Strange Things Happen When Naturists Put Their Clothes On

I know, it has been a while.  In my defense I don’t actually consider myself a “blogger” and the fact I have not posted since January would stand to support that position. That’s not to say I have not thought about updating recently, I have plenty of new naturist experiences to share, and many more opinions on Naturism to share. Time however has not been my friend. Between work, life, and enjoying Naturism, actually blogging about it was low on the to do list.

This past weekend a fellow naturist (thanks David), shared my blog saying “a blog to inspire” and what do you know, I got inspired. Today also happens to be the first day of a staycation that I plan on using as a full nakation. Aside from driving to/from my standard naturist go to locations (Bare Oaks, Ponderosa, Port Burwell) I don’t intend to wear clothes until I return to work on Sunday. So why not spend some naked time blogging.

Originally this blog was about my life as a single, 30 something guy, who suddenly realized clothes were overrated.  I focused mainly on the experience side of things as a single man in the naturist world as this was the kind of information I was looking for as a type of guidance when I was a newbie nudie but had a hard time finding. Hopefully those who have read my previous posts found them of use. Even if you were not a single 30 something newbie nudie.  While I was not always single during the last few years, however as a naturist I may as well have been. I dated one woman who I successfully introduced to naturism but sadly we were not “compatible” as it were. And then there is my long time platonic friend Tara whom I have mentioned many times however her personal life meant she was……lets say an occasional naturist. So on I went and there I blogged, as a single naturist 90 percent of the time.

Life has a funny way of surprising you though, and this post is more about life than naturism but it all ties together, please bear with me, or should it be bare with me????  Having known Tara since high school and been strictly platonic friends and happy in that status for the better part of two decades, it may shock some, that being a naturist and introducing someone of the opposite sex to naturism and nudism, didn’t have an impact on our friendship. It was never awkward, it never led to any lines crossed, not even at an alcohol fueled “Nude Years Eve”.  I believe it made us even better, closer friends, if that was even possible. I will admit our relationship did take a turn in a new direction this winter but Naturism was not a direct factor other than strengthening the bond we already shared. And while its taken a few paragraphs to get here, this is the main topic for this post.

Tara and I were both guests at destination wedding in the Caribbean this past winter. It was a typical wedding, a close nit group both in terms of the family and friends invited. So

you can imagine when people see the two close friends who both attend single, there are always lots of questions….

Have you ever?

Would you ever?

Why not?

We had been through this a couple of times over the years and it is no big deal. Some were genuinely curious how a man and a woman could be best friends and not a couple (usually the older people), some had their minds in the gutter (usually the younger people). One person asked “Seriously? You’ve never seen each other naked?” and I had to lie to avoid even more complicated questions.  I think we both handled ourselves well, and went on with our lives.

About a week later and back in Canada, we were having dinner with a group of friends for a birthday. Tara and I arrived earlier than anyone else and got talking about the wedding, and the silly questions we were asked. Somewhere along the way before others arrived, we came to the conclusion we needed to have a “talk”. I’d like to tell you where in this conversation the light came on, or what it was that steered us to our enlightenment, but I can't. Somewhere in the short conversation we had decided that maybe we were more than friends and were just to dumb to notice.

Later that night we had a brief “talk” and before we knew it, the next evening we went on our first “date”, dinner and a movie, just us. It was hardly a first date in the typical sense as we spent dinner plotting the baby steps we planned to take. It may seem strange to be so methodical but with so many ways this could have gone wrong, and we had a long established friendship on the line, we didn’t want to risk destroying that.  We took intimacy off the table for the first month at least, and we put our naturist activities together on hold until after that, just in case somehow that was confusing the issue (it was not). Being Canadian winter at the time, this was actually fairly easy. 

Fast forward and here we are, many months later, almost September now. I officially moved into Tara’s home recently, still being methodically cautious we agreed in advance to wait for a short time before renting out my house and will wait at least a year before we decide to put it up for sale. It is at this point I will address what I assume is a question anyone reading this may have. Why am I posting this, it has nothing to do with being a Naturist???? The strange thing about relationships is they should be easy, but they never are, and in a textile world so it is with naturism. Add those together and it can get muddy very fast. We have been friends for so long and never saw it as anything more.  For us, naturism was no different than sharing an interest in movies or sports. We are naturists but naturism alone does not define us. And even though I take credit for introducing Naturism to Tara, when we took the relationship plunge we wanted to keep it as uncomplicated as possible. So yes, we stopped being naturists (together) for a time just as we agreed to delay telling friends or family. I won’t tell you it was the right or wrong decision, it is just what made sense for us at the time. Thankfully it all seems to be working out, we had a great naturist summer together with more to come this week.

