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

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.

The Summer of Nude / Naked With Friends Part 2

It’s been a busy summer, aside from the usual work, textile friends and family obligations, I was also very busy enjoying my naked self. I got a late start to my naked summer but I eventually accomplished more as a naturist this summer than I did in the two years since I truly found naturism and managed to knock a few items off my naked bucket list.  Naturist camping (2 nights at Bare Oaks!), nude bowling (see my previous blog on that here), I missed out on the Nude 5k but maybe next year.  Most importantly, Tara finally joined me at Ponderosa for a day which was amazing. In doing so I noticed some differences in visiting alone versus with a friend so please keep reading as I cover that further below.

My summer started with a couple solo trips to Port Burwell, which if you are looking to be a true Naturist in Nature, the nude beach in Port Burwell just beyond the park boundary is really hard to beat.  I have been many times this summer and I never regret it.  It is definitely off the beaten track as it were but that’s what makes it so great.  No crowds, no textiles or gawkers.  Just nature and naturists being natural.  AKA - Bliss. My good friend Tara also really likes it at Port Burwell.  Tara sees herself as being more of a home naturist/nudist, but has accompanied me to Port Burwell a few times now. At first just to be supportive of my journey, but she also has learned to love the idea of being naked in nature.  She still has some reservations each time we go as she experiences a sort of feeling of being “exposed” as she puts it.  This is not that much of an issue at Port Burwell as there is not often a large crowd there even on the weekend, and there are plenty of places you can find additional privacy if you want there. 

It was no small step for Tara to finally join me on a recent visit to Ponderosa.  Both of us live only about 20 to 30 minutes from resort so concern number one for her was the “what if?” I never really put too much thought to the possibility of running into someone I know at a naturist beach or resort.  But what if it were to happen? Just the thought of it for Tara was borderline terrifying and it took some long conversations to ease that fear. I remember worrying about this myself in my early days of naturism, it has yet to happen though and honestly I don’t think I would be bothered by it at this point. It might be a bit awkward at first but seeing as you would both be there for the same reason, what is there to worry about. In fact I almost want it to happen, the more friends to share naturism with the better really. Knowing this was still a concern for Tara I let her decide the timing of the visit.  She chose a Saturday where she hoped she could be lost in the crowd, and was it ever crowded.  The parking lot was full, and even though Ponderosa has a generous amount of lounge chairs by the pool, every single one was taken however this was not a problem as we were happy to spend most of our time in the pool or at the swim up bar.  And we certainly got lost in the crowd, it was so busy but Tara did wear a large sun hat and a pair of big dark Hollywood style sun glasses, just in case.  With time and a few cocktails, she was as relaxed as she would have been at any other textile resort, even chatting with other couples. A great time for both of us.

Back in May I started dating a woman whom I met through my cousin.  We have since split, and no I am not going into those details, but I wanted to share some of our experiences in Naturism while we were briefly together as well.  My ex is an avid camper and for our first overnight trip away together this is what she wanted to do. I booked us a couple nights at none other than Port Burwell Provincial Park, not that I was planning anything, I just know the park and the area.  At this point I had not mentioned naturism to her at all but I was encouraged while at the parks textile beach when she asked if I would mind if she sun bathed topless (which is fully legal in Ontario where we live).  Of course I didn’t mind and after a very brief hesitation I mentioned the nude beach a short walk away “if she really wanted to avoid the tan lines”.

I played it like I was trying to be funny and yet not only was she open to the idea, she was rather excited about it. With that I could now claim to introducing two new naturists to the lifestyle.  My ex took to it like a fish to water and soon after our trip to Port Burwell we were spending our rare days off together at Ponderosa. We were even due to camp at Bare Oaks together but sadly at the end of last month we decided to go our separate ways before that happened. We are still friends and while I doubt we will be going together again to a naturist beach or resort, at least not intentionally, just the other day she told me that while we didn’t work out, she would always be grateful that I had taken her to the Port Burwell nude beach that day.

It is here I want to take this in a bit of a different direction. When I write this blog I try to focus on the “experience” side of Naturism  and not to get too much into what I will call the activist or political side of things.  How others enjoy or promote Naturism, or compare nudist versus naturist, or if there is a difference at all, is something I try to avoid except when it directly impacted my personal experience (i.e. Gawkers at Hanlan’s Point).  This may blur those lines a little but I wanted to share some subtle differences, others less so, in the experiences I have had as a single male compared to visiting the same places with a partner, in one case with Tara, a platonic friend who is a bit shy and self-conscious about her appearance, the other a romantic friend (the Ex) who is very confident in her appearance. 

