A Traditional Swim

This story is part of a series. Chapters 1 through 8 will provide context. Hopefully, however, this story may also be enjoyed as a stand-alone work.

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Finally, we reached the coast of the Dominican Republic the afternoon before the contest. Dieter got on the cell phone to his friend the resort manager. After a short conversation, Dieter ended the call.

"We will take the dinghy to shore to meet Walter and his assistant who is running the contest. They have some forms for you to sign and they'll show you around," Dieter announced.

As we motored towards the beach, what was obviously the resort property sprawled left to right across the entire visible horizon. Two figures stood on the beach. One was obviously a man, and the other appeared to be a shorter woman. After Dieter cut the engine and tilted it up, the man waded out to help pull the dinghy up onto the beach. He and Dieter embraced, and then the man hugged Birgit. It seemed that they had known each other for some time. Dieter introduced the man as his friend Walter, the resort's general manager.

Walter laughed, and in a slightly German accent said, "That means I am the senior person onsite. I have responsibility if anything goes wrong, but the corporate offices never give me the authority to prevent it." Walter swept an arm towards the short blonde standing next to him. "This is my assistant manager Kelly. She is in charge of our contest tomorrow."

Kelly was short, but quite attractive. Her compact body seemed perfectly proportioned. She had that "high energy" way of speaking that I often found very annoying. Coming from Kelly, it was at least tolerable.

"Yeah," Kelly said in a distinctly Midwestern American voice, "the contest was my idea. I had hoped that I could compete in it, but I'm an employee and the company has a weird rule that employees can't be seen nude on resort property. So, I can only MC and I have to keep my clothes on." Kelly had some clipboards in her hand. "Do you need two registration forms or three?"

Sara and I looked at Chris. After our stop at Orient Bay, Chris had talked about competing, but hadn't made a decision. Chris looked first at me, then at her sister. After a moment, Chris grinned and said "Three."

"Great," Kelly said as she handed each of us a clipboard. "These are the registration forms. Some basic information, certify that you're over 21, release the company from any liability if, for example, your nude picture from here ends up on the Internet. Most important, to me at least, is the empty block towards the bottom. There you should write whatever you want me to say about you as you are walking down our runway. Just two or three sentences please."

We filled out the forms and gave them back to Kelly with the US$ 50 per person registration fee. Then Kelly said, "Follow me. I'll show you where we're going to do this tomorrow."

Dieter and Birgit excused themselves and walked off with Walter. Sara, Chris, and I followed Kelly along a path for about five minutes until we came to two white tents.

"This is the 'backstage,'" Kelly explained. "Please be here about 10:30 tomorrow morning. We want to start the men's competition by 11:15." Kelly led us into the left-hand tent. "This is where the men will take their clothes off. The other tent is for the women. It is identical. Now follow me." Kelly walked through the draping on the other side of the tent and up few steps. We followed. We were on a sort of Y-shaped platform. One arm of the Y ran to each tent. The tail of the Y was long, roughly 30 feet. There were chairs on both sides and at the end. To my surprise, there were bleachers set up behind the chairs, forming a U shape that ran from the one tent around to the other.

Kelly started up again. "I'll be standing on the runway right outside the tent with my mike. Every contestant will have a number. When I call your number, my assistant inside the tent will repeat it. When your number is called, you will come out of the tent, up the steps, and go past me all the way to the far end of the runway. There you will turn and walk back. Don't hurry."

Kelly continued on. "We are awarding a winner and first and second runners up. My original idea was to let the winners of one competition judge the other. But, of course, we won't have any women winners when the men go, so we've roped off an area for all of the women contestants to stand and you'll all get to vote on the men. Leave your clothes on for that girls, we don't want the audience to see you yet. We'll also have three 'celebrity' judges. For the men's competition, that will be the lady who manages the neighboring resort, our chief masseuse, and our food and beverage manager, all women."

I said, "This is quite a set-up. How big an audience to you expect?"

Kelly beamed. "We've really promoted this at our resort and the neighboring resorts. We can hold 1,585 here, and I'm proud to say we sold out at noon today at US$25 per ticket. "

"Impressive, "I said. "How many competitors do you have?"

