BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore has had nude sunbathers for some time. Until recently, they’ve mostly managed to keep to themselves.

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But Hurricane Nicole damaged or destroyed most of the beach access on the north part, and that’s led to some unexpected encounters.

Now, the park service is working to resolve the issue.

A sign at Playalinda Beach advises beachgoers they may encounter nude sunbathing within Boardwalk 13. However, a Brevard County couple said there was no warning for what they encountered closer to Boardwalk 5 last weekend.

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“It’s a pretty long walkway,” beach visitor Daniel Donaldson said. “You get down there, and it’s completely full of nudists.”

Donaldson and his wife headed south, but the nude sunbathers drifted south.

“There’s obviously lots of families with kids that are on the beach,” he said. “There were some just on the other side of our tent, and just nudists walking all the way through and in front of kids.”

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Due to damage from Hurricane Nicole, there is no access to any of the boardwalks north of Boardwalk 7. That includes Boardwalk 13, which is traditionally used by nude sunbathers. There is no federal law against simple nudity on any federal land.

The Canaveral National Seashore has made reopening Boardwalk 13 a priority, and it could happen as soon as Saturday.

In addition to Boardwalk 13, Canaveral National Seashore may open one more before weekend crowds return.

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