A little bit of nudity in the bush...

[FatCanyoner]

G'day all,
My experience has been that a little bit of nudity comes naturally to people who spend a lot of time in the bush. Anything from a quick skinny dip in a nice waterhole or river after a hot day of walking to the unceremonious strip-off of wet clothing back at the car, and even the occasional bit of nude walking when the bush is open and some warm sunshine is streaming down.
I recently did a canyon in the nude, from start to finish, which is the first time I've done an entire trip in that format (http://fatcanyoners.org/2011/12/18/nude-canyoning/). It started out as a laugh, but was actually a really enjoyable experience (as long as you were VERY careful to avoid rope burn).
I also remember reading the biography of the legendary 'barefoot bushwalker' Dot Butler and particularly enjoying the fact that her first introduction to real bushwalkers was when she stumbled upon a group (from the Sydney Bushwalkers possibly?) skinny dipping in the Royal National Park. Given it was the early 30's, that seemed pretty awesome to me. It also suggested nudity and bushwalking have a long history together!
All this has made me a little curious about the views of modern walkers. I'm I in the minority is do people find nudity a common part of bushwalking? Does everyone else nude up for a swim or have budgie smugglers found a place in the pack? Is it just too *&%$#! cold for all the Tassie walkers here!

[michael_p]

...Does everyone else nude up for a swim...?

Yep, sure do. As a fat old bugger I do make the effort to trundle off to somewhere a bit quieter and give everyone plenty of notice of my intention to swim in my birthday suit. No heavy wet towel or swimmers to carry out with you. A quick dry off with a sports towel usually does the trick.

The latest I have gone for a swim is May and it was a very "refreshing" experience.

Cheers,
Michael.

[Binder]

Haven Lake in 2001.

Still recovering...

[Binder]

Haven Lake in 2001.

Still recovering...

Actually, It was Hanging lake. told you I was still recovering

[phan_TOM]

Does everyone else nude up for a swim...

Goes without saying, especially if its a hot day Don't know if I'd be keen doing it with all that fast moving rope wizzing around though, certainly add an element of danger to the mix

[FatCanyoner]

Actually, It was Hanging lake. told you I was still recovering

Haha. Gold!

As a fat old bugger I do make the effort to trundle off to somewhere a bit quieter and give everyone plenty of notice of my intention to swim in my birthday suit.

Yeah, when I'm with people I don't know well I try and do the same. Even 50m downstream means people don't see anything they don't want to. That said, most people I've walked with don't seem to have an issue. In face, nude walking can actually speed things up. I've found a couple nude blokes at the back of the group can really cut down on people taking excessive rest breaks on long climbs!

And phan_TOM, you are spot on about the added danger. It actually requires a bit of a modified abseiling technique to avoid any rope burn!

[puredingo]

My old man walked everyday of his working life through the bush to his place of work. When the weir he crossed was flooded he simply swum across, naked.. with his clothes held above his head. So what I'm saying is there's no prudes in my family and being starkers when it's called for runs in my blood!!!

[Strider]

Haven Lake in 2001.

Still recovering...

Actually, It was Hanging lake. told you I was still recovering

Actually, you only said "still recovering". I wasn't sure if you were talking about yourself, or someone else.

[Macca81]

Swimming nude is the only way to swim! Most things are more enjoyable nude, but i think i would have to be carefull on the type of track i was on if i was to decide to walk nude

[LandSailor]

Leeches?

[jackhinde]

i usually take swimmers, but the weekend before last i was sitting neck deep in the nattai naked at 9 pm...

i have met topless walkers in tassie (chatty german girls) and one older gent starkers in the budawangs (not a word as we passed each other hurriedly)... dunno about baring all 'digi' style myself though

[Macca81]

Leeches?

There is a topic on this site somewhere about leeches... They dont like biting me

[abmacus]

If I can I do it I try to be discrete.
Last year on the Milford track I was down to my body hair at the river near Dumpling Hut when some guy comes out of the bush and asks me if he could video me jumping in the River. This guys wasnt in any of the other huts for the previous nights so I thought he was either a pro stalker or really weird. So I declined and asked him to be on his way. Because I was already primed for my swim I was rather cautious whilst doing so.
When I got back to the hut to tell my mate about this really strange incident down by the river here was my mate talking the weird guy. Pans out that the weird guy worked for "60secondtv" and was shooting an online ad for DOC. (see this link, http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... ord-track/
Im the guy in the Black Mountain Designs Jacket and there is a bit is me walking up from the river in the second one)
So the moral of the story is if you are nuded up be prepared, groomed or whatever for any strange happenins

[mikethepike]

Mallory of Everest fame walked in the nude alongside his dressed companions on expeditions when the conditions suited him.

[FatCanyoner]

Wow... seems we are a community of nudists!
Dingo, I think they bred them tougher in the old days. I'm not sure I know many people who'd swim across a flooded weir just to get to work these days!
The leeches references are funny. I've never had one attack me when I'm nude, but I can't say I'd be too keen on finding out what a leech bite feels like on the old fella! That said, they always seem to prefer the legs. Even with exposed arms and hands I've only ever had one try and bite me there. Others have always seemed to want to make their way somewhere better.
Jack, that night dip in the Nattai sounds divine. There haven't been many days with the right weather for a nice night swim this summer!
Abmacas, I actually laughed out loud reading about that 'weird' guy wanting to film you nude. What were the odds of him being a legitimate bloke making a promotional video!
And Mike, that is a great reference. I'll have to read up on his nudist ways. Although hopefully my trips end up a little better than his final effort!

[puredingo]

I think a leech will make it's way to areas where it's blood gorged so as long as your not hiking in an ...err....ummm...state of total arousment you should be right?

[Phil]

I got nude on top of Mt Anne recently.

Was on my own up there, early evening, not a breath of air, +20 degrees, cloudless sky as the sun was starting to dip..............just got the urge and loved the feeling

[ULWalkingPhil]

Was up top off Bunya Mountains a few days ago, hiked to the highest peak in the nude. Last week hiked a 22km trail in Cania Gorge, it was so hot, the last 10km we all stripped off and hiked in the nude.

[doogs]

Was up top off Bunya Mountains a few days ago, hiked to the highest peak in the nude. Last week hiked a 22km trail in Cania Gorge, it was so hot, the last 10km we all stripped off and hiked in the nude.

pics or it never happened

[Nuts]

err...
so nude peakbragging eh.... bonus points?

[jez_au]

All this has made me a little curious about the views of modern walkers. I'm I in the minority is do people find nudity a common part of bushwalking? Does everyone else nude up for a swim or have budgie smugglers found a place in the pack?

No room in the carefully weight-calculated pack for boardies! I've found most hikers to be open to it, nude swim or wash is much better on a long hike.

I did read your Fat Canyoning blog entry a while ago with much interest - top work, why not?!

[FatCanyoner]

Recently managed another nude canyon. This time it was a longer trip, a more spectacular canyon, and way more public given that we went nude from car to car!

As per doogs' statement:

pics or it never happened

There are plenty of pics (no dangly bits, so workplace friendly) along with a trip report here: http://fatcanyoners.org/2012/02/27/wdwdiitr-nude/

Anyone else have some classic photos or trip reports of a trip where they've gone one better? Longer, more exposed to the elements, more public?