Kelly answered, "We're leaving registration open until just before each competition, just in case someone in the audience gets a sudden urge to take his or her clothes off, so I really won't know until each competition starts. Right now, I've got 15 men and 19 women. Everyone, I think, except you guys, is a guest at one of the resorts in the area."

Just then, Kelly's phone chirped. She answered, listened for a moment, and then said "I'll ask." Putting down the phone, she said to us, "That's Walter. He wants to know if you're ready to go back to your boat."

Sara, Chris, and I nodded our heads yes. I said, "Kelly thank you. I'm sure that you have a lot to do. We appreciate you taking the time for us."

"No problem," Kelly responded. "Come on, I'll walk you back to the beach."

Walter, Dieter, and Birgit were already standing by the dinghy. As we reached the dinghy, Kelly shook each of Sara's, Chris's, and my hands. "Thank you for joining in our contest," Kelly said. "I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, and I do mean that like it sounds." Kelly smiled broadly.

Riding back to the boat, Sara gave Dieter and Birgit a summary version of what Kelly had told us. Once we were on deck and the dinghy stowed, Birgit said, "Well, if 1,600 people are going to see you naked tomorrow, you should shave, all three of you, everything."

That seemed like a good suggestion. Most of the rest of the evening was spent with Sara and Chris shaving me, Sara and I shaving Chris, and Chris and I shaving Sara; all over. After a quick dinner, we went to sleep. Following the practice we started on St. Martin, Sara, Chris, and I shared a hammock.

Sometime in the wee hours, I felt Chris slide away from me and get out of the hammock. I followed her. Sara was a very heavy sleeper; I was not worried about disturbing her.

Chris was standing in the bow. I walked up to her. "Something wrong," I asked.

"No, I'm just too excited about tomorrow to sleep. I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I'm glad that you and Sara talked me into it. I keep imaging what it will be like to be standing naked in front of 1,600 people." Chris giggled. "Thinking about it is making me wet."

I chuckled. "This is your first time doing something like this. The anticipation is part of the fun. It will be an erotic experience for you. I hope that you enjoy it."

Chris responded, "I know I will." Then she leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss. "Shit, I'm breaking all kinds of taboos. I just kissed my sister's boyfriend."

At 10:30 the next morning, Sara, Chris, and I, wearing our pareos, were outside the tents as instructed with about 30 other people, slightly more women than men. Looking around, I could see three or four women whom I thought I'd want to see nude. The rest just appeared ordinary. I'm no judge of men, so I didn't bother looking at my own competitors.

Very soon, Kelly got up on a small stool and began giving her instructions. It was basically what she had told us the evening before, but she added a few things. "Folks, go slowly down the runway and back. Stop and pose at least three times. Be classy, but we want the audience and the judges to see as much of you as possible. For the guys, that means we want to see your dick and balls. Ladies, we want to see those pussies. Don't keep those thighs too close together."

Kelly finished up. "Ok, everyone ready? Ladies, leave your clothes on and follow Steffi around your tent to your viewing area. Men, get in your tent and get your clothes off."

I was many years away from my less than stellar athletic career, so it had been a long time since I'd been in a small space with a number of naked men. I was surprising how cramped the tent was and it was impossible not to bump into other guys and be bumped into. There were a couple of pretty cute girls in the tent dressed in resort uniforms. As we got undressed, one of the girls was writing numbers on the guys with what looked like a lipstick. When she got to me, she wrote an eight on my thigh just to the right of my dick. She then told me to turn around and she wrote the eight again on my left butt cheek.

When the one girl had finished numbering us, the other one moved to the drape by where we were to go up the steps. She announced, "Men, line up by your numbers, and don't smudge your numbers. When I call your number, go through the drape, up the steps, and you're on. When you get back inside the tent, stay in your number order."

I could hear the PA outside. A moment later, the girl by the drape, whom I thought of as the "gatekeeper," yelled out "Number One!"

Slowly, each guy went out and the next one moved up to stand by the gatekeeper. When I got up to her, she said, "You must be used to going nude. Most of these guys have been so excited they've had wood. You're completely at rest." She paused, and then said, "Actually, it would look better if you got some blood down there. Here, let me help." With that, she began stroking under the head of my penis. She was right, it did stimulate blood flow. After a few moments, she stopped, saying "that looks good."