It may be that Naturism played some part in us eventually deciding to become a couple, but not directly. It was just another activity we found we both enjoyed. If this was not the case I would have thought we would have figured this out a few years ago as there have been plenty of opportunities rather than while reminiscing about a textile destination wedding to push us in this direction. 

When it comes to naturism, I’ll be honest I am not sure where to go with this blog. As mentioned a few times this started as the experiences from the perspective of a 30 something, single, male, who was new to naturism.  Aside from still being in my 30’s (just barely) none of that is true of me anymore.  There are plenty of blogs, Facebook pages, websites, Twitter feeds, and Instagramers covering naturism from a couples perspective, young and old.  “Naked Wanderings”,Felicity's Blog, and Naturist Living Show are great resources. Another blog may not add much to the conversation but I will try and keep at it for now and I will try not to go another 8 months between posts. As I type this I remember how therapeutic I find sharing here. Hopefully there are some out there that get something from reading this, and if not I am OK with it anyway.

Will O’Canada

@NudeInCanada on Twitter

Naturist Canada Map

Happy Nude Year!

I was not really planning on doing anything for New Years Eve.  Being single and having little interest in changing that situation at the moment, I was just going to stay in and watch Time Square on TV.  My friend Tara had been trying to convince me to join her at a party with textiles and I was brushing her off. I had no interest in being around random drunk strangers, spending New Years Eve home and naked was way more appealing to me. 

About a week before Christmas however, she made an intriguing proposition. What if she had people at her house for New Years, where clothing was NOT an option? At first I was skeptical, Tara knows fewer naturists than I do, and I am only close with 3, Tara included. Not to mention she is generally more shy about naturism than I am. On Christmas eve however I got a great gift when she confirmed another couple was interested and we were a go for our first “Nude Years Eve”.

To keep things respectful, we had some ground rules that had to be agreed to by all in advance:

1. No clothes of any kind (obviously), and Tara turned the heat way up to what felt like tropical levels.
2. No Cameras/ Pictures.
3. No Phones, for the same reason as rule #2
4. No Sexual activity, that’s not what this was supposed to be about (after considerable amounts of alcohol this rule was eventually broken by some)

I arrived early to help Tara play host to our event. To my surprise my friend “Don” arrived soon after.  Don is not a nudist/naturist per say, but frequents Hanlans Point regularly during the summer for other reasons. Knowing he was recently single and one of the few people who knows I am a naturist, I extended the invite not really expecting him to accept. “Sam and Diane” arrived soon after Don and again to our surprise, they had brought a date, a woman I will call “Cathy”.  I previously had only met Sam and Diane once before.  Like Don I do not consider them naturists/nudists, and they are the first to admit it.  They have an open marriage and very much blur any line between nudity.  Rule number four was written specifically for them so I was a little concerned about their participation, even more so when the brought a third. They still claim Cathy is just a friend, no one believes them, including Cathy.

Everyone arrived overdressed, first due to the whole legal thing (stupid public nudity laws), and secondly as it was incredibly cold on New Years Eve.  The plan was to wait for everyone to arrive, drink some hot chocolate to warm up and then disrobe.  Tara had a great idea to play a game of “never have I ever” so people could get to know each other a bit better, the only rule was the things had to be non-sexual in nature, removing one article of clothing for each thing you had done in turn. Last person to be fully undressed had to neatly fold and pile away everyone else’s clothes.  Poor Cathy had jumped out to an early lead getting down to only her socks before anyone else was fully topless and yet somehow still lost. We all sat around laughing calling her Molly Maid as she tidied the room, those were the rules.

Other than our unique ice breaker, and the fact that we were all naked, anyone who has been to a small gathering, New Years or otherwise, would not have found our party any different.  We ate lots of chips and jalapeno poppers, drank cocktails and beer, and of course the customary sparkling wine at midnight.  We played Cards Against Humanity and had an extra good laugh when some of the cards hit close to home in a room fully of naked people. Sam and Diane behaved for the most part too. Sure there was a squeeze or a hug here and there, and it got more frequent as the night and alcohol intake progressed, but I have seen much worse at a work Christmas party honestly.   

Cathy was the first victim, asleep on the couch by 1 AM. Soon after Sam and Diane disappeared with Don upstairs. If you had told me before the party this would happen I may have cancelled on the whole thing, but by that point I was beyond caring what three consenting adults did behind a closed door.  Tara and I never even made it to a bed, she fell asleep on a sofa, and I slept in a surprisingly comfortable chair.

The next morning we all had an extended sleep in, woken after 10 by the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Bonus points to Tara for not only an excellent breakfast of scrambled eggs, homes fries, and breakfast sausages, but she did so with the use of a frying pan with a glass lid so as to avoid the use of an apron and keep to our 100% clothes free rule.  Everyone was good to pitch in and tidy up so Tara’s home was restored to its pre-party state before going our separate ways. I am sure I have left some fun bits out but the fog of alcohol is testing my memory right now.  From start to finish it was a great time, everything I imagined a proper Nude Years party would be and with luck this could be a new tradition. One can only hope.

