Florida Panhandle Report

[52dno98]

Hey guys. Reporting to you live from the beach in the Florida panhandle (the skinny costal area in the Northwest for those unfamiliar). This part of the state is known as “the redneck Riviera” because the beaches are frequented by lots of people from the southeast US- Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Anyway, I’ve seen two other guys in speedos- both older and chubby, but confident and clearly at ease with themselves- and one guy in a square cut- he was young and ripped, and really showed it off well.

I’m on vacation with my wife’s parents, so haven’t had too many chances to rock my speeds openly, but they took my wife and our three year old shopping today and so I’ve spent the morning on the beach in my suit (it’s basic- an Arena suit I usually swim laps in) and it’s been awesome. I’m going to have a solid speedo tan for sure.

My in-laws are leaving tomorrow and taking the kid so I’m hopeful my wife won’t react too negatively when I shuck my boardies tomorrow...

[DaveSpeedoEvans]

Thanks for the report mate, I've never been to Florida and good to hear you are speedo'ing it up!!!

Dave

[Red^^Speedo]

So, was the Missus good with it?

[52dno98]

So, was the Missus good with it?

We went back to the beach the next day, per the plan, and after I got a few drinks in her I took off my board shorts. I laid a towel out next to her on the sand and plopped down and she looked at me and said, "really?" in a disappointed tone. All in all, she wasn't supportive, but she also didn't like, MAKE me put my shorts back on.

I'd been drinking pretty heavily all day, too, and I said to her at some point, "I'm sorry, dear, but you married a speedo guy." And she said, "I wish I'd known that prior to us getting married!" I think she meant it more jokingly than it came across, but she was definitely not an enthusiastic supporter.

But I'll tell all of you guys, despite my wife's lack of support it felt GREAT to sun myself and to swim in the ocean in just a speedo. So liberating.

[marium]

Nice to hear you enjoyed the experience despite the reaction. If I could suggest anything, it would be not to hold your wife completely responsible for her reactions. The hypnosis of social conditioning is a powerful thing, and your wife is among millions of people in the US who have succumbed to the perception that speedos have little or no place on the beach. For those of us who wear them anyway, it’s enough to acknowledge that we had to transcend that myth, take a broader perspective and disregard the influence. Just because we did, it doesn’t mean people around us, or even people close to us, are able to yet. It may help to acknowledge her discomfort and draw attention to your sense of discretion instead of apologizing. For example, there was a reason you chose not to wear them around her parents, but wore them in a more private setting, i.e. if you’re never going to see all those other people on the beach again, it was private between you and your wife despite the beach goers.

It would be great if you could plan a trip to a place where speedos are more prevalent to soften the hard line she seems to have taken. However, I don’t want to assume it’s easy getting to the French Riviera if the redneck riviera is what you’re working with. Until then, keep lap swimming, keep the speedos and keep loving your wife. Pls forgive what may sound like an oversimplification, but the more unconditional your love of her is, the more unconditional her love of you will be. That’s the most important thing in this life. The closer to true unconditional love you have for each other, the more you’ll find that pettiness around so many things will lose relevance, speedos included.

[Thom]

Hey guys. Reporting to you live from the beach in the Florida panhandle (the skinny costal area in the Northwest for those unfamiliar). This part of the state is known as “the redneck Riviera” because the beaches are frequented by lots of people from the southeast US- Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

....

Thanks for the update. I live in SoFL. Never been to the panhandle. With my northern accent, I doubt that I'd do well there.

[52dno98]

Nice to hear you enjoyed the experience despite the reaction. If I could suggest anything, it would be not to hold your wife completely responsible for her reactions. The hypnosis of social conditioning is a powerful thing, and your wife is among millions of people in the US who have succumbed to the perception that speedos have little or no place on the beach. For those of us who wear them anyway, it’s enough to acknowledge that we had to transcend that myth, take a broader perspective and disregard the influence. Just because we did, it doesn’t mean people around us, or even people close to us, are able to yet. It may help to acknowledge her discomfort and draw attention to your sense of discretion instead of apologizing. For example, there was a reason you chose not to wear them around her parents, but wore them in a more private setting, i.e. if you’re never going to see all those other people on the beach again, it was private between you and your wife despite the beach goers.

