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All above board as nudist clubs hang out on Swan River voyage

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Fremantle boat skipper Nick Elliott admits he's seen a lot of unusual things while hosting cruises down the Swan River, most notably during buck's parties.

But there's one cruise that stands out more than most.

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Mr Elliot helps run Perth Diving Academy, and on Saturday he chartered 100 people for a night on the Swan, something he does regularly for weddings and other events.

The group made Mr Elliott and his deck-hand feel "like royalty" when they offered them first honours at dinner, a rare gesture for a crew used to eating after all the guests had been served.  

Drinks flowed and dancing followed – it was just like any other cruise – but there was just one catch.

All the guests were naked.

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"Well it's certainly not the norm, that's for sure," Mr Elliott said light-heartedly when asked about the event.

"They come on [the boat] fully clothed, all decent, and then once we're under way, and therefore it's a private charter, they're free to de-robe as they wish.

"The skipper's quite lucky because obviously they can't generally leave the wheel-house ... and it's the deckie [deck-hand] that has to wriggle their way through a crowd of naked middle-aged people."

Luckily for club members, the January cruise occurred on a balmy Perth evening, with temperatures dropping to just 20 degrees overnight after a 38 degree day, keeping those free of their inhibitions from rugging up. 

The cruise surprised one local, Ali Pritchard, who zoomed in from the shore to take a blurry photo of the group baring all as they headed from Fremantle into the city and back, docking briefly in a "dark corner" of Melville water for dinner.

"[My partner and I] just had a giggle and thought, 'what a great experience for those people on board'," she said. 

Think of it like a football club or a social club. Only everyone's nude

"My partner saw it first and you know when you sort of look from a distance and someone looks like they've got nothing on? It was like that but then we realised, oh actually neither does the person next to them and the person next to them!

"I couldn't hear the music from where we were but I got the impression that they looked like they were having a damn good time."

Despite all the guests dropping trousers, the charter was - according to Mr Elliott, who had spoken with water police - all above board as it was considered a private function, not public nudity.

"They were such lovely people, they're really clean and tidy," he said. "The event was really well organised."

The people on board were from several nudist clubs around Perth, including Sunseekers, established in 1962.

Sunseekers president Helen Black told WAtoday the boat trip was an annual event but one of the few the club puts on outside its Parkerville base, 45 minutes east of Perth.

"We have a lovely area in the bush where there's about 100 families who come along, so that's 200 odd people, and we just love it," she said.

"Think of it like a football club or a social club. Only everyone's nude.

"We have bingo nights and quiz nights and dances. Just people enjoying themselves.

"I have friends who say to me 'oh no I could never, I need to lose weight' or something, but that's not what it's about.

"Just be comfortable in your own skin and don't worry."

And if you think these nudists are shy out in public, think again.

Mrs Black said that while they aren't exhibitionists, they don't mind the attention that can come their way.

"We actually love seeing the looks on peoples faces when they spot us - you know out of the corner of their eyes," she said.

"And they're going 'oh my, look at all those people, they're nude,' and we all have a laugh!"

- with David Allan-Petale