A few side notes.  I got permission to write this blog update from all involved before the drinking began, and again after the alcohol effects had (mostly) worn off.  All names were changed for privacy although Sam and Diane said I could use their real names, I changed them anyway.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/Holiday season, and......

Keep Calm and Stay Naked

It’s that time of year again when naturists/nudists go into a bit of hibernation of sorts. I have blogged previously about my experiences and tips for surviving as a naturist through the long Canadian winter (Check them out  here and here if you like) and have not yet thought of anything of value to add on the subject.

With nothing of value to add to the surviving the winter naked conversation, I decide to start a different post than my usual “naturist experience” based ones, with the topic of current state of naturism as I saw it and the underlying politics and problems holding us back. But ultimately if got a little depressing and I could not remember what I thought would be the benefit of my rambling complaints.

Rather than focus on the ridiculous state of affairs at the International NaturistFederation or the sad (but totally understandable) announcement from YoungNaturists/Nudists of America that they are winding down all YNA operations, and don’t get me started on the many so called Twitter naturists who are really just porno addicted, dick pic sending perverts. This paragraph alone should show you how sad that post would have been

Instead I wanted to talk about the positive things going on and in the world of Naturism. There is plenty going on that give me hope that being a naturist is getting better and easier than even a few years ago. 

Out of the Shadows

Many clubs are finally moving away from the secretive and isolationist tendencies that seemed to work 20 years ago but more recently has seen many of them, at least in my area, close or switch to being textile only. And for a change, in this area the marketing power of Social Media is actually playing a positive role, even with the 1950’s mentality on censorship used by Facebook, Twitter and the like.  Clubs turn to Social Media to promote more and more to promote their resorts and get the word out that casual, nonsexual, family friendly nudity is possible.  They are also organizing specific events that often gets local media attention which is a huge win for both the club, and naturism as a whole. Bare Oaks is especially good at this with both their Comedy shows  and The Naked State art expo, initially promoted mainly on their own website and social media pages, but ended up being covered by multiple media outlets.

Speaking of Traditional Media…

... getting the media on the side of Naturism is no easy task especially in North America where prudes with no idea what Naturism is about, seem to be pulling the strings.  In my local area (Toronto Canada) the media actually had a positive impact recently on what could have been a fully terrible situation.  Spring flooding left most of Toronto Island, including Hanlan’s Point Clothing Optional beach, inaccessible for most or the prime summer season. And rather than stating in some small footnote that one of only two official clothing optional beaches was closed for the summer, many outlets (The Toronto Star and Now Magazine for example) provided alternatives.  Bare Oaks, Ponderosa, GTA SkinnyDippers, Toronto Area Naturist Sports and Swims (TANS) all getting multiple mentions.  You would have to ask the clubs mentioned what impact this had on their attendance numbers but free advertisement like this can’t be a bad thing.

Unlike North America, in Europe a quick google search will show you how much different is really is there for Naturists.  It’s far more common to see an article on Naturism or the benefits of going naked in Europe than in America but based on what I am seeing in my area as shown above, at least its getting better.

We are not alone!

I am not one to follow the tabloids, and I really don’t care what Robert Downey Jr. had for lunch, or the new skirt Mila Kunis was seen wearing in Beverly Hills. But every once in a while you hear about some famous person admitting they are a naturist, even if some may just go naked at home, it grabs my attention. Not because of who they are, but for what it can do for naturism. The more people of influence that speak openly about naturism and natural nudity the better. It can have the opposite effect, i.e. Super Bowl Nip slips help nobody, but for the most part it helps normalize nudity for the masses and for those of us in the know, helps us feel a little less alone. Ones I can confirm are:

Heidi Klum      Kate Humble

Miley Cyrus     Helen Mirren

JustinTimberlake,      Billy Connelly, 

Kevin Bacon     Robbie Williams

Brad Pitt

And thats just the ones I found easy links to, Adam Levine, Alicia Silverstone, Eva Mendes, Orlando Bloom, Bruce Willis, Alanis Morrissette, Halley Berry, Miranda Kerr, Kira Knightly all are also reportedly naturists/nudists at some level. And yes some of the reactions they got for it were negative, but we have to keep moving forward.

Merchandising

And since most of this post is about positive things in naturism, I thought I would add an area for improvement. Who doesn’t like “Swag” am I right? My two local clubs, Bare Oaks and Ponderosa, both have merchandise to buy at their club stores.
   

