THIS YEAR’S NUDIST CAMP STORY: THE NACATION

(Every year, there’s another story about nudist camps. Usually, they’re about how the business is fading. Here’s one with a more positive spin.)
Sick of vacations? Tired of staycations? Why not take a “nacations”? The Wall Street Journal estimates that the nude recreation industry has evolved into $400 million business. The American Association for Nude Recreation had 34,000 dues-paying members in 2013 an annual budget of $1.5 million. Stuart Antrim, who works at Serendipity Nudist Park, says his guests have no hang-ups about body image, no judgments and no shame. “Shame is something that must be learned; we’re not born with it. Once you get past 30 seconds of awkwardness, they realize that learned shame melts away.” Agencies like Topless Travel in Florida market clothing-optional trips and cruises to the Caribbean, where singles and adventurous couples go as bare as they dare. Its owner said business is booming. Atlanta-based tour operator VacationExpress.com also has seen an increase in clothing-optional requests. Says owner Elma Placeres Dieppa of VacationExpress.com, “15 years ago we had probably two resorts and now we have six,” which run the gamut from topless to optional to anything goes.
* A ‘nacation”? I don’t want people seeing my nays.
* “Shame melts away.” I’ve seen some of those women – there’s a lot of melting going on.
* The nude recreation industry? Doing great. The nude fashion industry? Not so much.
* They play fun sports like badminton, but I wouldn’t go near that. Not after I read about a very bad shuttlecock accident.
* Then there’s the Stage 7 sunburned butt cheeks to worry about.
* Shame isn’t something that must be learned. Shame is something that must be earned.