When visiting solo to Port Burwell, Ponderosa, or Bare Oaks, I tend to keep to myself, go for a swim, sleep or read in the sun etc. At both resorts I have always found the staff went above and beyond to make you feel comfortable and welcome and I even hung out with some staff at Bare Oaks after their shift was over, good times.  However I often found when I went solo the other guests tend to keep you at arm’s length. Not that they were unfriendly, they smile and say hello or good morning but that’s about it.  I can understand some women or families might have reservations about the single guy they know nothing about, it’s a sad reality of the world we live in though I do hope that Naturism is one of the vehicles of change in that area.  However on a few rare occasions I thought some people were watching me a little too closely considering I was as naked as they were, and not bothering anyone. I would either burry my face further in my book or go for a swim to avoid that feeling.  Maybe they have had issues and are justified in having their guards way up, but if you want to grow the naturist movement, and further normalize nudity as natural, you have to find balance for everyone. Or maybe it was nothing and I read too much into the whole thing.

When visiting with Tara the social experience was very different. Families and couples alike would chat and engage as you would expect at any public park.  People, both male and female, seemed to like talking about their first naturist experiences with Tara and encourage her to keep at it.  Not something I had ever really experienced nor did I ever feel we were under any of the guarded observation I felt when alone.

The difference when visiting with my Ex was even more obvious. It didn’t hurt that she really enjoyed how natural it felt to be nude around others, she is very fit so she would draw some additional attention, from both men and women, at any beach or resort be it naturist or textile and she didn’t mind admitting she loved it. She is very outgoing and social and she would not wait for others to engage in conversation, she would start them. When we arrived at Ponderosa we sat alone at one end of the “conversation pool” but soon after it was like that was where the party was. 

Visiting with both Tara and my Ex, I found it easier to be social than when I was alone and a lot more fun if I am honest. I am not sure how a single woman would feel or be treated in a similar set of circumstances. Perhaps it would be different for another single man as well, so I do not judge, blame or criticize anyone here. It was just impossible to not notice the difference between the solo experience and the couple experience.

I think I have gone on long enough for today.  As always I am open to positive discussion and feedback, even if its constructive feedback.

Stay Naked people!

Will O’Canada @NudeInCanada on Twitter
Naturist Canada Map 

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 + Random Thoughts

I don’t exactly have a lot to write about once the colder weather sets in.  I do tend to post on Facebook and Seen Life more frequently where it is easier to post short posts like “Worked naked from home today”.  But I have a few items that I can group together that would not normally warrant individual posts dedicated to the subject.  I really do enjoy sharing my naturist experiences, hopefully it has some value to others to read them as well.

Naked With Friends

First, a little update on being nude with friends.  A little while back my friend Tara who accompanied me to the Nude beach at Port Burwell and who much to my surprise actually joined me in being nude (This was unexpected, check out the post here if you did not read it already).  After that day we didn’t get opportunities to try this again as we often see each other in mixed company with textiles or out in public places. Last month we planned to watch the hockey game at my place, she called to say she was on her way and I said “If you don’t mind, let yourself in so I needn’t bother putting clothes on”. Gladly she didn’t mind, and when she did arrive I greeted her with the customary hug which was surprisingly NOT awkward at all given that I was naked and she was clothed.
That changed for the better as soon after she asked if I would feel more comfortable if she also removed her clothes.  For the record, I had no issues with Tara remaining clothed, I even asked if she would be more comfortable if I put something on feeling her question may have implied I had crossed some line in her mind by not getting dressed before she arrived.  Fortunately this was not the case, she got undressed, and two platonic friends watched a hockey game, ate some pizza, drank a couple beers, and then she went home, all in a completely nonsexual nude environment.  We have since agreed when just the two of us at either of our homes, we will go sans clothes and take advantage of the accepting environment when we have it.  So now even a movie night or game night with my closest friend is a truly naked experience.

Single Naked Male
The second thing I want to cover is actually about another blog.  Specifically Felicity’s blog on the YNA website.  I am a big fan of her blog but this one I found really interesting as the topic was about being single and male in a naturist environment. Felicity is neither single nor male and yet she covered this topic incredibly well in my opinion.  It’s not always easy being the single guy at a naturist park.  Parents and single women all seem a little suspicious of single guy and I cannot entirely blame them.  I do think that is ultimately counterproductive to discriminate against allowing single men or even trying to maintain some kind of quota/balance at resorts but I understand the motive to keep a place as safe and comfortable for all as you possibly can.  From my personal perspective it would be amazing to meet a woman who is a naturist who could become a partner as it could be difficult to introduce a potential partner to the naturist world.  Although which would actually be more difficult is probably debatable.  Maybe one day if I am able to become more regular or even a member, but for now I will refrain from pursuing a more personal relationship when I visit Ponderosa or Bare Oaks so as to ensure I don’t make anyone uncomfortable, I’d feel horrible.  