On my first visit I got a Ponderosa “Beer cozie” as a souvenir and I use it at home often.  From Bare Oaks I got one of those pens when you tip it the little persons clothes come off.  I plan on using it to write Christmas letters this year, make writing them feel less tedious.  Imagine if those pens, and beer cozies were not just available at the club store, but online.  Facebook is making it easier to sell your merchandise these days, and there are plenty of alternatives like Etsy and eBay. Combine that with promoting the merchandise on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.  Selling club branded T-shirts (the irony, I know!) and so on could be incredibly valuable for promoting your club and increasing revenue.  Perhaps they have already tried this previously but I think the possibilities are incredible. T-shirts promoting naturism is a bit of an oxymoron as it were and to be honest I’m not likely to walk around in a basic club branded shirt, but a “I’d rather be naked”  with the club logo, or even better, “Keep Calm and Stay Naked” with the club logo replacing the crown, that would draw attention for sure......hmmmm, maybe I should start my own naturist clothing/merchandise line????

Well that is all I had for now, feel free to share your thoughts, positive/constructive feedback is always welcome.  Otherwise I hope you all survive the winter and can stay naked as much as possible.  Maybe I will even see some of you at a GTA SkinnyDippers outing.

New Hope for Ontario Nudists and Naturists?

I have a couple things I felt compelled to update from some of my previous posts on this blog as new information has come to light and I have time to share it.  I previously lamented in those blog updates that the naturist / nudist world in Southern Ontario was taking couple steps backwards. But thankfully there may be some hope. It’s amazing how much you can find out while waiting for a very much delayed flight.

The first item I wanted to update was about Hanlans Point, which is the only sanctioned public clothing optional beach in Ontario, one of only two in the whole country sadly.  My last few visits to Hanlans Point were less than enjoyable as I found the clothing optional portion had more "textiles" than naturists or even the clothing mandatory side did for that matter. And of those "textiles" the vast majority were apparently there to gawk rather than show any interest in experiencing the joys of outdoor nudity.  Their loss I say

Previous Blog: Hanlan's Point......Naked no more 

As such, I have essentially written off this as an option for me. For either the cost of a day pass at one of two area naturist resorts, or the drive to Port Burwell (where a short walk from the provincial park gets you to private land where naturists are welcomed) you get all the naturism and none of the gawkers.
I still have hope for Hanlans however more support is needed.  A petition (Click Here) has been started proposing to the local councillor Pam McConnell that the city should partition the beach into three sections: nude mandatory, clothing optional, and clothing mandatory.  There is only 51 signatures on the online petition so far but hopefully some of you will actually read this and it can gain some momentum.   Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed.

Next I move a bit North to Wasaga Beach, where there was a small but growing movement to make part of the secluded eastern beach at the Provincial Park that was already being frequently used by naturists, legally a nude beach. 

Previous Blog: Tale of Two "Unofficial" Beaches

I made two separate attempts to find the nude beach area (once on a weekday, again on a weekend in case I had missed something) and found nothing but signs warning that nudity is prohibited.  When I sought help from the Facebook group “Wasagabares” that promoted and supported the naturist use of this beach I found it went dormant around May of 2016. Thus I gave up on Wasaga beach as an option and moved on however perhaps I did so too soon.  A recent article (View Here) was shared by a friend on Facebook that not only gave me hope that the cause was not lost, but also explained the dormant Wasagabares group.
I turns out that in May 2016, John Cropper, who is the force behind Wasaga Bares, was charged with "engaging in a prohibited activity" at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. Now at first glance this could be seen as the end of the dream but if you read the article, John is taking the fight to court in hopes it will set a legal precedent and thus benefit us all. It also explains why the Wasaga Bares page went silent, John may be avoiding it to prevent it impacting his legal battle.  In either case, this gives me some hope and I truly hope he is successful.  

If you live in or visit either Toronto or Southern Ontario as a whole and want more information and possible updates on these two subjects I would suggest you check out the below Facebook groups.  You can also follow my blog or my twitter account @NudeInCanada

Stay naked friends!

