Our Nakation Cruise - Part 5

One of our favorite on-board activities was dance lessons. We signed up for salsa (two classes) and rumba (two classes), along with about twelve other couples. For some reason we were about the only ones who attended nude. (Clothism is a disease that spreads, but real nudists resist being intimidated by textiles.)

The instructors were excellent. They patiently taught us the basics of Latin dance. As a result I’ve finally learned the Latin hip sway so feel much more confident when dancing to Latin music.

We spent one night dancing naked to disco music in the Frankenstein room. It too was mostly clothed.

Monday we docked at the Grand Turk islands. This was a clothed excursion day. We took a bus tour and learned that the local economy had been based on slave labor producing salt. Large brown, brackish salt evaporation ponds still cover large areas of the island. We also visited a lighthouse.

The island was not impressive, but the surrounding sea was beautifully sparkling clear, so when we returned from the bus tour we immediately got our swim suits (yuck) from the ship, rented equipment, and went snorkeling. Wow, what an enjoyable experience! We saw barracuda, sting ray, squid, flounders, parrot fish, and dozens of other species of sea life. It was gratifying to be able to introduce snorkeling to our friend Lee. Snorkeling at Grand Turk was definitely memorable. (See photos at http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/grandturks.)

That evening the ship sponsored a Halloween party. PJ spent hours creating a costume using the beads she’d gathered at Fantasy Fest. We spent the evening partying, walking the ship, dancing, and generally having fun. PJ participated in a pumpkin carving contest. Even though she didn’t win, I loved her pumpkin. (See photos at http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/halloweencruise.)

At the end of the evening we enjoyed a tasty pizza meal with friends before hitting the sack. Tomorrow would be our last day at sea.

Before concluding this report, I’d like to share a few observations about the people. I will cast these thoughts within the context of my understanding of naturism.

The cruise was advertised as “clothing optional”, not just naturist, so there were few actual naturist events (perhaps only the beach excursion at Half Moon Cay and basking in the sun on lounges around the pool).

When eating, attending shows, partying, singing, dancing, and wandering around the ship the majority of people stayed clothed. Oh, a few people, including PJ and I and our friends, stayed nude most of the time, but that was the exception.

We ate with one couple who said they were definitely not nudists; they had only joined the cruise to attend Fantasy Fest. Skimpy, sexually suggestive clothing was commonplace. The majority wore everyday vacation clothing.

The staff remained clothed of course. They had been given special training about naturist beliefs before the cruise.

It was interesting to see a few dedicated naked people mixing with clothed people of all stripes. While fortunately not obvious, we noticed some cabin doors suggesting swinger-like activity.

In general, while there were people with many different lifestyles, only a few appeared to be “real” naturists. I’m sure some were first-timers with an incomplete understanding of naturism. Many of our fellow cruisers had been to naturist resorts a few times, and many practiced naturism situationally like in the pool area, but few were “members” of a nudist resort or chose to live as naturists.

I suspect a nude cruise would be a great venue for sharing naturist history, philosophy, and practices. There were workshops on many topics, including Tantra (divine sexuality) so why not one about naturism?

This cruise has persuaded me even more that a person’s “intention” is most important to being a naturist. Practicing of naturism naturally normalizes the body, so promiscuity and related sexual agendas are reduced. It was evident that some cruiser’s “intention” was sexual in nature – their biggest agenda item. Clothing was used to broadcast that intention. As one guest put it, clothing is not only for protection but also for drawing attention to certain body parts. I asked this scantily clad guest what he intended – silence.

While not a conclusive guide, and perhaps too judgmental, nudists tend to like being nude in most circumstances, whereas wearing clothing, particularly sexually-oriented clothing, indicates intensions that are not naturist.

Of course naturists enjoy sex with committed partners, but sexuality is not the main focus. Rather, naturism is counter-sexual because it normalizes the body.

But enough philosophical thought, the final day at sea PJ and I arose early to enjoy a pleasant nude breakfast on the top deck. The sea was rolling calmly, the ship rocking gently.

We visited the photo gallery (we purchased quit a collect of photos that I will share in a future post).

Then we enjoyed a relaxing morning without friends. I liked that.

We spent the afternoon taking our final dance lessons. We love dancing together nude. It’s interesting how quickly nude becomes comfortable, normal.

After the dance class we soaked our feet in to pool where nearly everyone was naked – what a relief.

