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Cypress Cove Nakations Bring in Europeans
Published July 22, 2008, 9:32 pm in USAnudist.com Tags:

International crowd boosts ‘nakations’ to Orlando area

Eloisa Ruano Gonzalez |Sentinel Staff Writer

July 22, 2008

“It’s easy packing. You don’t need a suitcase,” said Harrie Canhout, 44, from the Netherlands.

Canhout, his wife and three children, ages 18, 13 and 11, are on a three-week nudist vacation at Cypress Cove on Pleasant Hill Road. It’s the Canhouts’ second trip there after learning about it online a few years ago.

The family-owned nudist resort has increased its advertising in travel and naturist magazines and Web sites. Owner Barbara Hadley, 54, said she’s trying to lure more overseas visitors as the U.S. economy slows down and vacations become more expensive.

With the strong money exchange rate, more Australians, English and Germans are heading to the resort, which is about 10 miles south of Kissimmee. Although many visitors come to Central Florida for the theme parks, Hadley said they spend most of their time at the resort sunbathing, jet-skiing and playing tennis — wearing only sneakers.

About 700 visitors drop by in the winter and about 500 in the summer, Hadley said. On the weekends, the numbers spike to 1,000, as more local residents stop in for the day.

While she couldn’t provide an exact number, resort spokeswoman Debra Peterson said room reservations from international tourists increased 13 percent in the past year. Of those, 46 percent were from England and six percent from Germany.

Hadley said her lakeside beach is much like clothing-optional beaches in Europe, where “they have such a relaxed attitude toward topless and naturists.”

Thousands of nudists worldwide flock to hundreds of clothing-optional beaches and resorts in countries such as Argentina and Israel, according to the International Naturist Federation.

The American Association for Nude Recreation has more than 46,000 nudists and 267 resorts and clubs in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean, said spokeswoman Carolyn Hawkins, who’s based in Kissimmee.

Attracting overseas tourists With the sluggish U.S. economy, Cypress Cove is trying to lure more overseas tourists. Reservations from international tourists have increased:

13% in the past year

46% are from England

6% are from Germany

Eloisa Ruano Gonzalez can be reached at egonzalez@orlandosentinel.com or 407-931-5940.

Things to do Naked in New York
Published July 22, 2008, 8:57 am in USAnudist.com Tags:

Monday an article, appearing in the New York Post, about things to do nude in New York made the talk shows.  On Regis and Kelly, guest host Bryant Gumble and Kelly Rippa discussed the article and then went on a side conversation about visiting nude beaches.

Later in the day the story appeared on the United Press International website, so I’m sure it will be making the rounds this week.

Unfortunately, there was no mention of the local nudist clubs and no mention was made of the nude beaches at Fire Island and Sandy Hook.

Here’s the original article

THE NAKED CITY By ADAM NICHOLS

July 21, 2008 –Welcome to Nude York City.

Some folks are stripping down to escape the scorching summer temperatures - but others aren’t waiting ’til they hit the area’s clothing-optional beaches.

The au naturel look is catching on at city restaurants, a Midtown yoga club and even a stand-up comedy joint.

“We’re just more comfortable nude,” said John Ordover, who rents city eateries for dinner parties with a strict dress code - no clothes allowed.

Vote: Would you do Yoga in the buff?

“We’re not out to shock or put on a public spectacle. We want only to do things that other people do in the way that we are most comfortable doing them. That, for us, is without clothes,” he said.

About 50 diners - whose motto is “no hot soup” - regularly turn up for Ordover’s monthly meals held at venues including the Mercantile Grill on Pearl Street and Pete’s Downtown in Brooklyn.

They’re served by regular restaurant staff - forced by city laws to keep their clothes on.

“We’ve never had a restaurant say no to us, and the waiters think nothing of it,” said Ordover, 46, who works as a Web marketer when he has his clothes on.

“If you work in a restaurant in New York City, the chances are you’ve seen a lot more shocking things than a room full of naked diners,” he added.

At a Midtown studio called the Phoenix Temple, twice-weekly yoga classes also are really encouraging participants to expose their inner selves.

“I had such a transformative experience on my own when I did yoga naked rather than clothed,” said Naked Yoga NYC teacher Isis Phoenix. “I wanted to share that.”

The classes have about 10 devotees who have to obey two rules - leave your clothes behind, and bring your own mat.

“We are reclaiming and celebrating our bodies,” said Phoenix, who starts each class with a disrobing ceremony.

“The first 10 minutes of class for anyone who is new, there’s always a sense of trepidation,” said Phoenix. “It dissolves very quickly.”

And at a Gotham comedy club, the sniggering isn’t caused just by the punch lines.

“The first time I tried comedy naked, it was the best thing ever,” said Andy Ofiesh, founder of the Naked Comedy Showcase, whose stable of stark-naked funnymen and women perform once a month at the People’s Improv Theater in Chelsea.

“It gives you a kind of vulnerability that puts the audience on your side straight away.”

That audience could also be in the same vulnerable state. Half the auditorium is reserved for people who enjoy laughing in the nude.