Group Outings

I have yet to take part in any group swims organised by the GTA Skinny Dippers group, I was especially disappointed I could not attend their naked bowling event which sounded like great fun.  One pool they regularly use has an impressive water slide I want to try, I am such a kid at heart sometimes! There is an indoor volleyball tournament in London Ontario each January, the same week sadly I regularly attend an annual industry conference so won’t be able to attend this year either. I hear the Kitchener Museum does a nude art exhibit but cannot seem to find info on an upcoming event as I would take vacation time for that event.  If I find anything I will post it though.  

Social Nudia
And finally, Facebook has been a great asset for finding like minded naturists and expand my network as it were.  There are even specific groups committed to promoting naturism and dispelling the myths that it is just some sexual deviants running around with no clothes on.  But with the good comes the bad.  Daily I get requests from some person asking me to send them naked pictures, or to do a naked video chat.  Sorry but naturism is NOT about sex, I am not interested in showing off my naked self on the internet. I am not an exhibitionist (no judgement if you are though, you be you!), I just personally hate wearing clothes unless required.  I am also not an idiot and know that a fair to high percentage of those requests are actually from people who mean to do harm and either shame or blackmail poor souls who knew no better.  It would be nice if there were better social media platforms for naturists.  So far all the ones I have checked out are either nude dating sites or are borderline pornographic, no thanks.  For now I will stick with Facebook, Twitter (which is a little more relaxed) and I still have hope for Seen Life but with the number of right wing religious nutters who try to get me to support their racist church or attend a Donald Trump rally, I am losing hope for even this non censored site fast. 

If you know of an alternative please comment or message me, would love to hear it.


And as always, if you liked my blog or have feedback, I'd love to hear it!

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. 

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???!!!)

Tale of Two "Unofficial" Beaches

Used a weeks vacation last week to get out there and be a naturist in the world.  Another visit to Ponderosa Family Naturist Park north of Hamilton Ontario went amazing as always. Other than a few textile employees and the hiking trails being less than well marked, I can't speak highly enough about my experiences there. And without any of the gawkers like Hanlan's Point.  
However I was determined to look at some of the alternatives. As I have previously mentioned, I am not able to frequent Ponderosa as often as I'd like, so the cost of membership is not economical enough, and single say use of $50 each adds up quickly as well.  And while convenient and only a $15 ferry ride away from my office, Hanlan's is fine for weekdays, but crowded and uncomfortable on weekends.  So I did some reasearch and decided to give two "unofficial" nude/clothing optional beaches a try.

First I made the trip to Wasaga beach, where the Wasagabares have been unoffically

using the eastern beach in the Provincial Park as an unofficial clothing optional beach for many years and recently looked to have made some progress in getting the city to sanction the beach (even if only on a trial basis) only to have it overturned soon after.  Only about an hour and 30 minute drive away, and free to visit other than $5-$10 for parking, Wasaga was an ideal first choice, at least until I got there.  I walked the entire length of the beach, which is no small task, its the longest fresh water beach in the world, including as far east as I could go into the provincial park and saw no signs of the Wasagabares signs or people themselves.  Had I picked a bad day?  The beach was certainly crowded enough with textiles, so how was I the only naturist?  
When I did get the the eastern extent of the Provincial Park it was mostly empty with only a few people, I was able to find an isolated area where I considered being the one naturist there, but then I saw the sign "Public Nudity Prohibited" and my heart sank. Maybe I was not looking in the right place but after some further exploring to no avail, and an overpriced lunch along the main drag,  I called it a disappointing day.

Never one to give up easy, I headed for my next destination the very next day.  At over two hours drive away, Port Burwell Provincial Park  is far from the most convenient option. Add in a $14.50 entry fee and its no cheaper than Hanlan's Point either. However after following the tips seen online, I parked at lot #5, and walked all the way west along the shore for 15 minutes until I saw the Park Boundary Sign and a group of other naturists.  I was unable to contain myself and disrobed on the spot before walking another 5 minutes or so up the beach where I found a nice spot with some shade and set up shop.  There was maybe 20 other people there, mostly couples and single men like myself, scattered across a very large stretch of beach.  Turns out this area is "Private" land and the owner has no issues with Naturists making use of their land.

Port Burwell Provincial Park Beach,
taken looking away from the Naturist beach so as not to upset the naked people

While the beach is scattered with driftwood, and is not quite as nice as Wasaga beach.  It is still a beautiful place with plenty of space to explore.  By the time I had to make my way home the crowd had grown to about 100 people, some being social, some in their own world, all free to enjoy the world, it was wonderful.  So wonderful that as I walked back I was well into the Provincial Park boundary when a fellow naturist called out and reminded me I'd have to put some clothes on.  Their group all had a laugh at my expense as I begrudgingly put my shorts back on and headed home.

I'll likely be back again later in the summer, and if my plans to camp at Bare Oaks don't pan out this will be my second choice.  What a great day!

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.