It would be great if you could plan a trip to a place where speedos are more prevalent to soften the hard line she seems to have taken. However, I don’t want to assume it’s easy getting to the French Riviera if the redneck riviera is what you’re working with. Until then, keep lap swimming, keep the speedos and keep loving your wife. Pls forgive what may sound like an oversimplification, but the more unconditional your love of her is, the more unconditional her love of you will be. That’s the most important thing in this life. The closer to true unconditional love you have for each other, the more you’ll find that pettiness around so many things will lose relevance, speedos included.

Very nicely put. Thanks for the encouraging words. To your point, she and I have a very solid relationship, and what she sees as a weird exhibitionist streak in her husband isn't going to wreck that.

[speed-oh]

"I'm sorry, dear, but you married a speedo guy."

Thats always my excuse too: "I've always been a speedo guy."

Glad to hear you had a good time!! Love being in the waves in a speedo too. Legit can't believe your wife isn't more supportive based on your avatar alone, you wear that suit so well! It would be criminal to cover up more

[Bullseye]

Hey 52,
my wife has a similar attitude as yours to speedos, although since she has never been in public with me wearing one (other than the gym lap pool) she doesn't worry as much about what others are thinking about me, and tends just to make jokes at my expense. (She would be horrified if I ever wore it with people we actually know around). Anyway, my 50th birthday is coming up in December, and we were talking about going somewhere warm. I said we could go to Australia, because it will be summer time there. Then I said, "and they wear speedos there, so I could finally wear my speedos to the beach". Her reply? "In that case, you will be celebrating your birthday in Australia by yourself". DARN! i thought maybe halfway around the world she wouldn't care. Guess I gotta keep working on her.

[Red^^Speedo]

Her reply? "In that case, you will be celebrating your birthday in Australia by yourself". DARN! i thought maybe halfway around the world she wouldn't care.

Now there's an offer!

[geauxboi]

I went the Florida panhandle this past weekend. Was in Fort Walton Beach for 2 days, and then 1 day in Pensacola Beach. Well day one was with the family it was strictly trunks, 5 inch inseam trunk I bought on Ebay with no lining, so I wear a polymide bikini underheath (not the long board shorts I can't stand those!) I will never wear the speedo in front of any family, ever.

So the next day was I was alone, and went to the public beach down the street. This was a Monday so it was not very busy, but still a good many people. I was the only male on the beach with a speedo or brief or trunk style suit. I wore navy blue Speedo solar swimsuit, then I changed into an Aqux light green swim brief, and then I changed into a Orange Aqux Sport swim brief.

The next day was in Pensacola Beach, which is my favorite beach, and it 30 miles west. Well I went to the public beach that has a restroom and showers. This was a Tuesday so there was not hardly anybody on the beach, which is what I wanted for that day, just to have a nice quiet day with hardly any people. The suits I wore were 1) dark red brave person bikini 2)blue Fila swim brief 3) red Nike Core swim brief 4) black/red Nike Core Swim Brief.

Well to my surprise, later that day I was walking to the parking lot to my car to get something and saw a man wearing a white thong! Just walking into the restroom like he was totally comfortable. I went to my car and started walking back and was on the beach and turned around to make sure I saw what I saw, and the man came out of the bathroom still wearing nothing but the white thong, and his wife was right next to him and they were walking to the parking lot. The wife was wearing a string bikini type suit, but not a thong. Well this is the first time this whole vacation I saw another man wearing something other than trunks and shorts!

