Naturism is the enjoyment of life in harmony with nature through nudity (i.e.,
the "natural" state of being). The original concept of naturism suggested a
"communal" approach to nudity, but that is not always the form in which it is
practiced these days. Some people enjoy the freedom of being nude at home, some
sleep in the nude, and many will walk around the house and work at home in the
nude. Others may enjoy sunbathing or swimming nude in their own back yard, and
still others enjoy vacations at nudist resorts where everyone is naked almost
100% of the time.
One of the more enjoyable extensions of this lifestyle is the nude, or
clothing-optional beach (C/O = "clothing optional"). While these are very common
across Europe and other parts of the world, they are harder to find in the
United States.
Nude beaches are beaches where nudity is required. These are several of these in
Europe. All of the beaches (relevant to this discussion) in the U.S. and most
other beaches around the world are C/O beaches – you have the option of wearing
clothing or not, and can wear as much or as little as you wish. A similar
concept is that of the topless beach – beaches where female toplessness is
permitted, but everyone is required to keep their genitals covered.
 Why do people go to nude or C/O beaches?
In a word: Freedom. Once you've gone and laid out with the sun and ocean breeze
dancing across your naked body, you'll understand why it is such an incredible
experience. True, some people go to "watch" but the same is true for any beach.
The overwhelming majority are there to enjoy the freedom of being without
clothes and letting the body breathe.
One of the primary issues that inhibits most people from even considering gong
to such a place is body acceptance. Just about everyone has some insecurities
about their own bodies; no one has a perfect body, though. Being nude on a beach
is a means by which you can achieve greater body acceptance, however. Once you
get there, and see the tremendous variety of shapes, sizes and colors of people
there, you realize that your body is just one among the crowd and does not
attract any more attention than anyone else's does. You get comfortable being in
your birthday suit in the presence of other people. Being nude is an equalizing
experience, in fact.
Another issue has to do with the way in which the human body is seen in our
society. Many people are brought up to believe that the human body is either
dirty or is, in and of itself, a sexual body that must be covered as much as
possible. There seems to be an insistence on the connection of nudity and sex –
largely because the only thing most people do in the nude besides bathing is
have sex (though, of course, you can have sex with clothes on). Many people
realize that nudity does not equal sex, however. Europe has been enjoying nude
beaches for decades, largely because they don't have the same hangups about the
body that we do here.
Your First Time
When you make the decision to go to a C/O beach for the first time, you may be
tentative or hesitant, and this is perfectly understandable. Here are some tip
to make your nude beach loss of virginity less inhibitive:
1. There will be a lot of people there. C/O beaches are very popular because
there are so few of them. You'll literally see people of all ages on the beach,
including children. Families bring their children with them, and it is perfectly
legal for them to be present on the beaches.
2. Until you get on the beach, you'll be expected to wear normal swimming attire
at a minimum. Once you get on the beach, you can take as much or as little off
as you wish.
3. If you're hesitant about shedding everything right off the bat, set up your
stuff and leave you swim suit on for a while. Watch what is going on and how the
people are behaving and interacting. You'll notice that they aren't paying any
more attention to you than anything else. Once you get used to the idea that
you're not the center of attention and you feel more comfortable, take some more
off. If you're a female, begin by removing your top. As you warm up to the idea,
you can take everything off if you like.
4. Once on the beach, you can do any and all activities nude. This includes
walking up and down the beach, playing volleyball, swimming in the ocean, etc.
If they have bathrooms and snack stands inside the C/O zone, then you can also
go to those locations sans clothing. In most cases, these will be outside the
C/O area, however, so you'll need to put at least a swimsuit on.
5. As sad as it is to say, there are pervy people on C/O beaches, just as there
are on clothed beaches. If you are harassed by such people, report it the
lifeguards or police. C/O beaches normally have towers and police patrols just
like the clothed beaches do. If you can, set up fairly close to a lifeguard
tower if it will make you feel better. This is recommended if you are a single
girl laying out by yourself – just as a safety precaution.
6. If you're a guy, you're going to be concerned with the inevitable erection.
Just about every guy will get an erection the first time he sheds off the
clothing at a beach. This is the result of the heightened sensuality of what
you're experiencing. The best way to deal with this is to lie on your stomach
until your erection goes away – which it will after a bit of time.
7. The sun will be hitting parts of your body that have *never* seen the sun
(unless you've been nude in a tanning bed), and they will sunburn very easily.
Use sunscreen liberally. It is nice if you have a partner that can apply
sunscreen to your hard-to-reach spots.
Beach Etiquette
There are certain rules and obligations you must observe if you visit a nude or
C/O beach.
1. Most places require clothing when not on the C/O portion of the beach. Going
outside the C/O areas with anything less than a swimsuit on may result in your
being arrested or ticketed.
2. Staring is in poor taste. Respect others' privacy. It is normal to look, but
staring is rude and disrespectful.
3. Sexual activity and lewd behavior is illegal. Most C/O beaches have their own
set of "regulars" that serve as citizen patrols to keep this kind of activity in
check. The local lifeguards and police also patrol these beaches.
4. If you bust out a camera, expect to be confronted, esp. if you appear to be
photographing people without permission.
 Where are the Beaches?
There are several C/O beaches in the United States. In some cases, they are
recognized as legitimate, sanctioned C/O beaches; in others, nude sunbathing is
simply tolerated and so long as you don't do anything to attract attention to
yourself.
Generally speaking, there is prohibition against nudity on federal lands, but
many federal agents enforce state or local laws against nudity. Many states and
local governments have laws against even simple nudity, whereas others require
some form of aberrant behavior before the police can file a charge. It is always
a good idea to check ahead if you want to explore the options in these areas. A
summary of state laws regarding nudity in public can be found
HERE
Some of the more popular beaches in the U. S. include:
Haulover Beach,
Miami, FL
Apollo Beach & Playalinda Beach, Canaveral Nat'l Seashore, FL
Gunnison Beach, Golden Gate Nat'l Rec. Area, NJ
South Padre Island, TX
Hippy Hollow, Austin, TX (No one under 18 allowed)
Black's
Beach, La Jolla, CA
Indian Head Beach, Monterey, CA
Mazomanie Beach, Sauk City, WI
Red Sand Beach, Maui, HI
Several beaches in the Chesapeake Bay, MD, area
Rooster Rock State Park, near Portland, OR
Wreck
Beach, Vancouver, BC
Note that South Beach in Miami (and indeed, all beaches in Miami-Dade County,
except Haulover) is a topless beach, not a C/O beach.
Summary
Being on the beach without a stitch on is both a sensual and liberating
experience. With numerous activities going on in a public atmosphere, only the
lack of clothing differentiates C/O beaches from any other beach. The same rules
apply (be safe, respectful and have fun), people go for the same reasons (to
relax and enjoy the sunlight), and lifeguards are still around. When you enter a
C/O beach, the important thing is to focus on having a good time instead of your
body.
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