Her timing was impeccable as number seven came back through the drape. The girl slapped my butt and said, "You're on."

I walked through the drape and up the steps to the runway. I could vaguely hear Kelly announcing my name. My first reaction was almost shock. The seats and bleachers were absolutely full of people. My first sensation was a slight breeze blowing across my butt, reminding me that I was totally nude.

I glanced down to my right and saw Sara and Chris smiling at me. Then I started getting into it. Here I was, the only naked person in front of nearly 2,000 people looking at me, at my balls, at my butt. This was great! I walked slowly down the runway, trying to make eye contact with people in the audience. Halfway down the runway, I stopped for my first pose, doing a toned-down version of what I remembered as a bodybuilding pose. Looking towards the first row of the bleachers, I got another surprise. A man and woman, looking like late 30s, and a girl who looked like late teens. Geez, it looked like mom, dad, and daughter had come to see the nudes.

I walked on to the end of the runway. The three "celebrity" judges were seated at the very end of the runway, looking up at me dick and balls. I smiled down at them. I walked slowly back up the runway and struck my third pose. I looked over again at mom, dad, and daughter. Mom was telling her daughter something and pointing at me. I made eye contact with the daughter. She smiled and waved. Mom looked up at me and I made eye contact with her. She smiled and waved too.

I didn't want to leave the runway, but I had to. Back inside the tent, I was totally exhilarated. I wanted as the remaining seven guys took their individual turns. When we were all back in the tent, the "gatekeeper" girl said, "Ok, now everyone goes out one behind the other." Out we marched.

As I walked by the gatekeeper, she slapped my butt again. "Good job out there," she said to me.

We paraded down the runway and back up, this time to applause. When we were all back in the tent, the gatekeeper announced, "It will take a few minutes to count the votes. When I come back, I'll announce the number of the second runner-up. When I do, I want that guy to go up onto the runway. Then, I'll announce first runner-up, and winner. When I announce each of you, go out onto the runway."

Everyone was, I think, high on the energy of having gone nude in front of such a big crowd. There were loud voices and laughter. We were also getting very sweaty in the Caribbean heat.

Finally, the gatekeeper came back in. I heard Kelly on the PA, and then the gatekeeper yelled "Second runner-up, number 12." A very muscular, bodybuilder type guy with close cut blond hair walked out and up the steps. Rolf someone. After a few minutes, I could hear Kelly's voice again. Then the gatekeeper yelled "First runner-up, number eight." It didn't register for a moment. The gatekeeper looked right at me. "You, get your bare ass onstage."

I walked back up the steps. Everyone was clapping. Sara and Chris were jumping up and down. Kelly came over, kissed me on the cheek, slapped my butt, and put a sash over my right shoulder. The sash was the only thing I had on. I turned slowly and waved to t e whole crowd. Mom, dad, and daughter were applauding energetically. After my few moments in the sun, Kelly gestured for me to stand next to the second runner up. Then Kelly announced the winner, Pascal someone. The guy who came out of the tent looked Spanish. Olive skin, longish dark hair, and the type of face I imagine women dream about. Most noticeably, he was hung like a horse. He took a slightly longer star turn. Kelly kissed him, but didn't slap his butt. I was pleased by that.

Finally, the three of us walked back down into the tent. The gatekeeper made another announcement; "Gentlemen, thank you very much for participating. I hope that you had fun. I know that Amanda and I did. You can get dressed now, except for our three winners. Winners, if you'll please stay naked, you're going to help judge the ladies. As soon as they get into their undressing tent, I'll take you to where they were standing."

The other guys got dressed while the three of us stood there wearing only our sashes. Finally, the gatekeeper came back. "Gentlemen, please follow me."

She led us out the back of the tent and around the outside of the ladies' tent. We could hear voices and movement inside. Then she led us in front of the first row of seated spectators to a roped-off area where the arm of the Y joined the tail. She left us standing there, three nude guys in a crowd of about 1,600 clothed people.

I looked across the runway for mom, dad, and daughter. I saw dad and daughter, but mom had gone somewhere.

