Have you ever been to a nude beach? If so, what was your motivation for going?

In my Younger days my Barracks roomate and I would go to Monaco on long weekends from our barracks in Germany, We would hang out on the nude beach looking for what all healthy 20 something males are looking for (Conversation with a beautiful girl) quite often found it.

Yes; however, I did not go to see nude bodies. There are two (2) sides to the beach and the nude side just happens to be the most beautiful portion of the stretch. It is located on Martha's Vineyard at Gay Head and I go there nearly every summer for two or three weeks.

Certainly....Americans are much more conservative about nudity than Europeans. Sad, really....It's because of the overriding sense of allegiance to god and country that Americans lean towards the right, of conservativism and modesty. Even though everyone has nipples, for example, the slightest view of them on camera or in photos is censored. Isn't that rather ignorant? We're taught not to be sexual beings, yet, theoretically, god invented sex so that we could "go forth and multiply". Evidently, we're supposed to be ashamed of sex, and thus, our sensual bodies. Again, sad... You'd think Janet Jackson had bombed the Pentagon a few years back!

My motivation for going to Black's Beach in La Jolla, California many, many times (years ago) was to a. Get an all-over tan, b. to soak in the sun and enjoy the warmth, c. swim naked, and d. enjoy my day, read a book, spend time with friends, where no one really had to stare or gawk like they do when a person is wearing a swim suit at the beach.

I think people look their best naked and natural, rather than waistbands, and straps, and strings here and there binding into their skin, pinching and constricting. Even overweight people look better nude rather than tucking everything they possess into a prescribed modesty in triangles of lycra.

When nearly everyone is nude, no one pays much attention to anyone else--everyone gets their 'space'. So, I'd have to answer with another point above, e. get some peace and quiet!

Yes I have been to several. My motivation was to just be natural in the sun. It feels great to swim in the sea without anything on.

I also think that Americans are on the whole more modest than Europeans. Technically, it is not illegal to be nude anywhere in Spain, for example, but people usually choose not to go round the city naked rather than it being illegal.

Here is a bit of harmless fun about "beach bums" -

http://www.squidoo.com/topfivebeachbums