Each year, more than 100 punters take a three-hour cruise down the River Exe estuary in Devon… completely naked.
The Nude Cruise has just run for its 13th year in a row and one punter has revealed just what goes on onboard, spilling the details on the one golden rule that mustn’t be broken.
What is it? Well, this isn’t a boat trip for swingers or sex parties, so, anyone caught doing anything x-rated will be banned for life.
”It’s really sad that a large percentage of the population equate being naked only with sex – it’s not,’ cruise founder Rachel Wick told The Sun.
‘If they came to our event, they would see it’s clearly not what it’s about. If somebody misbehaves, they will be on our banned list.’
While no one has been barred from the cruise yet, Rachel, 50, is diligent because she says you can feel vulnerable when you haven’t got your clothes on.
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The double-decker ship carried 120 bare passengers this year, and journalist Ben Endley revealed for The Sun the experience was ‘remarkably normal’.
The cruise was composed largely of pensioners, and there were multiple things onboard to keep them busy, from a raffle to a naked disco.
One song that got bare bodies on the dance floor was Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen. There was also a cash-only bar (how retro) which prompted many guests to wear fanny packs to carry their bank notes and phones.
A free hot pasty`was also on offer for everyone on board. It sounds rather perilous when you’re starkers, but luckily no injuries were reported.
Rachel, who is a local authority administrator, has been organising the cruise since 2012 with her partner Nigel, but they run other nude events too, as part of the Torbay Sun Club.
She loves the concept of a naked party because you can’t tell who is rich or poor, working or retired. ‘When you can’t judge people’s status, we’re all on a level,’ she says.
While some guests on the cruise kept to themselves through fear of their bosses finding out about their naturism, one passenger Kevin Little, 61, tells The Sun he’s a fan of being naked because it saves him paying for extra luggage on flights.
UK company launches £5,000 sex cruise
Sex parties are coming to an ocean near you.
Killing Kittens, the kink-positive event company, is launching a very naughty cruise promising a pretty pleasurable holiday for couples and singles alike.
At a glance you might mistake it for a luxury all-inclusive trip, with the itinerary departing from Barcelona to Monte Carlo, before journeying on to Florence and Portofino.
But the cruise is certainly one-of-a-kind, hosting a heady timetable of Killing Kittens events, including its popular White Party, a masked ball, the Kreatures of the Night primal soiree, the latex themed Dominion, and Hedonism, the longest-running Killing Kittens event.
But just because you can let loose in one of the ‘play rooms’, it doesn’t mean you can get lawless at sea. In fact, the Killing Kittens cruise has some very strict rules… Read here for all the juicy details.
He’s been a naturist since 1997, and enjoys connecting with nature, but finds the jokes about his naked preferences annoying.
‘We get frustrated by the cliched, seaside-postcard, t*ts-and-willy jokes but it’s been that way for so long, it’s hard to get away from,’ he says.
Of all the guests onboard, the general consensus was the younger generation is too ‘prudish’ and that nudity is helpful for self-expression.
So it was understandable that, when the boat returned to the dock, the passengers were a little reluctant to cover up once more.
There’s nudist village too
Cap d’Agde, a naturist village in the south of France, is about an hour’s drive from Montpellier.
The resort is dedicated to the naturist community — a USP that’s helped it become the leading nude destination in the Mediterranean Basin, not to mention the largest naturist village in the world.
Every year, over 12 million people strip off and stay for the night. During peak season, Cap d’Agde can welcome around 45,000 visitors per day.
Unlike naked cruises or hotels, Cap d’Agde is marketed as an entire nudist village.
That means you can go to the shops or even get cash out at the bank in the buff. There are no rules other than the obvious: be respectful.
The self-sufficient area is located within the larger Cap d’Agde resort, and boasts a 1.25-mile private beach.
On TripAdvisor, visitors have called it ‘heaven for open-minded couples.’
Others say it should be on the ‘bucket list for all naturists,’ because it’s the ‘only place in the world you can spend all day naked’ while still going about your daily business.
The naturist village charter also states that nudity must be practised in the company of other naturist residents and holidaymakers.
Of course, should you wish to explore the nearby towns of Agde and Pézenas, clothing is required.
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