- I've heard it called nudism and I've heard it called naturism. Is there a difference?
Yes and no. Both terms refer to being naked. Personally, I use them interchangeably. According to some, naturists are people who enjoy being naked in a natural setting such as a park or a beach. Nudists, on the other hand, enjoy being naked in a setting such as a nudist resort or at home.
- So, what's so great about being nude?
This is hard to describe. It's different for everyone. For me, the great thing about being nude is the freedom from binding clothes. It is also being able to take people at face value without prejudging them by what they are wearing.
- Isn't it illegal to be nude on public lands?
No and yes. There is no federal law regarding nudity on federal lands (though some managers of public lands may prohibit it). Rangers at national parks, forests, and other lands may cite people if complaints are received.
State, county, and other jurisdictions have different laws. A quite FAQ on the law regarding nudity in California is available at the San Francisco Bay Area Naturists Resources section of the Bay Area Naturists. For other areas, I suggest using google.com (or another search engine) and entering the name of the location plus the words "nude," "nudity," and "law."
- All those naked bodies at the beach. Are you going to tell me that this isn't a great turn on?
In all honesty, no. Based on my own experiences, I think textile (i.e. clothing required) beaches are more erotic than nude beaches. At the former, women and men are wearing clothing that emphasizes parts of their bodies while deemphasizing other parts. At nude beaches, you see the whole person, warts and all.
- I'm a woman who doesn't have great measurements. My body is nothing to look at. I don't feel comfortable about getting naked in front of others, especially those women with great bodies.
Please see the following pages: "to the wives" and "Nudism - a woman's point of view". These articles and others may also be accessed from the Women in Naturism section of Net Nude.
- I've got more questions. Where do I get answers?
A couple of good resources are the American Association for Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society. You can also e-mail me. I'll try to answer your question and may also post it here (anonymously, of course).
My first public nude experience occurred when I was living in Hawaii. I'd heard of a nude resort on the beach on the north shore of Oahu. I had seen an classified ad for them in the newspaper and wrote for their brochure. They had some land that fronted the beach. I couldn't afford the admission price (I was about 20 at the time and not working at a great job). Realizing that all beaches in Hawaii below the high tide line are public beaches, I decided to walk to the resort. The walk started out nice along sandy beaches but then turned into lava rock. It soon returned to sand. The walk from the Turtle Bay Hotel (where I started) to the beach was about an hour.
When I got to the beach, I looked around. The resort itself was not much more than the beach and a shower. One of the few people I saw there was a very pregnant woman. I remember thinking that this was the first time I'd ever seen a pregnant woman that far along who actually looked comfortable.
I removed my clothes and dived into the warm Pacific waters. It was the first time I'd gone swimming nude. The feeling was fantastic! I swam for a few minutes then sat on the beach. I was hooked.
I didn't go to another resort until I moved to California about 12 years later. I went to Rawhide Ranch (now called Laguna del Sol). I was given the tour then set free to enjoy my time there.
One experience I'll never forget is when I was able to hike nude at Pinnacles National Monument in California. I'd gone there on a weekday. The monument is never really crowded and is even less crowded on weekdays. I decided to hike along one of the trails that leads to the highest point in the monument. After hiking for about 15-20 minutes, I removed my shorts and shirt, keeping the shorts handy "just in case." It was a fantastic feeling. I didn't meet anyone along the trail going up. When I got to the top, I was able to enjoy a few minutes of naked solitude until the ranger came up.
My latest step in my nudist lifestyle is joining a landed club. The Sequoians is a great nudist camp. Even though it's in the middle of the San Francisco metropolitan area, it feels like it's a thousand miles away from civilization.