment I thought was going to be the hardest was a lot easier than ripping off a band aid, I felt really good about it actually, a huge sense of accomplishment. But it didn't take long for reality to set in, I was standing on a public clothing optional beach, having taken the option, and was standing there looking out on the water, and not doing much else........
Not wanting to stand out or look weird, I quickly grabbed the sun screen, gave myself a healthy coat, especially in the areas that I can no longer refer to as those where the sun don't shine, and started to lay down on my towel, but wait, do I lay down on my stomach or back first? Overthinking again no doubt, but I don't want to look like a newbie, too late.

Newbie Nudist = Newdist??

I'm in what I think/hope is not an uncommon situation.  I discovered some time ago I like being nude, shocking I know.  Now I did the whole skinny dipping thing a few times in high school and college, but in my 20's I felt I was too mature for kid stuff like that any more, either that or the opportunities simply stopped presenting themselves. Add in a romantic hotel stay here in there and you have my full nudist experience to this point.  But as an adult in his 30's I began to do some travelling for work.  When you are alone in a new city on a week night, you don't have many options but to hang out in your hotel room, watch t.v., surf the net, read a book etc.  You also learn to pack light and sleeping alone in a hotel room, pyjamas are an easy item to ditch to save space which is what led to shocking discovery, I actually really enjoyed walking around those hotel rooms in the buff, it felt natural and liberating.
It didn't take long for me to wonder why I didn't do this at home, keep the blinds shut, and be free in the comfort of my own home.  And for some time, that was it, I was happy in my own private nudist world.  A few years have passed and I never even had a thought of going beyond this, however that changed not long after I recently took a new job right in downtown Toronto.  Due to the proximity of my office to the Toronto Island ferry port, the annual departmental picnic is always held at the parks on the island.  Anyone from Toronto knows where this is leading.  It was not long into the ferry ride over someone started to make the jokes.  Toronto Island is home to plenty of public parks, several beaches, a children's theme park, even a regional Airport.....and one of only two officially sanctioned clothing optional beaches in Canada.  I have known of its existence for several years but never gave it much thought until now.  On the day of the picnic, we were no where near the clothing optional beach, with this being a work event that was likely for the best, but that didn't stop the all to predictable jokes and comments.  And now there was this idea in my head, should I? Could I? Why would I?  But then something in the local news gave me the push I needed.
Three young women in small town not too far from Toronto were stopped by police  for riding their bikes in public topless however since the mid 1990's, it is very much legal in Ontario for women to be topless anywhere a man is permitted.  For many reasons I wont dare dive into, it remains uncommon for women to take advantage of their right to go topless.  Many people likely didn't even realise it was perfectly legal (including the police officer that stopped them) so it became a fairly large local news story for some time and even led to a topless march in several cities.  It was these three brave women who made me realise what a chicken I was being.  They stuck their nose up at outdated conservative cultural pressures which should not be difficult in this day and age but in reality remains so even with law on their side.  But me, a mid 30's man, who just happens to enjoy walking around his home with the blinds closed and no clothes on, was unable to take the same brave step, that I very much knew I wanted to take but was to timid to do.
So I decided, the very next chance I got, I was going to walk onto that beach and let the sun see my birthday suit.  Nothing was going to get in my way.......well except I wanted to do some research first, and there was the weather to factor in, and most importantly I wanted to pick a day it was not too busy as I was sure a large crowd would impact my courage.....but other than that nothing was going to stop me.  Sadly it was the first hurdle that proved to be the most difficult for me which is what led me to start this blog.  While there are no shortage of nudist (or naturists as I learned they call themselves, errr ourselves????) sites out there, most deal with the do's and do nots and even the where, but I couldn't find many first hand experiences to help reassure me along my journey.  Oh and you can imagine the sites Google fired back at me when I typed in "nudist blog" and the like.  So here I am, never having written a blog before, or anything other than an email frankly, sharing my experiences as I delve into the "taboo" world of nudism.  I don't expect many, if any, people to read this, but worst case it gives me an outlet to express what I've experienced, this is not exactly the kind of topic you bring up at dinner parties or when watching the game with friends.  Best case someone finds a little support along the way that I was unable to find myself.
I've already visited the clothing optional beach a few times now, and I really want to write about those experiences however this is a form of therapy for me, so if anyone is actually looking at this before I get to the next post, you'll have to forgive me for dragging this out a bit.  IF anyone does read this, feel free to comment as I think some positive discussion couldn't hurt either.