New Yorkers strip down for a night out

Court Rejects FCC Fine for Janet Jackson’s Exposed Breast
Published July 21, 2008, 8:03 am in USAnudist.com Tags:

At the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, as Justin Timberlake sang “Rock Your Body” onstage with Janet Jackson and reached the last few lines of the song — “Let’s do something, let’s make a bet, ’cause I gotta have you naked by the end of this song” — he reached across her body and pulled off part of her bustier, exposing most of her right breast:

The response was immediate… While a few expressed outrage, the majority were rewinding their tapes and TiVo’s to see it over and over.  Within hours, the internet was filled with close-ups of Jackson’s breast and nipple shield she was wearing.  Sales of nipple shields skyrocketed.  This was not the outrageous event that the detractors wanted to make it out to be.

However, the Federal Communications Commission decided to take the “family values” route, even though previously, it was required that something much more outrageous was required to warrant such a fine.  The police drama, “NYPD Blue” often showed completely nude actors, tastefully depicted, with no major fines.  In this case, the FCC bowed under the minority pressure and fined CBS $550,000.00.

This Federal Appeals ruling rejecting the FCC fine against CBS is a sign that not all beauracuries are in the pocket of the vocal minority.  While it’s not a major victory for nudism and naturism, it is a glimmer of hope that the repressed attitudes of the USA are on their way to becoming more in line with the rest of the world.

Court tosses FCC ‘wardrobe malfunction’ fine

By JOANN LOVIGLIO, Associated Press Writer PHILADELPHIA -

A federal appeals court on Monday threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp. for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson’s breast-baring “wardrobe malfunction.”

The three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal Communications Commission “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” in issuing the fine for the fleeting image of nudity.

The 90 million people watching the Super Bowl, many of them children, heard Justin Timberlake sing, “Gonna have you naked by the end of this song,” as he reached for Jackson’s bustier.

The court found that the FCC deviated from its nearly 30-year practice of fining indecent broadcast programming only when it was so “pervasive as to amount to ’shock treatment’ for the audience.”

“Like any agency, the FCC may change its policies without judicial second-guessing,” the court said. “But it cannot change a well-established course of action without supplying notice of and a reasoned explanation for its policy departure.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal appeals court on Monday threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp. for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson’s breast-baring “wardrobe malfunction.”

The three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal Communications Commission “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” in issuing the fine for the fleeting image of nudity.

The 90 million people watching the Super Bowl, many of them children, heard Justin Timberlake sing, “Gonna have you naked by the end of this song,” as he reached for Jackson’s bustier.

The court found that the FCC deviated from its nearly 30-year practice of fining indecent broadcast programming only when it was so “pervasive as to amount to ’shock treatment’ for the audience.”

“Like any agency, the FCC may change its policies without judicial second-guessing,” the court said. “But it cannot change a well-established course of action without supplying notice of and a reasoned explanation for its policy departure.”

Ask a Puppet About Nudism
Published July 20, 2008, 10:53 pm in USAnudist.com Tags:

With all the hype about the aging of nudism, here’s a treat for the young and young at heart.

Ask a Puppet - part 3 - Ralph promotes nudism
Ralph the puppet fields yet another question about his fabulous fur and why people have this bizarre urge to cover their bodies.

World Bodypainting Festival 2008
Published July 13, 2008, 8:00 am in Nudist and Naturism Diary - News, travel & photos Tags:
A reminder in case you did not know or forgot, that the World Bodypainting Festival 2008 starts on July 14th and rund through to July 20th 2008 and takes place in Seeboden, in Sweden.

The World Bodypainting Festival is now well-established and is now quite a large event with attendees from many countries worldwide. You can find out more about the festival via http://www.bodypainting-festival.com/

Naturists Maze Night 2008
Published July 13, 2008, 7:20 am in Nudist and Naturism Diary - News, travel & photos Tags:
Following the success of the 2007 Naturists and nude Maze night in York, England, the 2008 maze night will be held on 26th July 2008. Held jointly with British Naturism, this is a fun event and one which again is expected to be well attended.

NAC Update - San Onofre CA
Published July 10, 2008, 3:46 pm in USAnudist.com Tags:

************************************************************************
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
UPDATE
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org <http://www.naturistaction.org/>
***********************************************************************
Copyright  2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content.  Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this  message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without  alteration.

DATE   : July 9, 2008
SUBJECT: NAC files San Onofre  lawsuit
TO     : Naturists and other concerned citizens

Dear  Naturist,

This is an Update from NAC.

On Wednesday, July 9, 2008,  the Naturist Action Committee filed a lawsuit against the California Department  of Parks and Recreation (DPR), as a direct result of the Department’s recent  attempt to put an abrupt end to traditional clothing-optional use at San Onofre  State Beach in San Diego County.  Judge Sheila Fell of the California Superior Court for Orange County has set a hearing on the matter for late August.

NAC’s legal request is a “petition for a writ of alternative  mandamus.”
The action seeks relief for clothing-optional beach users who are threatened with citation and prosecution as a result of a precipitous change to  public policy by DPR. The Department was represented in court by the California  Attorney General’s office.

Director Ruth Coleman of CA Parks has revoked  the Department’s long-standing Cahill Policy, as it is applied to San Onofre  State Beach. That policy allows for the management of clothing-optional areas within state parks and has been in force statewide since 1979. According to  records obtained by NAC under California’s Public Records Act, CA Parks has  plans in place to issue citations to those who are merely nude in the  traditional clothing-optional area at San Onofre State Beach.