Hanlans Nudists/Naturists
Ontario Naturists
Wasagabares

Naked with Friends

I am a fairly solitary naturist. Not that am not anti-social, I just don't know many naturists well enough that I socialise with them outside of the friendly "hello, how are you" when I see a familiar face at Ponderosa.  I prefer to keep my Naturist and textile worlds apart presently, it keeps things less complicated.  That may disqualify my as a naturist in the eyes of some but its my choice.
I am open about my naturist life with only three textile friends. A single woman I have known since high school who is my closest platonic friend, and a couple who I have been close friends with for some time now and tend to be open and very liberal in most things in life.  Now I have invited the couple (I'll call them John and Amy, not their real names) to join me at the nude beach or a Naturist club and while open to the idea, seemed to have excuses or were otherwise unavailable so I stopped asking.  I never really invited my single friend (will call her Tara, not real either) other than a "you should try it" when I first opened up about naturism with her, I just didn't think she was the type, and as we are VERY platonic, I didn't think anyone she dated would be happy to here about here going to nude beaches with her guy friend. She's my oldest friend, less complication is better
Last week I mentioned I was taking the day off to head down to Port Burwell's nude beach, and to my surprise, Tara asked if it was a mandatory nude beach so that she could join me and keep her suit on. I actually have no idea what the rule is at Port Burwell, the actual park does not permit nudity, you have to walk past the parks boundary to private property where the owners allow the nude beach. I figured if anyone had an issue we'd setup right on the boundary line, I could go nude, and she would sit next to me on the park side in her swimsuit. Problem solved. 
When we arrived at the nude beach, there was only around four other people there so we found a place off on our own in the hopes no one would bother her for being "overdressed" in a skimpy bikini. I got undressed, she as expected kept her bikini on and we setup our towels and umbrella for the day. We decided to go for a swim in the lake but when we stood up to walk to the water she sort of paused, had a sort of confused look on her face, and then after a moment she says "Fuck it", takes her swim suit off, and runs into the lake. I  couldn't help but laugh, I had no idea she was even considering being naked but I suppose the fact that we were virtually alone, and of the sparsely populated beach she was the only one NOT naked, may have given her the final push I didn't even know she was looking for.  
Later as we walked along the beach, Tara even managed to say "good morning" to a naked gentleman as we passed him.  
Sadly it is apparently horse or deer fly season near Port Burwell in September and those suckers bite. After only about an hour and a half, most of which was in the water to avoid the flies, we packed up and went home.
I am very proud of Tara, apparently she even bragged to "Amy" about going even though she claimed to only go "skinny dipping". But maybe that might start the conversation for the group of us to go to the nude beach some day. Sadly we may have to wait for spring based on the weather, this still is Canada after all and Fall is upon us.
Regardless, it was a nice to have a close friend join me and see it become very natural for them.  There was no awkwardness about being naked together, it was just another day at the beach. 

Bare Naked at Bare Oaks

When spring arrived this year I set several goals for my naturist self. This included exploring the nude beaches at Port Burwell and Wasaga beach for the first time (see my earlier post for those experiences), revisiting Ponderosa and Hanlans Point where I have enjoyed myself last year, and at the top of the list was a trip to Bare Oaks north of Toronto. 
It took nearly the entire summer but I finally made my way north to the Naturist Resort/Club whose website and podcasts provided me with well needed guidance as I dove into Naturism last year. If you are a newbie nudist or "Newdist", I strongly recommend you check out their website and Social Media presence as they have a lot to offer. 

 www.bareoaks.ca     Google+     Facebook    Twitter

So it was fitting that almost exactly a year later I would arrive on the Bare Oaks doorstep.  And as I type this I know I am going to struggle to avoid looking like a member of the Bare Oaks marketing team because this place was a wonderful experience start to finish. I arrive on what was yet another excellent day this summer to be naked outdoors, a quick "Hello, I am just here for the day" into the front gate intercom, I drive into a very full Saturday parking lot and find an empty space which may or may not have been an actual parking spot.  Once parked I removed my clothes immediately. Partly because its recommended you lock your thing in your car, but more so I was determined not to look like a rookie when I entered the front office.  
In a previous post about Ponderosa Nature Resort, my one complaint for an otherwise excellent naturist park was that the staff were dressed.   None of that at Bare Oaks, everyone from the people at the front office, those working the special silent auction event, to the servers at the "Bare Bistro", the on site restaurant, were au natural.  I hope the cook at the bistro wore an apron or something though, I had bacon on my burger, so I'd be willing to let them have a pass there. (otherwise OUCH!)
I enter the front office and wait my turn, it was Saturday and sunny, no surprises it was a bit busy.  Excellent staff greet you, run you through the usual stuff, name, ID, license plate, and "have you been here before" and then sit you in front of a TV for a video about the resort, and about the Naturist ideas they stand for.  I will admit, I was excited to get out in the sun so the short video felt like it was an hour long but I understand what they are doing here. This is not just a place to be naked.  It is about naked being natural and in nature.  True Naturism at heart.  They put it out there, if you are here to gawk, or think the naked body is lewd or purely sexual, this is not the place for you, thank you and have a nice day.  You don't even pay the entry fee until you have watched so if after the video, this sound like its not for you, nothing lost. 

