Its nearly 30 years since my first experiences of naturism.  As a 15 year old I would go into WH Smith and spend ages plucking up the courage to buy a copy of H&E.  After reading it from cover to cover, I would wait until there was no-one at home before finding a secluded spot in the garden and stripping off to sunbathe.  All the time I was worried what would be said if the people next door saw me, but if they did they never said anything.
It took a few more years until I was about 19 before I plucked up the courage to get naked in front of others.
When I was 19 I spent months planning my first beach trip.  Brighton was the target, but when I got there after a two hour drive all I could manage was to sit at the back of the beach fully clothed for two hours as my courage had failed.  I looked and felt like a meerkat.  With a lot of smiles and encouragement from a couple sitting nearby, I finally took the plunge and threw my clothes to the wind so to speak.  I enjoyed my first fantastic day on a naturist beach and have never looked back. Thank you to that couple whoever you were for getting me over the first hurdle.