Represented  by attorney Elva Kopacz, the Naturist Action Committee maintains that in  abrogating the Cahill Policy, the Department of Parks and Recreation has  violated the state’s Administrative Procedures Act.
The APA requires state  agencies to go through prescribed procedures, including public hearings, before  making changes to regulations or public policies that have the force of  regulations. The DPR did none of those things and claims to be immune from the  requirement.

Based on assurances in court from the Attorney General’s  representative that no enforcement of the new anti-nudity posture would be made  at San Onofre until after Labor Day, Judge Fell declined to rule immediately on the matter and set an August hearing date.

Joining NAC as petitioners are  Friends of San Onofre Beach (the local naturist group), as well as individual  beach users Allen Baylis and Gerda Hayes.

A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE  SITUATION

Details of this situation and specifics of the Cahill Policy  and associated documents may be found in the NAC Action Alert of May 21, 2008,  and in the NAC Update of June 1, 2008. You will find those on NAC’s Web page: www.naturistaction.org <http://www.naturistaction.org/> Look under  “ALERTS.”

NAC THANKS YOU FOR WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING!!

In its NAC  Action Alert of May 21, the Naturist Action Committee asked for your specific  action in sending correspondence to CA Parks Director Ruth Coleman, opposing the  revocation of the Cahill Policy at San Onofre. NAC thanks you for your  outstanding response, which has been impressive in terms of both quality and  quantity.

WHAT HAS NAC BEEN DOING SINCE THE PREVIOUS UPDATE?

Since  the previous NAC Update, the Naturist Action Committee has continued its  vigorous effort to preserve the clothing-optional use of a portion of San Onofre  State Beach.

1) NAC has made additional Public Records requests  for
documents pertaining to this situation and the  administrative
action surrounding it.

2) Through its lobbyist,  Pete Price, NAC secured an appointment
with DPR Director Ruth Coleman.  In Sacramento on July 2,
NAC Board Member Allen Baylis and NAC  Executive Director
Bob Morton had a face-to-face meeting with Director  Coleman
and her top advisors. The meeting lasted for more than  an
hour and covered a great deal of ground. In the end,  however,
Coleman and her staff refused to hold public hearings,  as
required by law.

3)  NAC filed its lawsuit on July 9,  2008.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

DPR rangers are still supposed to be  “educating” beachgoers to the threatened anti-nudity policy at San  Onofre.

The Naturist Action Committee is preparing further for the court  date in late August.

WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?

This is a  NAC Update. No additional letters to Director Coleman are being sought at this  time. However, NAC does request that you:

1) Stay informed. NAC will  continue to issue Action Alerts,
Advisories and Updates on this issue  as circumstances require.
Look for them.

2) Keep going to the  beach at San Onofre, and keep using it in the
traditional  clothing-optional manner. CA Parks is attempting
to intimidate  beachgoers into simply evaporating. We must NOT
allow that to  happen!

3) If you are approached by a ranger on the beach or in  the
parking area at San Onofre, make a detailed note of the encounter,
including the date, the time, the ranger’s name and what was said.
E-mail your account  to: sanonofre@naturistaction.org <mailto:sanonofre@naturistaction.org>

Do  not be combative or confrontational, but you may make it quite clear that you  are taking notes.

MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Additional  information and links are available, along with this NAC Update on the web site  of the Naturist Action Committee.

http://www.naturistaction.org <http://www.naturistaction.org/>

Select  “Alerts” and find this NAC Update under Current Updates.

PLEASE HELP  NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!

NAC is committed to the defense of  traditional clothing-optional use of public land. NAC does not hesitate to hire  lawyers and lobbyists when it’s necessary, but that can be very expensive. NAC  does not have a membership roster on which it can simply assess dues. NAC relies entirely on the voluntary support of people like YOU.

Won’t you please  send a generous donation to:

NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI  54903*

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 (8AM-5PM weekdays) to donate by  phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/
<http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/>

Thank  you for choosing to make a difference.

Naturally,

Allen  Baylis
Board Member
Naturist Action  Committee

—————————————————————
Naturist  Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob  Morton       - execdir@naturistaction.org
<mailto:execdir@naturistaction.org>
Board Member Allen Baylis       - rab@baylislaw.com
<mailto:rab@baylislaw.com>
Online Rep. Dennis  Kirkpatrick  - naturist@sunclad.com <mailto:naturist@sunclad.com>
—————————————————————

Nude Beaches becoming a Holiday Tradition
Published July 4, 2008, 5:04 am in USAnudist.com Tags:

Traditionally, Independence Day has been a beach-centric holiday. People who rarely go to the beach often end up spending the 4th slathering on SPF-30 and baking in the sun until they’re the color of a well-boiled lobster.For the nudist the availability of suitable beaches is very limited. The coastline of the United States is 12,380 miles and of that, less that 25 miles is dedicated to nude use. Fortunately, there are several well known nude beaches on both East and West coasts. The unfortunate part is that many of these nude beaches exist because they are so difficult to get to that only someone very dedicated is willing to make the effort.