Lake Beamore - Bare Oaks

With the formalities out of the way, and having done my research, I am out the door and heading not for the pool, which is a bit small if you compare to Ponderosa (about a quarter of the size actually), but for "Lake Beamore" a large swimming pond with a beach.  This was bliss, few things are as enjoyable to do in nature than swim without the constraints of a swimsuit.  Lake Beamore is large, the water was so clear I could see the bottom well out into the middle of the pond and has an island/dock in the middle for relaxing or diving.  I probably spent two hours just swimming and floating around. 
When I finally pulled myself away from Lake Beamore I went for a wonderful walk around the park, especially the well maintained trail they have that winds its way along the northern boarder of the park. It was at this point I realised how friendly everyone is at Bare Oaks.  I was greeted with a smile and engaged in conversation with staff and other guests alike.  I helped a mother in the right direction when her toddler wondered around a corner, played volleyball with a group aged 8 to 80, no one seemed to keep the single white guy in his 30's at arms length, at least not that I noticed and I have when walking through a regular city park.  It really felt like I was at any other vacation spot, minus the clothes.
Come lunch time I found myself at the Bare Bistro.  Next to swimming and hiking, having a sit down meal in a  restaurant is just a great thing to do naked. The lunch menu is mostly burgers, sausages and the like, and they have a good selection of imported beers including one on draft!  I was not expecting gourmet, so what turned out to be one of the better bacon cheese burgers I have had in a restaurant in recent memory was a happy bonus.
Now that I have completed my detailed experience / marketing plug for Bare Oaks I will tell you a few of the down sides, it seems only fair to try and remain unbiased.  First and foremost, that pool is no bigger than one I could get in my back yard.  It is no exaggeration to say it is a quarter or less of the size of the outdoor pool at Ponderosa. Incidentally, the indoor pool at Ponderosa is almost as big as Bare Oaks outdoor pool though Lake Beamore trumps any outdoor pool anyway. Naturism is for the most part a fair weather summer season lifestyle. Ponderosa has an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna to keep things going year round. I have been to Ponderosa when there was snow outside and my only complaint was that I seemed to be the only one there.  Bare Oaks has no indoor pool so the fairly large indoor hot tub and sauna will have to do come winter.
In the end, Bare Oaks was better than I expected and that was no easy feat.  If you live closer to either Bare Oaks or Ponderosa, you are likely going to be happy there.  If you live somewhere in the middle (which Toronto is) give them both a try for yourself, you will likely have a tough decision on your hands.  In both cases I loved my experience and I also love what both parks are doing to help encourage others to give true Naturism a chance and promote this wonderful lifestyle.  With the poor state of Naturism at Hanlan's Point, at least there remains two solid options to get natural in nature a short drive from Toronto.  

Thank you so much to the staff and people of Bare Oaks, I will return!

Hanlan's Point......Naked no more

Despite recent media attention about confrontations between Naturists/Nudists and textiles at Hanlan's Point and Wreck Beach, I decided to take advantage of the excellent weather and took the ferry across to Toronto Island. I had planned on spending am entire day on the island with the majority at the clothing optional side of Hanlans Point Beach but it was just not meant to be and this is likely to have been my last visit to Hanlan's Point. I think I may have said this before but for the near future at least, I am done with being part of a tourist attraction.
Things started well enough, I arrived around 10 am and the beach was already fairly busy with all types enjoying the only public place in Ontario you can be naked on a normal day.   By lunch time however things changed for the worse
I was in the central part of the beach, far enough I thought from the clothing mandatory side to avoid gawkers who would wander over, but I soon found two large groups of "textiles" setting up in the middle of several naturists. One group was very obviously there for the show and you could see it bothered many of those there to be naturists, myself included. One couple packed up and left when it became clear the group was having a laugh at their appearance. A core principle of Naturism is body acceptance and this couple were on a naturist clothing optional beach facing a group of bullies body shaming them in a place that by design should be one of openness and acceptance, not shame and embarrassment. And while not a target of their shame, I too had seen enough and packed up to leave

As I got dressed I had a look around and the beach was now 80% textiles compared to earlier when I arrived when it was closer to 80% naturists and most of the other 20% were accompanying the naturists which is OK in my opinion. I decided to have a stroll along the clothing mandatory beach on my way out and I found it almost completely empty. So any idea that overcrowding in the clothing mandatory side was overflowing to the optional beach is unfounded. As I have said in my previous post "Clothing Optional" , if you are wading in and testing the naturist /nudist waters so be it, that's what clothing optional beaches are for. But if you want to see naked people for fun, there are strip clubs and the Internet, leave the beaches for the more open minded.‎ I worry the textile intrusion is irreversible at Hanlan's Point and the clothing optional beach will die a slow death. 
I for one wont be returning anytime soon especially now that I have discovered Port Burwell, which while further away, is a much better experience 

On a much happier note I finally made my way out to Bare Oaks, I'll post about it in the near future. Had such a great time and I am trying to do a write up that won't look I work for their marketing team (Naked Marketing, how do I get that job???!!!)

Clothing Optional?