Then we returned to out room to pack. It was sad to think that this was the last day of our cruise, but then again, after eight days we felt tired and ready for a change.

We ate a clothed meal for the last time in the formal dining room – outstanding as normal.

Then PJ and I got ready for our last professional photo – nude.

After having our picture taken, we returned to the room to finish packing, followed by one last meeting with friends at the all-night pizza bar. Then off to sleep.

We debarked Wednesday morning, the end of a marvelous nakation, the return to the abnormal textile world. Oh well, I suppose all good things must come to an end. We had enjoyed living life with many like-minded people of our own species, shopping and eating and singing and dancing and attending entertainment nude, relaxing on a sunny beach and boat nude, snorkeling nude, as well as experiencing Fantasy Fest – our weirdest experience ever.

We fondly look forward to our next nakation. One thing for sure, we enjoyed cruising nude much more than cruising clothed. Hopefully, nude is how we’ll always be able to cruise again.

Another Weekend in Phoenix

PJ and I spent another wonderful weekend in the Phoenix area.

Our friends from southern Utah came down for a visit; it was good to see them again. We sang nude karaoke together Friday evening at Shangri La Ranch. PJ and I just love singing karaoke nude.

Saturday we attended the Canyon Country Naturists pool party in Mesa. It was fun sunning and swimming and eating pot-luck and visiting with about 40 local naturists. We met many new friends. Canyon Country Naturists is one of the most active groups we’ve met. We have joined and hope to enjoy many activities with this group in the future.

Saturday evening we returned to Shangri La Ranch for the nude dance; it was lots of fun.

We had a chance to talk with the owner about a proposal we’d presented a week earlier. Amazingly, he accepted our proposal! It looks like we’ll be relocating our trailer to Shangri La – cheers! I’ll share more about that in the future.

Monday we returned to Shangri La to pick out a trailer spot before heading to Yuma for our next work assignment.

As always, PJ and I love living life as a naturist with good naturist friends.

Ken

July 4th Weekend at Olive Dell Resort

July 4th weekend was great at Olive Dell Resort. Friends visited us from Utah – it was nice to see them again. They arrived Friday night and we enjoyed a good meal in the restaurant – nude of course.

Saturday we ate breakfast, and then participated in the nude games, lead by Craig. It was lots of fun. I worked on clearing a new trail in Dellmaze Park, and got super dirty, but dirt easily washes off a naked guy. That evening we all enjoyed the Red, White, and Blue dance – I wore a tie, just a tie. PJ and I practiced the club swing steps we’d learned several weeks ago at the Glen Eden AANR West festival.

Sunday we mostly relaxed, though I did spend some time clearing the trail again. That evening a large group of fun naturists sang karaoke for nearly five hours. Some left early to climb the hills above Olive Dell to view the fireworks in the valleys below, but we couldn’t leave because I was the KJ.

Monday I finished clearing the trail, and spent some time with Errol in the meadow above the resort laying out a Disc Golf course for next month’s competition – anyone for nude disc golf?

All in all, it was a very enjoyable naturist July 4th celebration.

My Labor Day Visit to Olive Dell Ranch - 2009

While having attended numerous nude swims in Salt Lake and spent a short time at a family nudist resort in Idaho, I never fully experienced or understood what true "naturism" was until my Visit to Olive Dell Ranch.

I was anxious to have new nude experiences over the the labor day weekend but wasn't sure where to find them. After hooking up with Ken thought the Yahoo nude Utah group I found my way down to California.

Olive Dell was not what I expected. I expected it to be a place where people visited on weekends to get naked and relax, but it turned out to be a place that many call home. Many people live there full -time. It is as much a "Nudist Community" than a Nudist Resort.

I spent my first day by the pool and attending the Nude Dance at Night. The Music was good but I did not dance because everybody was 40 years older than me. haha. I also was still getting used to the enviornment and was getting to know the people there.

Sunday (day#2) started off with a freehike with Ken. It was great to hear his perspective on naturism and how it has helped him in his life. It was my first time hiking nude and it felt great. I had no worry in the world.

The Hike was followed by a game of Nude Tennis with George, a really nice guy from San Diego area. I spent alot of the day chatting with him and his girlfriend poolside.

The Best part of this trip was making new friends (Ken, Jane, George) and gaining a greater understanding of Naturism.