This seems especially true for the California beaches. While California has more legal nude beaches than any other state, their use is restricted because of long hikes or difficult climbs are required to reach them. Black’s Beach, near San Diego, is at the base of cliffs with limited difficult trails to decend. While close to population areas, with public transportation easily accessible, the difficulty of the climb limits access to many.

Wreck Beach, near Vancouver, Canada is another nude beach near a major population center. 7.8 Km of beach at the base of a 200 foot-high cliff is Canada’s largest, legal, clothing-optional beach and is a Mecca to visitors from around the world! with over 500,000 annual visitors. Adjoining the University of British Columbia campus, Wreck Beach is easily reached from Vancouver.

On the east coast, access is much easier due to the flat coastline. Haulover Beach, near Miami, is easily reached by car via Collins Avenue, the main highway on Miami Beach. Multiple parking lots are available within the park, which is run by Dade County. Handicapped parking is available with paved trails to the boardwalk and sand chairs available for loan at the lifeguard station. The park is near many hotels, restaurants, and amenities. Due too the ease of access and year-round good climate, Haulover is one of the busiest nude beaches in the world, with 5,000 - 7,000 daily visitors.

In the New York Metropolitan area there are nude beaches on Long Island, at Fire Island National Seashore. Near Robert Moses Park, Lighthouse Beach, traditionally clothing optional. While easy enough to get to the general area, it could require a walk of as much as a mile to get to the beach.

Sandy Hook, New Jersey offers a nude beach in view of the Manhattan skyline. Gunnison Beach, a part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, is one of the busy beaches. With it’s close proximity to New York City, the only thing restricting it are lack of adequate parking and easy road access. To counter this, a company in Manhattan is now running a regular ferry service directly from Manhattan to Gunnison Beach. Ironically, the name of the ferry is SeaStreak.

Sandy Hook Journal - Ferrying From Manhattan to Bare It All on the Beach
NYTimes.com
Monday, June 30, 2008 Sandy Hook Journal Ferrying From Manhattan to Bare It
All on the Beach By RALPH BLUMENTHAL Published: June 30, 2008 SANDY HOOK,
N.J. ‹ In honor of Nude Recreation Week, traditionally celebrated after July 4,
join us on the Wall Street ferry SeaStreak as it makes its twice-daily run to
Gunnison Beach, the busiest clothing-optional recreation area in the nation, devotees
say. Aboard on a Wednesday are Kassity Hu, 29, and Rochelle Rosen, 40, Internet
marketing colleagues who no sooner found out on the Web about a nudist haven within
sight of the Manhattan skyline and maintained by the National Park Service than
they were game to try it. For someone in the fashion trade, Todd Thomas, 46, another
day-tripper, has found a particularly liberating way to play hooky. Add Mike from
Britain, a bond trader, and his American companion, Monica, in the hotel business
‹ no last names please ‹ who find the timing fortuitous. “June 2,” said Mike,
“was a perfect time to be laid off.” Kelly O’Brien, a nurse, has worked all night
and is ready for a nap on the beach, but at an adjacent one in what the park service
calls a “clothed area.” “I’m kind of conservative,” said Ms. O’Brien, 22. “I like
clothing.” Molly Rodriguez, 69, a retired real estate payroll manager, on the
other hand, is not beachbound at all but on her way to Atlantic Highlands to house-sit
for her daughter and son-in-law who are sailing their boat up to Connecticut.
In any case, she would not be found anywhere near a nudist beach, she said, adding,
“I can look at myself and get hysterical.” Long one of the New York area’s best-kept
secrets, Gunnison Beach, on the upper end of this barbed peninsula jutting into
the harbor at the northern tip of the Jersey Shore, has been a favorite of naturists,
locals say, since Army troops at Sandy Hook’s historic Fort Hancock, and perhaps
the redcoats before them, discovered the joys of skinny-dipping far from prying
eyes. It opened to the public as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area
in 1975 but remained largely a zealously protected local attraction until 2003,
when the SeaStreak ferries began catamaran service as quick as 45 minutes from
the East River at Wall Street and East 35th Street. (The company’s name, by the
way, predated the beach run.) Round-trip tickets cost $43, and the trips are becoming
so popular that weekend boats carrying up to 400 sometimes “max out,” and a later
weekday homebound departure has just been added, said Heather Irvin, a SeaStreak
spokeswoman. The half-mile beach regularly attracts 5,000 sunbathers on a weekend,
making it the most populous nude beach in the country, according to Friends of
Gunnison, a group that self-polices the beach and runs charity events. A yellow
school bus providing free shuttle service is waiting at the ferry dock for the
three-minute ride to the beach. Some of the day’s passengers disperse to “clothed
areas” all along Sandy Hook. But Ms. Hu and Ms. Rosen, Mr. Thomas, Mike and Monica
and others head for Gunnison, trudging past cautionary signs. “Warning: Nude Bathers
May Be Present on the Beach.” And farther on, “Beyond This Point You Will Encounter
Nude Sunbathers.” Ms. Rosen and Ms. Hu do not scare easily. They pick a spot near
the water and set down their blankets, demurely removing their tops but not, or
not right away, their bottoms. Others also choose varying degrees of modesty.
Nina Calvin, 40, a leasing and sales coordinator, strolls the beach topless with
her companion, Larry Garbowski, 61, who is wearing a skimpy bathing suit. “I won’t
take it off,” Mr. Garbowski, a machine technician, said stubbornly, “because she
wants me to.” Karen Czaplinski, 56, a former teacher, and now a waitress and manufacturer
of fishing lures, is lolling by the curling tide, in a bathing suit, next to her
equally clothed and cringing friend, Kat, a postal worker who said her first name
was enough. “My husband would kill me,” Kat said, mumbling, “First time ever in
a nude beach and The New York Times comes.” To hear her tell it, they somehow
did not realize it was a nudist beach when they arrived, but once they found out
did not rush off either. “It’s like eye candy, I guess,” Kat said, making the
best of it. Sharon Caruso, 48, a flight attendant for a corporate fleet, is stretched
out in a chair just topless for now. “The only thing better than sitting here
with nothing on,” she said, “is going into the water with nothing on.” Nearby
lies her friend Phil, 44, a salesman who gave his last name and then thought better
of it, doing the “full Monty” and baked brown as a chestnut. Hasn’t he ever heard
about sun damage? Phil is practically insulted, countering, “Haven’t you ever
heard about vitamin D deficiency?” No doubt, the dominant state of dress is undress,
and one of the problems, it can be reported, is where to focus the eyes. The distant
spire of the Empire State Building is a good bet, along with the rolling waves.
But try ignoring a naked horseshoe match.

