Clothed for the Season.

No beach bums today.

Vancouver, BC – The shiver set in as my bones chattered, my eyelashes long with drops.

The rain hasn’t stopped all day.

We rented a car and headed across the city to the University of British Columbia, which is perched atop a hill. Thunderbird is certainly an appropriate mascot.

I had planned to find a comfortable spot to sit with a coffee, but opted instead to open the curtains of the storm. Wandering first through the Mall, I decided I couldn’t resist taking the trek down 500 leaf- and pine-needle-strewn steps, slick from the morning's deluge.

After all, how many university campuses have nude beaches on their fringes?

Wreck Beach is not only Canada’s busiest beach, it’s North America’s largest naturist beach. The university campus peeks over the hill with a half-closed eye at bathers below.

Not today – not with this chill.

A lone, grey heron stands at the shore, feathers slicked, before evaporating into the mist.

I can’t wait to get these wet clothes off.

Just not here.