Other than the LGBT Celebration in Pensacola on Memorial Day Weekend where you see every kind of suit, to topless girls, and half thongs, bandanas, and naked if they don't get caught. I have never seen a man in a thong on the panhandle!

[Thom]

….
Other than the LGBT Celebration in Pensacola on Memorial Day Weekend where you see every kind of suit, to topless girls, and half thongs, bandanas, and naked if they don't get caught. I have never seen a man in a thong on the panhandle!

Wow, in the panhandle. And I bet they don't see many Aqux suits up there (I'm in SoFL) either.

[rmf]

I went the Florida panhandle this past weekend. Was in Fort Walton Beach for 2 days.....

Did you see a lot of signs from Gulf front owners roping off the beach? There is a Customary Use battle going on in Florida and Walton County is ground zero... We are heading down to that area in a few weeks for the first time since HB631 came into effect. It's going to be interesting to see if the beach spot we always go to - which has always been very light in beach goers - will now be roped off. I liked it because it was so quiet that there weren't a lot of people around...

[52dno98]

Did you see a lot of signs from Gulf front owners roping off the beach? There is a Customary Use battle going on in Florida and Walton County is ground zero... We are heading down to that area in a few weeks for the first time since HB631 came into effect. It's going to be interesting to see if the beach spot we always go to - which has always been very light in beach goers - will now be roped off. I liked it because it was so quiet that there weren't a lot of people around...

My wife and I are going in September to Walton County, too. I hadn't heard about the Customary Use battle, but I'll report back.

And hopefully I'll have some good news to share about wearing briefs to the beach!

[geauxboi]

Did you see a lot of signs from Gulf front owners roping off the beach? There is a Customary Use battle going on in Florida and Walton County is ground zero... We are heading down to that area in a few weeks for the first time since HB631 came into effect. It's going to be interesting to see if the beach spot we always go to - which has always been very light in beach goers - will now be roped off. I liked it because it was so quiet that there weren't a lot of people around...

No did not see any beaches roped off or no trespassing signs or anything like that in either Okaloosa Island or Santa Rosa Island(Pensacola Beach). I did not go into Walton County, that is Sandestin and Miramar Beach area, which is right next to Destin in Okaloosa County. These are probably the most visited and most popular tourist communities in the Florida Pandandle, that might by why a an ordinance/law was created for the people that own properties on the beach. Let us know what you see when you go there.

[geauxboi]

My wife and I are going in September to Walton County, too. I hadn't heard about the Customary Use battle, but I'll report back.

And hopefully I'll have some good news to share about wearing briefs to the beach!

Yes hopefully you are not the only man in swim briefs, let us know what you see for sure!

[geauxboi]

In Panama City Beach now, about to go to the beach. I will let y'all know what I see. I know I will be the only one in speedos. Hopefully not!

[52dno98]

In Panama City Beach now, about to go to the beach. I will let y'all know what I see. I know I will be the only one in speedos. Hopefully now!

Enjoy the beach! My family and I are going to Destin next week!

[MrMusik]

In Panama City Beach now, about to go to the beach. I will let y'all know what I see. I know I will be the only one in speedos. Hopefully not!

Curious to know how things turned out for you.

The wife and I may be in the area tomorrow afternoon and looking for a beach to visit!

[geauxboi]

In Panama City Beach now, about to go to the beach. I will let y'all know what I see. I know I will be the only one in speedos. Hopefully not!

Curious to know how things turned out for you.

The wife and I may be in the area tomorrow afternoon and looking for a beach to visit!

I see you are in Mississippi. There is a really nice public beach in South Walton County called Inlet Beach. It is located at the Walton County/Bay County line. You can stay in a PCB hotel and take a very short drive to it, it is just off of Hwy 98. There are no hotels near this beach, only vacation homes and condos, and there is some parking, not a lot, but enough for a non holiday week. I hope you get a chance to check it out, I really liked it. I prefer the public beaches not near hotels, it is quieter and more relaxing. I will report the rest of my findings in another post.