I had a couple of insights during my trip:

1. I am more self-consious of my body when I am wearing a swim suit in public than when I am naked around naturists.

2. Sexuality of bodies dissolves as a person partipates in naturism.

3. Naturists for the most part are good, nice, and welcoming people.

4. People don't and won't inderstand naturism unless they themselves participate in it. This is the only way to understand it.

5. Most people look better with clothes on.

Jared

Olive Dell Dance and Visitors - June 2009

On June 13, 2009, PJ and I attended a 60’s dance at Olive Dell Ranch. PJ made and wore a fun tie-died outfit, and I wore a matching headband and beads. Dances at Olive Dell are small, but fun, and there are no sexual overtones like one feels at larger naturist park dances. Most people stay nude at the Olive Dell dances – very appropriate.

It was very moving to watch one resident, Craig, dance with his wife who has MS and must often be in a wheel chair. Another man with only one leg enjoyed hopping to the music. Naturists are so non-judgmental - it’s so nice when body image is not an issue.

This June was a month for visitors to our trailer at Olive Dell Ranch. On the 21st, Joe, from Park City, called to tell us that he was attending a workshop in Las Vegas and had time to drop south for a few days in the sun. (I guess he had an extremely slow drive south since everyone in Southern California was returning from the weekend in Las Vegas.) We had to work that Sunday, so I left work for a while to meet him at the gate so he could get in and get settled in his small RV.

We spent Monday and Tuesday morning enjoying his company, talking, gardening, soaking in the sun and water, and enjoying a nice meal at the restaurant (nude of course). He did some work on his van. He even treated us to a nice meal at our favorite Thai restaurant in Redlands (not nude unfortunately). We really enjoyed having him visit (I don’t think he paid anything to stay at Olive Dell), and hope he returns soon with his wife and kids.

He seemed to really enjoy our site. He also stopped at Silver Valley resort on his return trip.

Olive Dell Ranch - May 14-16, 2009

May 14th: I got up early and took a freehike up center trail to the top of the hill. I saw a deer along the way – my first at Olive Dell although I’d seen tracks. The hike was very enjoyable. When I got back it was time to leave for work.

May 16th: We were off this Saturday – hurray! We spent the morning at a huge Renaissance fair in Irwindale. It was great fun. So many people dressed up in period costumes. Some ladies dressed in sexy barbarian and fairy costumes. Many others’ necklines were so very low everything nearly popped out. This was much sexier than if they’d been nude. I find it so interesting how sexual head games have been such a large part of human history. Total nudity is certainly more modest that wearing skimpy rags or long dresses with popping boobs. (See photo link at the bottom.)

After attending the fair we drove back to Olive Dell to meet Johnslc who was visiting from Utah. It was so nice to see him again. We enjoyed sitting on our deck, enjoying our garden, and talking. After a while we walked down to the pool for a swim, and a soak in the spa. One of the dads at the resort, Matt, was playing in the water with four children – baby, three, five, and ten. (Children can live at Olive Dell. A few residents have lived there their entire lives.) It was such fun watching a naked family at play in the water. The three-year-old was especially fun. He was so unconsciously natural splashing, looking through the fence, and playing hide-and-seek from his dad. Mom was also in and around the pool area.

We then went to the restaurant and enjoyed a naked dinner together. (Johnslc’s first I think.) The food at Olive Dell is very good, and the company was even better. A nude meal is so very enjoyable.

Here is a nice note of thanks from Johnslc: “Thank you for your wonderful hospitality this afternoon. It was so great to see you again and I really enjoyed myself at Olive Dell. You are very well situated there and your fellow naturists are wonderful people--so relaxed and enjoyable. It was a joy to see entire families being together in the nudist environment. I really envy both of you for the lovely place you have to spend your time together as God intended us to be, and the relationship that you have with each other. I will let you know when I am coming back and will definitely get out to see you at Olive Dell. Again, thank you!”

Thanks for visiting us Johnslc. It was great to see you again. Everyone is always welcome to visit and stay with us – free is an inexpensive price, especially for Southern California.

While at dinner we found out that there was a USO dance that evening, so we drove back to our work apartment where PJ made a red, white, and blue bottom and top; I wore a patriotic tie – just a tie of course. They played 40’s dance music and we had great fun dancing – everyone thought we were pros. We love dancing - nude dancing is great, and we didn’t feel the sexual overtones that sometimes occurs at a resort.