A picture taken during a Memorial Day trip to central Massachusetts. As far as I'm concerned, this is the way it ought to be.
Being a collection of pictures and information about naturist sites and activities. Just stuff that I've done or that I find interesting. If you don't agree, your "back" button is at your service! Some people will know me as "Swim_n_Paddle", which is a silly name that I originally used on the Yahoo "Nude Canoeists" board, but I keep using it. It's not very important.
Note for the nervous: there are some pictures of naked people here. Actually mostly me. If the prospect scares you, go no further. But nude ain't lewd. This is all just good fun, suitable for the most delicate of tastes. Come on in!
|
|
A picture taken during a Memorial Day trip to central Massachusetts. As far as I'm concerned, this is the way it ought to be. |
That sounds grand, doesn't it. Well, they say that the difference between a nudist and a naturist is that "A nudist goes around naked, whereas a naturist goes around naked, and gives lectures."
It's the fundamental belief of naturism that there's nothing obscene or indecent about the human body, and furthermore that "every body is a good body". That's what I believe, and it's what I try to put into practice. It would be a fine thing if everyone agreed! Instead we've got into a state where most people have a fetish about wearing textiles, acting as though certain body parts are awful to see, and terrible things would occur if anyone exposed them. At the same time, some people wear revealing clothing, which hints at uncovering those forbidden parts but never quite delivers. Surely it would be much more honest and a lot less stressful if we dressed in a dignified manner when clothed, and went naked without shame when we felt like it. I'm certainly aware of people like Andrew Martinez and Vincent Bethell, whom I'd describe as "radical naturists", who think we ought to have every right to go naked under any and all circumstances, even downtown at high noon. This isn't my objective. Most of us would look askance at a person in a swimsuit downtown at noon, and I'd view nudity in the same category. In fact, that leads to a pretty accurate sense of when I think nudity would be appropriate: anywhere that a person might be seen in a swimsuit, I think it would be fine if that person could alternatively be naked. That's why I've refused to wear a swimsuit for quite a few years now--if someone suggests swimming, I ask if I can do it nude, and if the answer is no, I stay out of the water!
Beyond the issue of nude versus clothed, I feel a particular desire to be without clothes when I'm in a "natural" environment, in the woods or out on the water. As I see it, accepting nature means offering one's body to the spirits of the woods and streams, and I like to think that they appreciate the fact that I meet them without a human-made barrier of cloth between us. (Note: the existence of forest spirits is a useful hypothetical concept and I'm not seriously claiming that they actually exist!) In particular, if one chooses to immerse oneself in a free-flowing stream, I think one does it most respectfully by bringing only one's own, all natural, body to the experience. Fortunately, it seems that people involved in hiking or canoeing have liberal attitudes, and when I've been out in company I've never once had anyone object if I ask if they mind my swimming nude.
As far as other people are concerned, I see us all as creations of nature, and hence if we feel that our fellow humans are benign, nudity in company--regardless of age or gender--is entirely a good thing. In a way this does link up with the childish "I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours", but the message is "I won't hurt you, and I'm sure you won't hurt me". To be naked does indeed leave us feeling vulnerable, but it's only in a psychological sense that clothing protects us from much harm. It's mutual goodwill that is our strongest protection, and that's true regardless of what we wear.
Naturists do sometimes fret over the issue of "gender balance" but I'm content to share nudity with anyone who'll reciprocate. That means that I'm perfectly happy in all-male company, and I've spent quite a few naked hours that way. As I see it, the question is acceptance, not the exact body parts displayed. Would it be nice if more women chose to participate? Yes it would, but I'm going to enjoy being without clothes and not worry about who else is there.
Having now demonstrated that I'm a naturist, I'll let practical matters fill the rest of these pages.
Here's a web page about a naturist Canoe trip in Maine which I did in 2005 with three friends. Featuring lots of pictures and not too much text !
 |
Here is a picture from a Naturist Society Outdoor Recreation Interest Group hike, on Carr Mountain, NH, a few years ago. John, John and Tom. The big concrete block is part of the foundation of a fire tower that used to stand on the mountaintop. Sad to say, within six months of this trip, John H. died. Nature gets the last word. |
Here is the first page I set up, a guide to and about the nude beach at Cummington, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, the level of sexual activity (and I've been there, and seen it) at this place has left me discouraged about it, but some people might be interested.
You'd like to hear about the Outdoor Recreation Interest Group of the Naturist Society, wouldn't you?
Follow this link to the Paddling Bares, an excellent canoeing club dedicated to naturist paddling.
This link will take you to a site that's all about swimmin' holes, mostly but not entirely in the eastern United States. Featuring (ahem) my pictures from the Punch Bowl, on the Mad River in Vermont. One of the things that's fun about this site is it has a notation for each place saying whether swimsuits are required or not. Of course, if you can't go nude, I say why bother.
Here is information about the Green River Reservoir, near Morrisville, Vermont. The interesting point about this place is that it's the largest lake in the state on which powerboats are not allowed. You can camp around the lake and in 2000 it was free, but by the time I got to camp there in 2001, they were charging $12 per site per night.
Warning! I visited Green River Reservoir and the Punch Bowl (and a couple of other spots in Vermont) the same summer day. I then developed an unpleasant case of poison ivy. I don't know which apparently-idyllic place betrayed me--so watch your step! No, I didn't get poison ivy in any spots where naturists are more vulnerable than those who wear textiles all the time. I must have walked through the stuff, because it got me around the ankles.
Here are some pictures from our recent trip to the Northwest. We visited two hot springs and I became insane (well, slightly more than usual) and climbed under a waterfall.
 |
Did you know that the label on a "Nantucket Nectars" brand juice bottle used to show a picture of a naked man? He was there making an implausible leap from the roof of a building into Nantucket Harbor. Thanks to Steve "The Cliff Diver" for telling me about this one. There's a Web site listing all the little factoids about Nantucket that appear in the bottle caps, and in item #7 it says, 'The naked guy jumping off the roof is Paul "The Pelican" Conti.' Unfortunately, Nantucket Nectars recently changed the label design and Mr Conti has been removed. The company has had a convoluted ownership: the original owners sold the name to Ocean Spray, which recently sold it to Cadbury-Schweppes. Will they return to the original design? Probably not. |
 |
Here's a picture of a certain individual enjoying Grout Pond in southern Vermont. This was a last chance to enjoy some warm weather in the first few days of October. See the fall colors beginning to appear! Photo by Paul L. Now go and look at the Green River Reservoir pictures and see the difference between Vermont on the first weekend of October, and the same state on the last weekend in the same month! |
 |
Outdoor naturism doesn't have to end when the weather turns cold. If it's not absolutely arctic, and the wind isn't blowing, and it's not actually snowing, you can have a great time on skis. The ideal day is calm and sunny. Beginning cross-country skiers are told to "dress in layers" and to remove the layers as they warm up. Well, when you get completely warm, it's time to take off all the layers! |
Email the author if you have comments on this document.
 |
|