Wild Swimming

[Petrus]

On BBC4 (Freeview)on Tuesday 3rd August at 9 pm, Dr. Alice Roberts, an anthropologist, presents a programme extolling the joys of wild swimming.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvan ... mming.html

Over the past view years there have been a number of books, articles and a website or two encouraging the revival of this activity. There are even suggestions of places where you can usually swim nude. Whilst this is not overtly a “naturist” activity, I feel that it is another step towards the general acceptance of simple non-sexual nudity. You are much closer to nature without a swimming costume than with one!

Below is an article from two years ago.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/feature ... ovely.html

[truro-n-free]

She does, however think "its naughty".

[Gappy]

I'll be watching, I love my dips in the sea so it'll be interesting to see where else gets suggested

[sandy_beach_cat]

<snip> Whilst this is not overtly a “naturist” activity, I feel that it is another step towards the general acceptance of simple non-sexual nudity. You are much closer to nature without a swimming costume than with one!

Er, excuse me? Skinny dipping is kind of what I do outdoors naked? Sometimes with a snorkel or boogie board. Mostly alone, sometimes with company.

[barelee]

I won't be around to watch it but that's what i-player's for!

[Sammy]

Are we thinking it only counts as naturist if you consider it a lifestyle? For me, people making a choice to sometimes be naked for certain things is exactly what I hope for!

[Petrus]

Are we thinking it only counts as naturist if you consider it a lifestyle? For me, people making a choice to sometimes be naked for certain things is exactly what I hope for!

Not at all! I meant that the programme did not appear to be specially advocating nudity, although it could be mentioned in passing. I hate labels like “naturist” or nudist” as they imply some kind of conformity, when we are all individuals with our own preferences for being nude. However “naturist” is useful shorthand rather than having to say “those who prefer to be free of all clothing, when at all possible”!

[Nudezilla]

Perhaps, it is just me, but just the title of this thread for me makes me take pause. I mean, "Wild Swimming" invokes the mind to ponder thrashing and splashing about. Much resembling a drowning persons flailing. I know what is being referred to, but I still find it amusing at first glance. I'm not one for labels either, but I do consider myself to be a naturist because I prefer to live that way more so than with clothing. So I'll take that label.

[Sammy]

I think the best thing we can ask for is programmes that treat nudity lightly, and it happens in passing. The message then is "Sure, you can be naked; lots of people are and they don't make a big deal of it, or sign up for anything, or carry a card".

[phoebe]

yes wild swimming sounds more like what you'd see at swim lessons for a group of 7 y.o. s

[ndy]

I watched this last night and really enjoyed it, I'm not much of a swimmer, but it got me interested. I thought her reaction to the test and the cold outdoor pool was interesting. she kept referring to how good it made her body feel, and how alive she felt when she got out.

She also covered off the skinny dipping at the end quite sensitively, as Sammy states with more a reference rather than a big issue.

[Gappy]

I enjoyed this programme too, loved the otters they showed. But I do have 2 small gripes, 1 is that for a show about the natural world and getting back to nature she was alone in a very big vehicle which isn't that environmentally friendly. The other (i'm an ex swimming teacher) was her lousy breaststroke leg technique! But on the whole I thought the whole subject was dealt with very well, and the skinny dip wasn't sensationalised in any way it was just there as part of the whole swimming theme.

[Blizz]

I just finished watching it. Pretty damn interesting, even though I might have scowled a bit when sex was mentioned on top of the paintings of the skinny dippers. Can't see the whole wild swimming idea gaining wide acceptance though.

One thing's for sure though, it's made me want to find somewhere to skinny dip even more.

[northlondoner]

I enjoyed this programme too, loved the otters they showed. But I do have 2 small gripes, 1 is that for a show about the natural world and getting back to nature she was alone in a very big vehicle which isn't that environmentally friendly. The other (i'm an ex swimming teacher) was her lousy breaststroke leg technique! But on the whole I thought the whole subject was dealt with very well, and the skinny dip wasn't sensationalised in any way it was just there as part of the whole swimming theme.

Have to agree with you about the 'Chelsea Tractor'. That notwithstanding, it was a programme that avoided sensationalism or using nudity as just a way to get viewers.

[Sammy]

Can't see the whole wild swimming idea gaining wide acceptance though.

Well, it's sold a lot of books and made it to the BBC. I don't think it's going to replace football, but lots of people I know who are not naked people know about it and have mentioned it, positively. Probably mostly enlightened people, though.