Skinny Dipping

About Skinny Dipping

Although a good many of us would probably be reluctant to admit it, there really is something very freeing about skinny dipping. It may be that it gives us that feeling of being back in the womb, floating without a care in the world. Perhaps the attraction is more about defying the rules of "polite" society by doing something often considered taboo, even if the activity is mild when compared to other things we might try. And of course, there is an element of sexuality to it tempered by a safety blanket. You might be stripped down to your birthday suit, but somehow you just don't feel as exposed when you're in the water.

Whatever the reason, people have been skinny dipping since the beginning of time, and the activity isn't likely to ever disappear completely.

The Accidental Dip

For some of us, skinny dipping is less of a plan and more of an accident. Have you ever taken a dive off the high board, only to come up and find your swimsuit floating on the surface next to you? Plenty of us have, and it can be downright embarrassing if it happens in front of a crowd of onlookers. The moment is generally short-lived as you struggle back into your swimsuit before sheepishly exiting the pool, but the humiliation tends to have a longer shelf life; especially if your friends were around to archive the story for future reference!

Skinny Dipping by Choice

Of course, not all skinny dipping episodes happen accidentally. Sometimes dipping is a spur of the moment decision. Maybe you're sitting around a campfire near the lake on a warm summer night, and the water just looks too luscious to resist. Are you going to let the fact that you didn't pack a swimsuit stop you from enjoying a dip, or are you going to peel off your street clothes and make a splash?

Sometimes skinny dipping is a planned group activity. Everyone decides to meet at a secluded pond and have a private party. If everyone is agreeable to swimming sans swimsuits, no harm done; at least not if you don't get caught by the local authorities.

Nude swimming is actually still a ritual at some private clubs, although the practice seems to be dying out as gender exclusive clubs go the way of the dinosaurs. There was a time when exclusive gentlemen's clubs were filled with nude bathers enjoying the freedom of the moment during their lunch hours.

Next-to-Nude Swimming

If nude swimming isn't as popular as it once was, perhaps it's due to the nature of modern swimsuits. When you consider the amount of exposure you get in a G-string bikini or the often revived monokini, taking your swimsuit off just doesn't seem so necessary. You've just about shown it all anyway.

Think Before You Dip

Yes, skinny dipping can be a fun and even frivolous activity, but you shouldn't take the situation too lightly.

• Swimming without your swimsuit is considered public nudity in most places, and you can wind up with a ticket at the least or arrested at worst. Unless you're on a designated nude beach or in a private club that condones the activity, it's a better idea to keep your bathing suit on.

• Even if the situation seems private enough, perhaps at a friend's pool party surrounded by a privacy fence, it's still a good idea to take stock of who is in the vicinity. It wouldn't be appropriate for adults to dip with children nearby. You'll also want to consider the feelings of other swimmers. Just being in the company of adults doesn't mean nude swimming is automatically approved, and it can make some people quite uncomfortable. Better to first ask if anyone objects, as well as if anyone wants to join you. Dipping by yourself will only give your companions the impression that you're an exhibitionist.