Gawking is gauche, and overt sexual behavior clearly illegal, Friends of Gunnison advises. Vigilante justice for miscreants is not unknown here in the land of the Sopranos, although the group counsels restraint when beach etiquette is violated: “Do not try to take matters into your own hands.”

Down the beach, a portly fisherman wearing just a sun hat casts into the surf for blues and stripers. He is not thrilled with the news coverage. “The press built it up as a nude beach, and every pervert in the world thinks this is the place to be,” he said. But the rise in gas prices has brought at least one blessing, he and others said: fewer power boaters flitting close to shore with long camera lenses and binoculars.

Nicole Herbert, 40, a veterinary nurse, strolled the beach in only her abundant tattoos, concerned, she confessed, that sun exposure could fade them while glorying in her freedom. “When,” she asked, “are we going to get respectful of our nudity?”

The yellow school bus comes promptly at 2:20 p.m. to collect beachgoers for the ferry, but Ms. Hu and Ms. Rosen are missing. They have called for a cab, it turns out, to stay later and take a boat back from Atlantic Highlands.

On the SeaStreak, Mr. Thomas lies on deck, shirtless, catching a few last rays. Near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the crew reminds him to put his shirt back on. New York is a clothed area.

Upcoming Naturist Society Events You'll Want to Attend
Published June 29, 2008, 11:16 am in Nudist / Naturist Travel Guide Blog Tags:
It's almost July.  What are you doing to get naked for the rest of the year? Looking for ideas?  Here are some upcoming Naturist Society events that are sure to be a good time.   These festivals...

[View blog to read more]


Demand for nudist housing creates new sales pitch
Published June 18, 2008, 3:12 pm in USAnudist.com Tags:

The large concentration of nudists in Pasco County may be having an effect on the housing market in nearby Tampa. The massive growth in demand for nudist housing in the area has spilled over the county line.

Real Estate experts say the nudist housing market is stronger than ever and the demand far outstrips the supply of available clohing optional housing areas. Here is the full article on the new sales gimmick as reported in the Tampa Tribune.

Condo Company Plans Clothing-Optional Pool

By KEITH MORELLI
The Tampa Tribune
Published: June 18, 2008

TOWN ‘N COUNTRY - Swimmers will have the option of wearing nothing at all at the Arbors at Branch Creek, a complex of 390 homes that landed on the idea to help move units in a down market.

One pool is being set aside for nude swimmers, sunbathers and hot-tub users, said Christine Pirkle, director of sales with Eden condominiums, the project’s developer.

It will be several months before the nudity rules are put in place, Pirkle said. Landscaping is needed to keep out prying eyes, for one thing, plus condo owners must approve. But there are few owners among all the renters; developers hold a number of units.

Eden purchased the property three years ago with a condo conversion plan in mind. It encompasses 76 acres, half of it undisturbed wetlands, on West Hillsborough Avenue between Race Track and Sheldon roads.

Then, said Pirkle, “The market went in the toilet and nothing was selling.”

Eden came up with a new strategy, “to set us apart from the thousands of other condos out there,” she said. “We have two fabulous swimming pools here. We are taking one of them, building cabanas and lush landscapes, and completely privatizing it and it will be clothing optional.”

A legal search revealed that Eden has the right to make the change, Pirkle said, as long as no one in the pool strolls out naked into the parking lot.

“We do have public nudity laws that we have to comply with,” she said. “We will make sure our people don’t violate that. If somebody tries that, we will be the first ones to call the cops.”

No one younger than 18 will be allowed in the pool area, she said.

Rumors spread that the whole complex was going clothing optional, sparked by a provocative posting under Lifestyle in the developer’s online promotional material:

“You’re going to be very comfortable with our dress code,” it says. “Our residents are welcome to shed more than their inhibitions as they enter the gates of Eden. Because when our residents come home after a busy day in the working world, they want to completely unburden themselves, shed the trappings of the outside world … and be totally free.”

