For today’s Friday Photo, I’ve decided to post the most popular photo from my 2013 Instagr.am feed. (If you’re on Instagr.am follow me, @TuiSnider, and say hi. I will definitely follow you back!)
Here’s the story behind the picture: My husband and I were on a tour of the Caribbean island, St. Maarten, when our group decided to stop by the seaside. As we stepped out of the van, the driver warned us that part of the area was clothing optional, so if we were offended by this, we should pay close attention to the signs.
I’d never been to a nude beach before, and didn’t really care. I love water, and it was so beautiful and clear on St. Maarten that I made a beeline for an unoccupied stretch of beach, kicked off my shoes and waded in. As it turns out, I was exactly on the border between the regular beach and the clothing optional side.
After posing for a few photos, I splashed around in the sea and had a good time. What I didn’t realize is that in a handful of photos, a nude dude wandered right behind me as my husband continued to snap away. (In retrospect, this explains the huge grin on my husband’s face.)
Another surprise was how our little beach jaunt triggered a marital squabble. One man’s wife got so irritated by the fact that he’d “taken a good long peek at the nasty side of the beach” that she had the van driver drop her off in town so she could walk back to the cruise ship without him. Poor guy!
What about you? Have you ever been to a nude beach? Have you ever had a funny photo bomb while traveling?
Tui Snider is an author, speaker, and photographer who specializes in North Texas travel, cemetery symbols, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction – but then, I moved to Texas!”
Snider’s best-selling books include Paranormal Texas , Understanding Cemetery Symbols, and 100 Things to Do in Dallas - Fort Worth Before You Die.
Snider has several more books in progress, and enjoys connecting with writers and readers all over the globe through social media, her newsletter and her website: TuiSnider.com.
Ha ha. That’s too much! I have never been to a nude beach, but I have seen my fair share of nude people in public before.
Hi Obed, I’ve not seen much nudity in public. I barely even saw this guy, actually! Thanks for stopping by. :D
LOL That is a great photobomb. I’ve never been to a nude beach. Not sure I’d like to. I can live without seeing people naked, but then again, it might be an interesting adventure as you found out. ;)
Yeah, if I’d known in advance, I might have over-thunk the whole thing and chickened out. As it was, we just ended up there and it was a lot of fun.
I remember when we lived in Germany as a child that when we were traveling we discovered an area that had a nude beach but the only reason I knew about it was I over heard my parents talking and saying we had to avoid that area. As a child I thought it was fascinating and scandalous. :D I have been to functions that nudity was optional. I have never felt free to do this or have a want to. I’m pretty private that way, but others chose to and I guess I am a bit of a prude. I just don’t want to see all that.
The guy photo bombing, seems like something someone would do that liked to be in public nude. I mean obviously he wanted to be seen. :)
I love clothes and playing dress up so much that I’d feel stifled at a nudist colony.
I’m not sure what the deal was with that guy, but for me nature was more interesting than naturism that day at the beach!