Tour Diary

The public in PEI is very interested in their first Naturist Resort, 'The Oasis'. The arrival of the Tour vehicle on the island was an added bonus for media outlets who have been dealing with the excitement surrounding 'The Oasis' opening for the past few weeks. Here, CBC TV Charlottetown and CBC Radio One Charlottetown, interview Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott outside the local CBC building.

We have finally arrived at Prince Edward Island, the eastern most destintion of the Going Natural Across Canada Tour. We spent the night (and a couple more) at Canada's newest naturist resort, 'The Oasis' (photo of Marlene on the deck) in Cavendish, PEI. Owners Gary and Linda welcomed us to their lovely new resort. The resort itself is under development, but the first phase is open and is very impressive. The units are equipped with full kitchems, wonderfully decorated sleeping areas and fully furnished decks with BBQs. In the lower photo, Marlene poses by the Tour Vehicle at the Atlantic Ocean. It was a great respite before our journey back to Ontario.

After a very successful public awareness campaign in the Halifax area, some members of the Atlantic contingent (Gary, Dave and Louise of The Bluenose Naturists) of the Tour spent the morning at Crystal Crescent Beach passing out brochures and talking with beachgoers of both the textile and naturist variety. Crystal Crescent Beach recently has been entrenched as a permanent fixture in the community thanks to the efforts of The Bluenose Naturists.

Halifax was ready for a more than a little naturist public awareness. The Going Natural Across Canada Tour met up with the Bluenose Naturists of Halifax, Nova Scotia to establish several naturist public awareness venues in and about the Halifax area. The media responded in force. In this photo, Bluenose Naturist Chairman, David Paquette (third from left) joins Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott in one of many interviews that day.

The Tour arrived at Simply Naturist Retreat (SNR), New Brunswick's newest natural environment, to a very warm reception. SNR owners, Ted and Bobbi, started developing the property last year and are planning many new features in the next few seasons. Our arrival attracted media attention from the local area so we spent much of the day speaking with area reporters and explaining the postive benefits of naturism. In this photo are SNR owners Ted and Bobbi, along with members Nora and John.

The Going Natural Across Canada Tour attended a media conference in Montreal in support of naturist promotional activities by the Federation quebecoise de naturiste (FQN). Here, Tour Coordinator, Malcolm Scott (right), helps set up a presentation table in front of the Tour Vehicle with FQN members (l to r) Rene Duscharme, Vittorio Bueno and Royale de Perron.

A trip back to Ottawa to satisfy media interest allowed us to visit Sunshine Manor, a naturist B & B located in the Ottawa suburb of Nepean. Owners Fred and Gerda welcome naturists from around the world to their lovely and palacial residence. Here Gerda enjoys the sauna after a swim in the indoor pool.

On the border with Quebec, Club Naturiste Richard Brunet (CNRB) is a beautiful and well developed naturist retreat. Both official languages are spoken readily anywhere on the grounds. We just missed, by one day, the annual volleyball tournament which draws hundreds of naturists from Ontario, Quebec and even further afield. In this photo of the Tour Vehicle next to the CNRB logo are club owners (l to r) Gabrielle Desault, Odette Brunet and Richard Brunet)

East Haven Sun Club owners Sid and Yogy gave us a wonderful welcome to their newly upgraded resort. A new heated pool and new shower facility and a refinished clubhouse are among the many upgrades Sid and Yogi have added since acquiring East Haven five years ago. A wonderful mix of young and old enjoy the grounds regularly. East Haven is a great place for a first time visit to a naturist resort.

The private lake at Sunward Naturist Resort, west of Ottawa, is always a pleasant experience for the naturist in search of a variety of activities in one location. The happy, healthy folks at Sunward are a wonderful group to enjoy a natural setting with. The large private lake provides lots to do or just lots of places to relax.

Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott (third from left) and Jewel Lake Wilderness owner, John Beddows (fourth from left) answer questions about naturism from Easy Rock radio hosts during a live remote broadcast in North Bay, Ontario.

We are travelling eastbound across Canada to get to the starting point for the eastern leg of the Going Natural Across Canada Tour. Leaving Abbottsford BC on July 21 took us east through Fernie, BC (mountian photo) and on through the prairies (tressel photo,Lethbridge, AB) to our resting and restarting point at Jewel Lake Wilderness, North Bay, ON. We took a southern route to return east. The media were very interested in the naturist tour at it passed through their communities. We were interviewed as many as 8 times per day.

About half an hour northeast of Abbottsford, BC you'll find the Sunny Trails Resort on Hwy 7 in Lake Errock. The facility, is currently under re-development in order to upgrade and enhance its amenities. A special treat is the wooded area on the nortwest of the property where massive century trees create a natural splendour.

As we conducted our public awareness campaign at the entrance to Trail #6, Wreck Beach, Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott's decision to meet the public in his natural state was met with great support from most and indifference from others for over four hours. However, apparently ONE individual's complaint was all it took to take away Malcolm's human right to be natural. The UBC RCMP responded to a single complaint (OR# 20032394) about Malcolm's natural state, instructing him, under penalty of arrest, to apply textile to his body. Malcolm's initial attempts to gather information about the potential charge and the nature of the complaint and complainant were refused by RCMP Constable Ray Monsef. Upon receiving further instruction over his radio, and after Malcolm had applied the textile to his body, Constable Monsef and Malcolm came to amicable discussion of the issue. Although Malcolm acknowledges that police officers have a very tough job, they also have a great deal of discretion which he felt could have been better applied in this instance. Just to balance this entry, we want to emphasize that the RCMP patroling the Wreck Beach area have, typically, been exemplary in their attitude toward the rights of naturists..