That’s not true, Pirkle said, and the language is being tweaked.

Some residents of the complex were unaware of the plans.

“I think that’s something they should probably … let us know,” said Justin Gralnick.

Resident Leslie Hill agreed.

“Every morning, this is where the school bus picks up 10 or 15 kids,” she said. “They are going to have a European-style, clothing optional pool. No, that’s not appropriate for the family lifestyle that lives here.”

Hill will be moving.

David Reese, president of the Countryway Homeowners Association, which represents residents of the nearest subdivision, also was unaware of the plans.

“My personal position,” Reese said, “is that there are some things people do on their property they should be allowed to do and we should not really infringe on it.”

That view would change if property values fall or crime rises.

“I don’t know if this will lower property values here,” he said, “and it’s not like a business that brings in crime. I don’t know if we really have a right to tell them what they can do on their own property.”

WFLA News Channel 8 reporter Jeff Patterson contributed to this report. Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

Nudity in Washington, DC Frightens Texas GOP Delegate
Published June 16, 2008, 12:09 am in USAnudist.com Tags:

Our nation’s Capitol is filled with nude artwork, and that makes a Texas Delegate fear for the safety of our children. He feels nude art is indirectly leading to the “decline of morals” in our country and has no place in the Capitol.

These people call themselves “Conservatives”, and say their goal is to keep the Government and Constitution the way the founding fathers created it. It seems to me that we have had a long-time tradition of skinny-dipping and nudity, all the way back to those same men, declining only with the laws created by these “conservatives”.

Here’s the source from the Washington Post
.
A Chafed Texan in the Naked City

By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Monday, June 16, 2008

Washington is a town filled with boobs.

They’re everywhere, from the bare-breasted ladies who decorate the fountain at Dupont Circle to the peekaboo statue in the Justice Department’s Great Hall to the countless nudes in our museums. But while those of us who live here hardly blink at the public nudity, it can shock some of our visitors. Such was the case for Robert Hurt, who last week tried to add the issue of artistic indecency in the nation’s capital to the platform of the Texas GOP.

“You don’t have nude art on your front porch,” the Dallas Morning News quoted the delegate as telling the platform committee at the state party convention. “So why is it important to have that in the common places of Washington, D.C.?”

Hurt, 54, a Kerrville, Tex., rancher and father of 14, told us in a phone interview he first came to Washington a decade ago for a gathering of the evangelical Promise Keepers on the Mall. “It was probably not much different than ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ going to Beverly Hills,” he joked. At the National Gallery, he was appalled to see statues of unclothed people. “I found it very inappropriate,” he said. Returning a few years later, he discovered Arlington Memorial Bridge, flanked by the bare-chested figures of Valor and Sacrifice.

“The Lady Godiva thing — that’s what it conjured up, and that’s not what our country’s about,” he said.

Hurt notified his elected officials of his concerns but believes nothing was done. While he said he respects free speech, “I believe art affects a country indirectly. I have been studying the decline of morals in this country. It’s sending the wrong message to children that nudity is fine, that nakedness is fine. . . . There are degrees of vulgarity, and it opens up the door for the other stuff.”

The platform committee did not adopt Hurt’s recommendation on Washington nudity (nor his proposal to extend the 22nd Amendment — presidential term limits — to spouses). But Hurt said he’ll pursue the issue, possibly with another trip here to videotape the evidence. “I’m not going to stop until I succeed. I’m prepared for a long fight.”

New Threat to Naturism in Vermont
Published June 15, 2008, 10:32 am in USAnudist.com Tags:

After last year’s actions in Battleboro, where what had been simple incidental nudity became illegal, another threat has appeared in Westmore, VT. A group of mostly summertime, temporary residents have complained about nude use of Lake Willoughby’s Southwest Cove. Southwest Cove is also known as “Cunningham Cove” in some nudist guides, after long-time naturist Jim Cunningham, who, with his family, opened it to nude use 25 years ago.

Here is the story as found on Boston.com

At Vermont lake, new controversy over nudity

By Wilson Ring, Associated Press Writer | June 15, 2008

WESTMORE, Vt. –From the beach of Lake Willoughby’s Southwest Cove, the sheer cliffs of Mount Pisgah tower over the deep, frigid water. Across the narrows, the peak of Mount Hor completes the look of a Scandinavian fjord.

In the summertime, the beach offers a different view: naked sunbathers. Southwest Cove is one of the most famous nude beaches in the country, but there’s a move under way to make people put their suits back on.

For decades, people have come to visit the beach, which is listed in nudist guides and on Web sites, but isn’t visible from the highway.

All are welcome, naked or not, and cameras without permission and sexual behavior are forbidden by the regulars. It’s on public land and the state — which has no laws banning public nudity — knows it’s there, and advises visitors on a sign at a trail head that leads to it warns “be advised, you may encounter nude bathers.”

But some Westmore residents want to be able to use the beach without having to worry they or their kids will have to confront a naked person, most commonly a middle-aged man.

They’re asking the town to pass an anti-nudity ordinance.

