I've said this before, but this time I really mean it--I'm done going to the cove. For the past several years I've been trying to check out nudism, to see if it's something I would like or not. I like being nude at home alone, and thought I'd extend this to a more public setting. I've been going to the Cove about a dozen times a year for the past three years, but it does me no good to go there if I'm alone all the time. All I accomplish is a trip through the weeds and mud and bugs to sit naked alone, like I could do at home in much greater comfort. So this year I decided to only go out if somebody on the message board said that they would be there. Yesterday was my third trip this year. I was there from 4:30 to 5:15, and the couple that said they would be there at 4pm either never showed or left very quickly. The only other people there was a couple that I've seen twice before, who apparently just go to the Cove to have sex in public. Unfortunatly, they are about the only "company" I've ever had, and I'm there for the "innocent" time that the Heartland website talks about, not to be witness to a show. I hope to get to Lake Edun sometime, but my schedule hasn't allowed me to get there or to the monthly swims. So, everybody who seems to like the Cove, enjoy your time with the bugs, but I won't be bothering anymore.

I agree with what you posted. I haven't been to The Cove since I first went to Camp Gaea about five years ago.

Have you been to Camp Gaea? Try it on a weekend. There should be a lot of people there this Saturday. There's a nationwide effort to get skinnydipping into the Guiness Book of World Record this Saturday. The Gaea contingent won't be part of the official count, but I think people are going anyway.

Thanks for enlightening me about what goes on at the Cove. While I have never been there, I probably should say that I know several "true" nudists who do go out to the Cove that have the same feelings that you do -- they don't want to participate or witness such behavior. And, I'm confident they don't engage in those behaviors.

That type of activity could lead to the Cove being taken away from the nudist community when the authorities find out about it. As I understand it, up to this point, the authorities and the owner of the land that adjoins the Cove have turned a blind eye to nudists using the cove for simple nudist activities. They do that because: 1) they see simple nudism as non-harmful, 2) visitors to the Cove have been vigilant in keeping the area clean of trash, 3) no one has complained about it (at least not very loudly).

As a member of the Board of The Heartland Naturists, I can say for a fact that The Heartland Naturists are a purely family-oriented nudist organization. We do not tolerate that kind of activity at any of our functions. Anything nearing such behavior at one of our functions is addressed and either the person/people involved stop the behavior or they are asked to leave.

But, as the Cove is public land, the Heartland Naturists have no other oversight of the Cove than through our members that frequent the area. It is up to them, as nudists, to take care of the Cove by cleaning up after themselves, and policing it if necessary.

I would invite you (and anyone else interested in pure social nudism) to join us at a monthly swim. Please see our Swim webpage off of the main HN website ( www.heartlandnaturists.com ) for more information.

If you are looking for outdoor activities, I can suggest Lake Edun near Topeka. I can say conclusively that you will not find that kind of activity at Edun either.

Thanks for the information, and I hope that it doesn't permanently affect your view of nudism/nudists, because that's not what we are about. I hope that you join us either at an HN event or at Lake Edun in the future.


Mark (HN Treasurer)