Tag Archives: skinny dip

Midnight skinny dipping

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I know I’m pretty scathing in my appraisal of Cap D’Agde and the sordid, exhibitionist, ‘swinger’ associations it brings to genuine naturism, regardless of whether or not there remains a rump of genuine naturists who use the Cap.

But I picked the following photo up from the Lady Godiva blog, and it certainly has an innocent charm when photographed at midnight.

capd-nofootprints

For all I know people may well be having sex in the dunes behind Lady Godiva, but the photo captures none of that sordidness. Instead, it’s a beautiful lady, at midnight, by the water’s edge.

Which reminds me of one of my own, recent midnight skinny-dips, at the festival of St. Juan in Spain last year. I knew it was a festival day, but was completely ignorant of naked bathing rituals. Mr. Keng and myself went for a walk after dinner, essentially following what sounded like a live band. As we approached the bonfire on the beach, we noticed that there were numerous naked people around, dripping wet. Asking someone else, we discovered there’s a tradition whereby, for luck, you strip naked, turn round three times, throw a pebble over your shoulder into the sea, then follow it into the water on the stroke of midnight (hopefully avoiding being hit by other revellers throwing pebbles!).

Prior to midnight, many bonfires are lit on the beach, and traditionally, in Spain, it was apparently the beginning of the Spanish beach season. That said, I note from research that there’s nothing about pebbles or turning around. Bonfires get a regular mention, and I note that if you stay in the water long enough to be washed by nine waves, it increases a woman’s fertility (that’s me out after eight, then! 🙂 ) Nudity would appear to be optional for this custom, but where I was there was a heady, healthy mix of the clothed and unclothed. It was a beautiful scene, all accompanied to the gentle flamenco-driven rhythms of a bunch of hippy types who’d turned up with a variety of instruments and had begun jamming. Quite what the truth of the midnight swimming customs are, or were, I’m not sure, but we were certainly more than happy to lose our clothes and merrily join in. This year, pre-warned, we’ll bring towels! 🙂

All I can say is that there will be participation and, I’m told by my non-naturist travelling companion, photos to be taken. 🙂

As luck would have it, I’ll be out in Spain on St Juan’s Day this year, to that will certainly form a ‘postcard’ or two that night (or the following morning).

With this in mind, I decided to get Diane and Harry to grab a few ‘midnight skinny dip’ shots in SL. Between them, they decided to utilise each other as models! So the following is a short photo-essay of them undertaking a skinny dip under the stars.

diane midnight skinny dip_001b diane midnight skinny dip2_001b diane midnight skinny dip3_001b diane midnight skinny dip4_001b diane midnight skinny dip7_001b

Diane Midnight Skinny Dip collection by Harry Leistone

harry skinny dip1_001b harry skinny dip2_001b harry skinny dip3_001b harry skinny dip4_001b

Harry Midnight Skinny Dipping Collection by Diane Toxx (taken at Eden Naturist)

Ella

Yet another world record breaking skinny dip attempt. (Sydney, Australia)

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We’ve previously reported on world record breaking skinny dip attempts, in Vera Playa, Spain, and in New Zealand.

Now the Australians are at it!

These aren’t naturist events per se (although Vera Playa’s one in in the region’s naturist zone), but rather involve a lot of naked people, people who wouldn’t generally regard themselves as naturist. I like these events because they show increasing numbers of people are prepared to shed their clothes and think nothing of it, and indulge in an increasing sense of body awareness. And, in the case of Sydney’s event, held last Sunday, raise money for Australia’s National Parks. Nakedness and fund raising? What’s not to like?

Sydney+Skinny

We like a bit of fund-raising in SL, so….when are we going to organise our own record-breaking skinny dip within the game? And, you never know, raise some cash for some worthwhile charity.

Further links here. And here.

I’ve also discovered that ‘a thousand’ people took part (wow!) and each paid A$40 (£20, $35, 25 euros) for the privilege. As they were entering the water ‘in waves, every fifteen minutes’ it’s unlikely this will break New Zealand’s current Guinness Book of Records listing (I believe Guinness expect all skinny dippers to be in the water simultaneously). So that’s A$40k raised for Australia’s National Parks! An incredible effort! Well done to all who participated!

Ella.

New World Skinny Dipping record set in New Zealand

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A new world skinny dipping record has been set in New Zealand, beating Vera, Spain’s previous record, which was set at 729. New Zealand are claiming to have managed 745, so it looks as if the gauntlet has been thrown down for Vera to beat next summer, should they desire to try.

Charity skinny dip

 

Skinny dippers at the 2nd annual North-East skinny dip, autumn (fall), 2013.

You can see a video of New Zealand’s failed 2012 attempt here, and their successful attempt, on 30th December 2013, here. (Yes, I knew before now it was taking place, but these things take time to ascertain if a record has been achieved, and it may be some weeks before it becomes ‘official’).

And while we’re on the subject, here’s another video of a previous failed attempt in Wales in 2011. (I’d give them a special award for being the largest skinny dip to take place in stupidly cold water, personally!). And the Welsh attempt also had the worthy cause of supporting Marie Curie, a UK cancer charity.

You’ll also find a gallery of an attempt in Northumberland, England, last autumn (fall) here.

Also check out Pookes’ own singular, icy skinny dip, a Polar Bare swim, in our own blog posting here. Pookes throws out the idea that we should attempt to do something similar in SL during 2014. What a great idea! Any sim owners up for allowing us to organise something along these lines?

While I’m disappointed that Vera has lost its crown, due in no small part to the fact that some of my friends took part, I’m still delighted that the record has been broken, because it means more and more people are experiencing the delight of swimming without a costume and this, in turn, may lead them to experience naturism in a fuller sense. I hope so.

It seems to me that not everyone who takes part in these types of events can conceivably be ‘naturist’, so each one theoretically could lead to there being another convert. And I’m in full support of that!

Anyway, well done to all concerned in NZ!

Ella.

(and yes…I know my ‘holiday’ from blogging doesn’t appear to be going too well 🙂 )