“For me, it’s about common public decency, getting families and kids and people and Westmore back down to what they all talk about as being the most beautiful place and they don’t go there any more,” said resident Tony Strange, who lives about a half mile from South Cove.

He helped circulate a petition asking the Select Board to enact the ordinance.

Regulars say the nude beach is an accepted part of the area that doesn’t cause any trouble.

On a recent hot Saturday afternoon, there were about 15 people at the beach, three of them women, none of whom would speak for the record. Other than the absence of swimsuits, there was nothing to distinguish it from a traditional beach: People brought beach chairs and coolers, some paddled canoes, others just sunbathed.

“We try to make it clean, safe and enjoyable for everyone, that includes families with children, that includes anyone from anywhere, and yet we’re being accused of dominating the area,” said David Timson, of St. Johnsbury, who has been going to Southwest Cove for 20 years.

He heads up a newly-formed organization called Friends of Southwest Cove. “The people who are complaining in the town are complaining we are taking over.”

Westmore, about 20 miles south of the Canadian border in northeastern Vermont, has a permanent population of 319, which jumps to about 1,000 in the summer.

Some might chuckle at the politics of nudity. But for people here, there’s nothing funny about it.

What beach regulars consider a friendly greeting can be construed as an intimidating approach by a naked man. Sexual behavior might be forbidden on the beach, but some hikers from a nearby campground are warned to watch out for it if they plan to walk through the woods away from the water.

Town Clerk Greg Gallagher said the three-member town select board has been asked to deal with the issue before, but chose not to. “They didn’t see how they could enforce it,” Gallagher said.

Enforcement is still a question mark, but the board is due to consider the issue again at its next meeting, scheduled for June 23.

Vermont has long been known for clothing-optional swimming holes — some clandestine, others semipublic.

Willoughby’s Southwest Cove, which is part of Willoughby State Forest, is listed in at least some nudist guides as “Cunningham Cove” after Jim Cunningham, a Westfield man for whom non-sexual nudity has taken on the trappings of a religious crusade.

He is credited with making Southwest Cove nude friendly. A quarter century ago, Cunningham, his wife and kids started using the beach in the nude. No one was offended and the word quickly spread.

Several years ago, the state Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation looked at the issue and decided to leave the situation as it was.

The only problem at the beach stems from the users cleaning it too much, said Forest and Parks Commissioner Jonathan Wood. By removing driftwood and vegetation, the users are interfering with natural processes.

“The front of the beach is getting undermined. We’re losing beach,” Woods said. “I don’t care whose using it or what they’re wearing, when you utilize public land you need to utilize it in a responsible manner.”

Bob Drew, a summer resident who lives in Knoxville, Tenn., and is president of the 350-family Westmore Association, said the group’s 11-member board was split 6-5 in favor of the nudity ordinance.

“We all have our personal feelings about it. I just don’t go down there,” said Drew, 75, “Most of them are fat old men like me. Who wants to see them?” he said.

Raymond LaFountaine, 41, a businessman from Magog, Quebec, and his wife Sonia Laverdure travel to Westmore several times a summer to camp nearby and walk over to Southwest Cove and relax nude.

“I think it’s a privilege because it’s such a beautiful place, such a peaceful place, we can enjoy that little beach,” LaFountaine said.

But Strange said he would like to enjoy the beach too, along with his family. For some in town, the anti-nudity effort is an issue of morality. Not for Strange.

“Why in the heck should I be feeling good about people who pretty much co-opted that beach down there and made it their own?” Strange said.

“All we’re looking for, you know, is no nudity on the public beach,” he said. “You want to be naked in private, fine… I just don’t want you to prance around like a puffed up chicken in front of my kids and think it’s OK.”

Clothing Optional Bare Hare Duathlon Comes to Sunny Rest, PA
Published June 12, 2008, 8:59 pm in Nudist / Naturist Travel Guide Blog Tags:
A short drive from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is a place where you can experience the freedom of riding a bike while nude or running or walking - in a race for charity - in the privacy of the...

[View blog to read more]


Caliente Charter Suspended By AANR
Published June 4, 2008, 1:24 pm in USAnudist.com Tags:

Pasco nudist resort suspended by national association

LAND O’LAKES — Caliente Resorts, often billed as the “Ritz-Carlton” of Pasco County nudist resorts, has been temporarily suspended from the American Association for Nude Recreation.

The suspension is over allegations that Caliente had been associating itself with swingers groups through third-party Web sites, said Doug Butler, president of the Caliente masters association, which represents the hundreds of homeowners and condo owners who live near the resort.

Carolyn Hawkins, spokeswoman for the American Association for Nude Recreation, declined to discuss the nature of the allegations. But she confirmed an investigation is under way and the association’s board could vote to reinstate Caliente as soon as August.

The association is a prominent marketing organization that offers discounts to members. Its members agree, as part of the AANR charter, to be family-friendly.

Angye Fox, a spokeswoman for Caliente, said she would release a statement later this afternoon.

Caliente hosts monthly parties put on by a group called Aahz, which on its Web site describes its parties as “lifestyle oriented,” a phrase often associated with swingers. A Web site featuring the swingers’ lifestyle also highlights Caliente. And Fox will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Swingfest, the “world’s largest swingers party and adult expo,” held in Hollywood, Fla.