On behalf of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society (WBPS) and our sponsors, the Tour Team set up for the day (with a municipal permit in hand) on the roadway at the Trail #6 entrance to Wreck Beach. We spoke with hundreds of welcoming and appreciative naturists as well as non-naturists happy to find a source of naturist information. In this photo, WBPS Chair Judy Williams and Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott are natural as befits the day and the event.

On her way down Trail #6 to Wreck Beach, Tour Team member Marlene Elliott took this wonderful view of the natural scene awaiting her below.

Tour Team members, along with Judy Williams and Wreck Beach supporter Justine Gibson (with Kyle, Stephanie and Chris), take the opportunity to make a statement at Surrey City Hall. Earlier this year, Surrey City Council chose to withdraw permission for naturist swims at a local municipal pool. We hope a little education on naturist values will enlighten future decision makers.

While in Vancouver, the Tour Team was invited to speak at a meeting of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society (WBPS), chaired by naturist activist Judy William. The WBPS is a forum for discussion between beach goers and local government officials.

While in Vancouver, and after having stocked up for the eastbound trip, the Tour Team was the subject of much public and media interest. Here, a crew from CBC Vancouver interviews Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott, while Team Member Marlene Elliott (seen in the photo below) snaps a few pictures for the diary.

The Tour Team will take a bit of a rest. Some much needed maintenance for the Tour Vehicle will give us several days in the Vancouver area. We'll meet with many naturists and attend several naturist meetings and functions during our week here. Saturday July 19 will see us at the top of Trail #6 to Wreck Beach for an all day public awareness event. Judy Williams, a well known BC naturist, will join the team for that part of the Tour.

The Van Tan Club, in North Vancouver, has been around since 1939. This small, but beautiful, naturist oasis sits high on the mountainside overlooking the city and bays below. It was another rainy day on the sunshine coast that dampened only the grass; the spirits were high among the many Van Tan members we met.

On Vancouver Island, sits one of Canada's most beautiful naturist facilities. Sol Sante Club near Cobble Hill between Naniamo and Victoria is a glorious green paradise. Unfortunately, it rained most of the day we were there, but we had a wondeful time with a great group of Canadian naturists.

Vancouver Island, like the rest of BC, is green and beautiful.. We took a BC Ferry trip (photo) from Vancouvr to Victoria. A short 20 minutes from the ferry we are in Victoria and an even shorter 15 minutes later we are at Prior Lake, a beautiful little piece of naturist paradise.

We met a great group of very friendly naturists at Sunny Chinooks.. After a Saturday night dance and late campfire, Sunday brought a community breakfast in the large clubhouse. The sun was brilliant with a cool, breeze wafting through the poplars. A beautiful spot on the banks of the James River.

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Just east of Edmonton, is the Helios Nudist Association near Tofield, Alberta. The Tour Team arrived to meet Helios members and video tape the club's beautiful grounds. A tape of all naturist facilities in Canada will be available after the Tour.

We pass through Regina, Saskatoon, The Battlefords, Lloydminster and Edmonton (photo). Our destination is Helios Nudist Association, Tofield, AB.

While passing through Regina, the Going Natural Across Canada Tour Team spoke with several media outlets. Here, the Tour Vehicle sits at the Harvard Broadcasting Building in Regina, while Tour Coordinator Malcolm Scott participates in a province wide radio phone-in show,

Green Haven Sun Club certainly lived up to it's name today. Warm and sunny and that was just the demeaner of the members we met while there: a fine group of Canadian naturists at a fine Canadian naturist resort. The weather was wonderful: 31C with the occasional cloud in an otherwise very sunny sky.

From Crocus Grove Sun Club, we headed into Winnipeg to participate in a CBC TV national program, a CBC local TV program and the CBC Radio One Winnipeg afternoon program. Then we went on to the Regina area and the Green Haven Sun Club.

After a relaxing day-and-a-bit at MusQua Meadows, we headed slightly north of Winnipeg to one the oldest naturist resorts, Crocus Grove Sun Club. We were warmly welcomed by Bob and Pat and dozens of typically friendly, sociable naturists. After a guided tour of the wide ranging facilities, we had the opportunity to meet many of the Crocus Grove members. It was another wonderful day in the naturist environment.

From Thunder Bay we headed west through the splendour of rugged Northern Ontario into Southern Manitoba. MusQua Meadows is located about 140kms southeast of Winnipeg. 320 acres of meadow and trees make this an inviting naturist opportunity,

We've travelled throgh Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie and around the north shore of Lake Superior to find our way to Thunder Bay. The scenery has been fantasic and the naturist opportunities plentiful.

North Bay's Jewel Lake Wildereness is truly a jewel in the naturist crown. With 640 acres, including a 100 acre lake, it offers tranquility, the natural expreience and a friendly social environment. A great place for a family camping trip!

Our first stop on the Tour was at the Ponderosa Nature Park, Freelton, Ontario. This was the weekend of the annual Ponderosa International Volleyball Toournament. We arrived Friday night to a wonderful welcome from Ponderosa owner, Lee Klauz.Saturday morning, Robin, Marlene and Malcolm opened The Nudist Store Mobile Unit and spoke with many, many enthusiastic naturists eager to extend their best wishes for a successful tour.

The Going Natural Across Canada Tour had its media launch on Wednesday June 18, 2003 in front of Toronto's CN Tower. Here Tour Coordinator, Malcolm Scott, responds to questions from media.

The Deschenes Family, (Stephane, Marc, Philip & Linda) pose for photographers through the window of the Going Natural Across Canada Tour Vehicle. The Deschenes family portrait is prominently displayed on the side of the vehicle.

Ready to go!

The Going Natural Across Canada Tour begins June 20 and leaves from the Ponderosa Nature Resort, Freelton, Ontario.

Watch for regular updates from the Tour Team after that date.