Finally, the first naked lady came out. The first five were, I thought, nothing special. I was willing to bet that each one was carrying some silicone. Number six was Chris. I was a bit worried how she'd deal with it, but she was poised and fine. Looking up at her from below, I realized that Chris really was a very beautiful lady. Not Sara, but awfully damn good. I also realized that Chris was enjoying herself. While she remained classy, the audience got to see pretty much all of her. As Chris walked back up the runway, she looked down at me and mouthed the word "wet."

Number seven seemed like a lady who had come to the DR on vacation and been dared by her husband or boyfriend to enter the contest. When she first came through the drape, she stopped, turned back, and started to go back in. The ladies' gatekeeper pushed her back the right direction. The poor girl finally made it down the runway and back, but she was shaking like a leaf. That was too bad because she looked very lovely naked.

Ladies eight through 17 were nothing special; although number 15 looked to be in her late 50s and was carrying a few extra pounds. I admired her for going nude in front of a big audience. She understood that every lady is beautiful when she's naked. She seemed to enjoy herself, too.

Number 18 caught me off-guard. A blonde in her late 30s. Pretty nice body, but not getting quite enough exercise. Then it hit me: she was mom from the bleachers on the other side. I looked over and her husband and daughter were jumping up and down, clapping and yelling. Kelly's idea of allowing last minute "impulse" registrations had worked. Moreover, mom had a real presence on the runway. Looking at her, you got the impression that there was nothing in the world she'd rather be doing than standing naked in front of all those people.

They saved the best for last. Number 20 was Sara. It isn't just my bias when I say that she was far and away the most beautiful lady in the competition. She glowed. Knowing Sara, I knew how much she was enjoying being up there naked with everyone looking at her. As she came back up the runway, she looked down and blew me a kiss. I mouthed the words at her "I love you."

All of the ladies came back out and paraded. Then it was decision time. The three of us naked guys had votes. I was pleased to see that Pascal and Rolf both had Sara first. After some brief discussion, we agreed to make mom, number 18, the first runner-up, and Chris second runner-up. Walter, who chaired the "celebrity" judges for the women, came up with their three votes. Astoundingly, it was unanimous. Walter wrote down the final placing and handed that sheet to Kelly.

Kelly announced Chris as second runner-up. A moment later, Chris came back onto the runway. Now, Chris glowed. Kelly put a sash over Chris then gestured for her to walk down the runway. Chris did, very slowly. The entire crowd was applauding. Chris was drinking it in. I couldn't help thinking that she was a long way from Wall Street now, in more than just miles.

The Kelly announced mom, whose name was Debbie, as firs runner-up. Debbie came out, obviously astounded that she had placed. I think I saw tears. Kelly put the sash on her then gestured for her to take her victory walk. As she started down the runway, Kelly announced that Debbie had come today as a spectator but decided to join the ladies competition after watching the men, and that Debbie was here with her husband Bill and her daughter Gwen. Then Kelly delivered the clincher: "And Debbie tells me that she's never even gone to a nude beach before today." As Debbie walked naked down the runway, the crowd stood up for a standing ovation. Looking across the runway, I saw that Bill and Gwen were both smiling from ear to ear.

Finally, Kelly announced Sara as the winner. As Sara came out, she got a standing ovation and a huge and sustained cheer. I had thought Chris had glowed. Sara outshone everything. It seemed like a special light emanated from her tanned skin. Watching Sara walk naked down the runway, I was again struck by how beautiful she was (and is) and how incredibly lucky I was to be sharing her life. I was a bit sad that Zoe and Derek weren't there.

After Sara got her star turn, Kelly asked the men's winners to come onstage. We went through the ladies tent, where the other contestants were still getting dressed, and up onto the runway. Sara immediately ran to me. We gave each other a crushing hug and a long kiss. After Kelly separated us, I got a hug and kiss from Chris. She whispered in my ear, "thank you so much."

Kelly wanted us each to stand with the same place finisher of the other gender. That put Rolf with Chris, Sara with Pascal, and me with Debbie. Kelly directed pictures, starting with Rolf and Chris. Frontal with arms around each other's waists, then a kiss. Then it was my turn with Debbie. However, Debbie and I didn't just kiss, we also hugged. Debbie felt good. Bill was a lucky man. Then Pascal and Sara. Sara, being Sara, couldn't overlook Pascal's dominant feature, so they took a third photo with Pascal's massive dick lying in Sara's hand. Finally, a group photo of all six of us.