Butler, the homeowners president, said the parties or Web sites haven’t resulted in any run-ins between the attendees and Caliente residents. “Behavior hasn’t been a problem,” he said. “It’s more of the Web site stuff that appears Caliente has an association with these kinds of groups.”

Visitors to Caliente, along with other central Pasco nudist resorts, contribute a good chunk of tourist dollars to the Pasco economy each year.

Jodie Tillman, Times staff writer

NAC Update - San Onfre Beach, CA
Published June 1, 2008, 5:00 pm in USAnudist.com Tags:

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NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
UPDATE
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http://www.naturistaction.org
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Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.

DATE : June 1, 2008
SUBJECT: California: San Onofre State Beach
TO : Naturists and other concerned citizens

Dear Naturist,

This is an Update from the Naturist Action Committee. NAC is making you aware of recent developments, favorable and unfavorable, that are part of a serious threat in the state of California.

A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

As detailed in the NAC Action Alert of May 21, 2008, Ruth Coleman, Director of California’s Department of Parks and Recreation, has abruptly terminated the Department’s application of the Cahill Policy to clothing-optional portions of San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County. The Cahill Policy has been used successfully for decades as a management tool for clothing-optional areas within California State Parks.

The specious justification being given by CA Parks for the selective revocation of Cahill at San Onofre State Beach is that doing so will eliminate illicit sexual activity that occurs primarily on an adjacent military beach. The recision of the Cahill Policy would pave the way for park rangers to issue citations for simple nudity on the State Beach under Title 14, Section 4322 of the California Code of Regulations.

For a more detailed history of the situation and specifics of the Cahill Policy, please refer to the NAC Action Alert of May 21. You will find it on NAC’s Web page: www.naturistaction.org Look under “ALERTS.”

NAC THANKS YOU FOR WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING!!

In its NAC Action Alert of May 21, the Naturist Action Committee asked for your specific action in sending correspondence to CA Parks Director Ruth Coleman, opposing the revocation of the Cahill Policy at San Onofre. Your response has been overwhelming. Thank you!

Many hundreds of you have copied NAC on your correspondence. The quality and thoughtfulness of what you’ve written is gratifying. And the volume has been impressive. Director Coleman’s office in Sacramento reports a significantly “increased work load” as a direct result of your letters, faxes and e-mails.

IMPORTANT: CONTINUE CONTACTING THE CA PARKS DIRECTOR

If you have not yet contacted the CA Parks Director, it’s not too late. We won’t repeat the full details here, but you can find information on contacting the Director (and suggestions for what to say) in the NAC Action Alert of May 21, 2008. You will find the Alert on NAC’s Web page: www.naturistaction.org. Look under “ALERTS.”

WHAT HAS NAC BEEN DOING?

The Naturist Action Committee took swift action at the onset of this situation and is continuing that action.

1) NAC has submitted to CA Parks a formal request for an
administrative stay on implementation of this abrupt change
in policy.

2) NAC has made multiple Public Records requests for documents
pertaining to this situation and the administrative action
surrounding it.

3) NAC has retained a specialized lobbyist to assist and advise
in the area of regulatory procedure.

4) NAC has retained an attorney specifically for this matter
and has begun the process that will ultimately result in
civil action against the State of California and the
Department of Parks and Recreation.

5) NAC continues working closely with Friends of San Onofre
Beach, the local user group. Together, NAC and FOSOB
staged a rally at the beach on May 24. Together, NAC
and FOSOB met face-to-face with CA Parks officials on
May 29.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Rangers had been told to begin “educating” beachgoers, starting June 1. The initiation of that exercise has been delayed by the insignificant period of a day. The issuing of citations for nudity in the traditional clothing-optional area was initially set to follow after 30 days. Now, CA Parks has delayed that action to commence after Labor Day.

Of course, neither of these is a meaningful or acceptable response to the concerns of naturists.

WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?

1) Stay informed. NAC will continue to issue Action Alerts,
Advisories and Updates on this issue as circumstances
require. Look for them.

2) If you haven’t already done so, write to the Director of
the California Department of Parks & Recreation.
It’s not too late.

3) *THIS IS IMPORTANT!* Keep going to the beach at San Onofre,
and keep using it in the traditional clothing-optional
manner. CA Parks is attempting to intimidate beachgoers
into simply evaporating. We must NOT allow that to happen!

4) If you are approached by a ranger on the beach or in the
parking area, make a detailed note of the encounter,
including the date, the time, the ranger’s name and what
was said. E-mail your account to:
sanonofre@naturistaction.org
Do not be combative or confrontational, but you may make
it quite clear that you are taking notes.

MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Update on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee.

http://www.naturistaction.org

Select “Alerts” and find this NAC Update under Current Updates.

PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!

NAC is committed to the defense of traditional clothing-optional use of public land. Not surprisingly, hiring lawyers and lobbyists is a very expensive part of such a necessary defense. NAC does not have a membership roster on which it can assess dues. NAC relies entirely on the voluntary support of people like YOU.

Won’t you please send a generous donation to:

NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 (8AM-5PM weekdays) to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/

Thank you for choosing to make a difference.

Naturally,

Allen Baylis
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee

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Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Allen Baylis - rab@baylislaw.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
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