I touched on this once or twice before but a recent story by CBC news got me thinking about this again.  Before I get into the story let me revisit a few things first
When you visit a resort like Ponderosa or Bare Oaks their clothing policies are fairly simple.  Most if not all of the resorts are clothing NOT optional.  With some allowances for newbies to test the waters so to speak, or weather, you go to a naturist resort to be natural, aka nude, in nature.  My experiences at Ponderosa with this have been nothing less than wonderful. 
My experience at Hanlan's Point, while still excellent, has not been the same.  I've previously mentioned that a fair size minority, sometimes majority of those in the clothing optional part of the beach choose not to take the option.  If you are genuinely there to see for yourself what its like before you try naturism/nudism and either decide its not for you, or chicken out as it were, so be it.  My first time at Hanlan's I damn near turned around myself.  When the company picnic was on Toronto Island last year, there were silly jokes by colleagues about checking it out, having a peak etc but no one actually went over (that I know of).  This years picnic about a month ago was also on the Island, happened to at a site right next to both the clothing optional and clothing mandatory beaches and this time several colleagues did sneak off to walk the beach. Now had the group actually been brave enough to say they were going to try it out, I might have considered going along.  These are not just colleagues but people I socialise with outside work as well.  But it was clear they were going to peak at all the "nudies". Leaving the fact that I am a naturist out of it, I tried to speak up but it was of no use, they wanted to get their look.
Having written about my experiences with this before I was not going to again but then I saw the article by CBC Canada's nudists feeling overexposed by onlookers . It appears the problem is worse than even I noticed and some naturist/nudists have taken to posting signs implying nudity was mandatory and even confronting those "textiles" that don't go nude.
While I agree with the sentiment and would love to see a stop to the gawking,  I disagree with these actions for a couple reasons.  

1. That person very may well be a bit nervous to take the step towards naturism and who are we to tell them what they can or cannot wear? Its that attitude that keeps naturism secluded to a few sparse resorts and two public clothing option beaches in Canada.  If you choose to dip your toe in the water, or dive right in, that's your choice. If the naturism movement and culture is to grow, it has to be done in an open and inclusive way, not via confrontation.
2. If you feel nudity should be mandatory, and I could get behind this very quickly, petition the city as in the past to remove the option on the naturist beach, or split the beach in three, one for textiles, one for clothing optional for those taking a first step, and one for nudity mandatory.  
3. There are alternatives like Ponderosa and Bare Oaks in the GTA.  I have read of some private beaches (ie one near Port Burwell Provincial park).  I've not been personally but have read in a few places online that Naturism is permitted at some locations and tend to be only frequented by non-textile types.

While I completely agree that the clothing optional beaches can get a bit crowded with those just checking out the sights.  But it is a public beach and there for the use of all.  I would no sooner ask someone to remove their clothes than I would want someone to tell me to put mine back on. I'd love to hear other opinions on this, its a long overdue discussion.

Individual Naturist

I may have mentioned it in previous posts (maybe I should go back and read them myself) but I am your very typical single white male in my 30's.  I was self inspired to join the nudist/naturist world and after many visits now to Hanlan's Point and Ponderosa Nature Resort I still mostly keep to myself when among my fellow naturists.  
There have been exceptions.  I had a wonderful conversation with a nice couple in the hot tub at Ponderosa last winter.  Then there is the "to be expected" polite conversation with various employees at the resort who sign you in, take your order at the bar or restaurant (dining naked is an experience of its own, might write about it another time).  All are truly just like any other polite conversation you have at a resort, minus the clothes.  I am a bit surprised even as I write this how normal it all feels in a very short time
The real stand out for me came when at Hanlan's recently I was approached by some people who didn't have a bottle opener, I didn't have one either but I showed them the old college tricks to pop the top with a lighter or a key ring.  I was dutifully rewarded with several beverages and to join their company for the next few hours of my visit.  The reason this was a standout for me was that the group was a perfect mix of fully nude men and women, one woman only topless, but also a few who stuck with their swimsuits.  No one really addressed the fact that some people were partially or fully naked.  It was just another day at the beach and I had a wonderful time.
Those experiences are in the minority for me so far though.  My typical visit is to show up, drop my shorts, read my book, take a swim in the pool or lake, get dressed and go home.  I have yet to make any new naturist friends.  I am normally a very outgoing person but maybe the whole naked thing is keeping me more reserved than normal.  The group at Hanlon's was a lot of fun however I was a good 5-10 years older then anyone else, so its not like I was exchanging numbers or becoming friends on Facebook.  I got as far as to follow a couple of them on Instagram, that it
And while I am very happy with my new found lifestyle, its not exactly something I can go discussing at work or the family BBQ.  True naturists will likely ask me why not? But then maybe I am not a true naturist yet.  Reality is my career could be adversely affected if I were to open up about this in the office, and I see my family enough already,  so I'd rather not have this in common with them.  Most of my friends are rather liberal and if I one day run into someone I know at Hanlon's or a resort I will be elated, but until then I like my friends, the fear of scaring people away is real, even though maybe it shouldn't be.
Even in the liberal free-loving world of naturism, being the single male is an problematic.  Resorts and clubs work hard to engage and be open to newcomers yet the stigma of society cast a shadow here as well.  Bare Oaks actually covers this in the "About Naturism - Making Friends" section of their website:

For single men in particular, intentions can easily be misinterpreted. It is normal for a single man to want to find a partner. But it is a fine line between showing interest and being creepy. Not all single women come to Bare Oaks looking to meet someone. Women appreciate naturism because it allows them to escape society’s pressure to reach an impossible ideal of physical beauty. In naturism, they feel accepted for who they are. But too much attention from a single man, as friendly as it might be, can remind them of mainstream society’s oppressive focus on their body. It can feel like harassment. ~Bareoaks.ca

 If you dig around in their site long enough, there is also a section that mentions while all are welcome, they to try to maintain a roughly 60/40 minimum men to women and I will be honest, I don't blame them.  The reality of our society is that a lot of women wont feel comfortable if heavily outnumbered by men in many situations, clothed or not.
So single men like myself can be left to enjoy the world of naturism in more isolation for fear of offending or making others uncomfortable.
This actually resulted in my most recent sunburn if I'm honest.  I cannot just ask any old stranger to apply some to my back (or maybe I can but the thought of it feels awkward enough)  so I buy the spray on type to ensure my back gets properly covered however the windy days it is easy to miss a spot and WOW does that hurt the next day. 
Perhaps I will get over my personal hangups, but aside from the occasional sunburn I am really enjoying the naturist world and the solitude is actually a benefit sometimes.

In my own back yard.

So I did something this week that was truthfully a little daring, or at least it felt that way.  My home backs on to a wooded ravine of sorts, and its partially blocked but not entirely from those across the way.  Add in the nosey neighbours and my entire yard is exposed.....with a small exception.  So today while working from home I decided to make use of the small exception.  I placed a lawn chair in the right place, aimed it away from nosey neighbour house which if they really tried I am sure they could still see all they want, grabbed my laptop, a cooler full of water (and maybe a beer), and as I sat in the chair, dropped my shorts to the ground.  This made my day more than I thought possible.  I spent several hours outdoors today, limited by my laptop battery sadly.  I'll go shopping for a good extension cord this week to extend the time as much as possible.
And sure I would love to go further, mow the lawn, dig in the garden, go for a stroll in the valley all in my natural glory, but laws and respect for the neighbours kept me to a small corner of the yard.  I am not going to complain though, its not easy balancing the working life with visiting the clothing optional beach or a Naturist resort as often as I want.  So wandering my home or making my way to the one obscure corner of the yard will have to do for now.  I am on course for a personal best actually, with the exception walking to and from the small corner of my yard, I've been au natural for several days in a row thanks to working from home and planing the groceries supply well in advance.  I am saving a small fortune on laundry!

Naturist in Nature......Almost

It's been a been a bit of an up and down spring as far as temperature goes and I have only once been a proper Naturist in nature this spring, which is ultimately the point.   But with better weather in the forecast I am reviewing my Options to shed the clothes outdoors.

Hanlan's Point is legally the only clothing optional public place in Southern Ontario where I live. For the cost of the ferry (15$ round trip) plus parking or Transit, its a great option, but as a clothing optional beach there is a chance for gawkers which I have commented on in previous posts.  Forecast on the Island hits 20C next week, not great but very tempting.

Wasage Beach has been getting some attention in the news of late. Personally I was getting excited that the "WasagaBares" were getting some traction on a Clothing Optional section at Wasaga Beach however the local council and Ontario Parks (who owns that portion of the beach) are both going back and forth on their support of the idea. Click HERE to read more on that in the news.  Unofficially people have been going au natural there for years so for the brave its a low cost option (aka FREE) provided you don't get a fine should the police decide to enforce the law that day which is apparently very rare.  Forecast hits up to 23C next week, not bad. Down side of gawkers here too.

Inland the forecast is saying as high as 28C so this may mean the two nearest fully nude resorts are the best option, Ponderosa  or maybe even make the drive out to Bare Oaks finally.  Both resorts charge around 50$ for a single day visit (discounts for couples/families though) which is fair for what they offer, but steep for those of us with fixed incomes and schedules that don't make becoming a full member viable.  Both resorts offer fully nude environments (with the exception of staff at Ponderosa which confuses me to no end) with all the comforts you want (pools, restaurants, bathrooms etc) without the "optional" risk of gawkers.  Both offer lots of info for Newbie Nudists so check out their websites or on social media.

For at least another week I remain a nudist indoors, however I look forward to getting some all over vitamin D very soon.