I recently went to a pool party, 'clothing optional'. It was a *wonderful* experience! Most people did, in fact, go nude and we all had a lot of fun. I've also been to a nude beach, and tried swimming in the sea in the nude. There's an interesting aspect to this: when you are with naked people you don't know very well, where do you look? Do you feel embarrassed and uncomfortable? Or does it seem totally natural? Tell us about your skinny dipping experiences. * Peter * Dear Peter, The only times I've gone skinny diping were at night at a resort. I didn't have to wonder where to look, I couldn't see anything! And it was "just the two of us" anyway. In a couple of years I think I might REALLY enjoy skinny dipping! Hugs, Cindi Dear Peter: I've usually skinny-dipped at night, so the problem has never come up. I like it The last time was pre magic. I was staying with a friend in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in July. It was muggy during the day, so he and I spent as much time as possible in the creek nearby. The water was just right, and it moved so we could float with it. The last night we were in PA, we went to the creek late. The lightning bugs were out, and it was pitch black under the trees by the water. We couldn't see the creek. We dropped our clothes and leaped in. It waas like swimming among the stars as the lightning bugs flew around. It was quiet, beautiful, peaceful, and felt good with the water flowing over my body. Other than that, my skinny-dipping has been alone, when on backpacking trips. I like cold water. And looking at the mountains as I paddle around. --Larry Nelson Well, Peter, here I am at the ripe old age of 32 and would you believe I've never done it? I've fantasized about it , but never had the opportunity to make it a reality. Growing up in the "frozen north" here, pools and private places to swim aren't nearly as plentiful as they are in California, nor is group nudity as accepted here as it seems to be there. Of course, it's possible that I've been moving in the wrong circle of people for that sort of thing to surface. In my fantasies, it's been a strictly one-on-one type of encounter. Just me and my fantasy lover, all alone in the pool . I like your question about "where do you look" when involved in a group of naked or even partially unclothed (topless) people. I mean, "not-looking" can be almost as obvious and as uncomfortable as "looking", can't it???? I'm certain I'd at least start out being a "crotch-watcher." Did I really say that????? But then, perhaps exposed "goodies" get boring after awhile??? Well, Peter.... where did *you* look???? As a new member to this section, I'm hesitant to speak out but Paula's candor has encouraged me. I'm 38 now (and you you think yourself so old Paula!) but 9 years ago my wife and I were close to a woman neighbor. Now the neighbor had a pool and she often invited us to swim altho we never did. Finally the 3 of us got together in the pool one evening at dusk. As it grew darker and the yard lights had more effect, 'neighbor' got out and turned them off. Well, wild guy that I am, I took my suit off first and the girls followed; tops then bottoms. We frolicked and chased and pinched and finally I grabbed }my wife and held her. To make a short story shorter, we have every reason to believe that our 9 yr old son was conceived in the pool that night. Oh yes, he loves to swim! Paula, I think if people are showing something because they want to, you can look at it all... because YOU want to!! Dear Jim, Your remark about my candor made me smile. I fluctuate between being very very honest, and being very very shy. I'm glad my "candid" mood caught your attention, though! Welcome to section 8! I'm fairly sure I wouldn't be the first one to remove the suit, and probably not even the second, but you can bet if I was the only one left with one on, that it wouldn't stay that way for long! I *liked* your story! And even more, I liked your conclusion about looking at what people *chose* to make ummmm...available ...to look at! I can tell you another thing. Your story is going to be "fantasy fuel" for quiet awhile! Always wondered what that would be like. (putting imagination to work) ....paula Dear Paula, Fluctuations between honesty and shyness? Probably more like shyness and openess, I get the feeling that you're quite honest - its either the truth or * Paula * doesn't say anything. Correct? As far as looking at what is shown (inadvertent or intentional) I've let that rule by my guide. If I see a long-legged lady wearing a tight, slit skirt squirming out of a Corvette then I am going to look and see what there is to see. I do not go out of my way to peer, I'm not rude or coarse about it, I would never trespass or break the law for 'a look'. I feel tha most all women know when something is showing and they like to be politely looked at and admired. I know I enjoy the warm stare of a woman! How about you Paula? If you were wearing a loose/low top and bent over a bit on purpose, would you not enjoy the POLITE attention of a gentleman? I also feel that most all women go to great lengths to make themselves pleasing to the eye (theirs, mine or whomever) and that just looking and quietly admiring is recompense for their effort! Jim Dear Larry Your description of night time skinny dipping was most tempting! How would you react to an invitation to do the same thing in daylight in a group of people? Best wishes .... Peter Dear Paula I hope you will get a chance to try skinny dipping. It really is an experience. Regarding "where to look" I suppose our culture just has not worked out acceptable behavior for this situation. I can say "I like your dress" but hardly "what beautiful nipples"! I don't know whether to pretend not to notice, or to take in the whole figure just as I would if the person were clothed. I've had the opportunity to watch women nude sunbathing for the first time. It seems that at first they are shy, and hoping nobody is watching. Then they notice that people *are* noticing them, and find that they enjoy that. After that they just "let it all hang out"! I had a similar reaction myself .. I was shy the first time I did it, but when I noticed women "checking me out" I was secretly pleased, rather than embarrassed! Huggs ... Peter Dear Jim I liked your story of (possibly) conceiving a child in a swimming pool! Could I ask the actual mechanics of the operation? Were you both standing? How did you manage to avoid drowning each other? Best wishes .... Peter Peter, On a three week vacation in Jamaica I saw something interesting along those lines of nude sunbathing. In my part of the island (Negril) it was pretty common for many of the women to not wear tops. After being there about a week, you begin to notice the people who have just arrived. It was interesting to watch some of the women go through the process of deciding whether to take their top off or to leave it on. The typical scenario was that she would find a nice quiet place, partially hidden, and lay down and take her top off. Everytime she got up she would put it on.....after a few hours of this she would sit up without it on.....maybe the next day, she would do the same thing but in a less secluded place. By the end of the week a high percentage of the women we walking topless down the beach and talking to everyone. Rog We were in the 'spoon position' whilst hanging on the edge with the backs of our arms. If the water had been colder, I'm sure it would not have worked out, er, in. Dear Roger That's very familiar to what I have observed in Europe. Did you know that practically all the beaches in Europe are topless now? It's the only regret I have in coming to this country! I wonder when California, allegedly the trend-setter, will catch up with the 'Old World' in this respect? Best wishes .... Peter I do wish we had graphics on this SIG! I'm still not sure how it worked, and a diagram would make it so much clearer. I suppose I'll just have to experiment! Isn't America and the USSR the only major contries where the beaches are not typically topless?? Interesting eh?? Okay sports fans, here we go! (Wheres my CAD book) Place you and your intended into a pool with about 3' of water in it. Peter, you back up against the wall and hook your arms over the outboard wall. Now, assure that there is a functional erection in progress (how you get that is YOUR problem!). Have the female partner back up to you. She must straddle your legs with her, or in some fashion bring her lower trunk into contact with yours. Now unless the water is very cold, intromission can take place with subsequent coitus. INTERmissions are optional. Peter, if thats not good enough, EMail me!!! I see: only about 3' of water! I was imagining a much deeper pool. There must be a lot of room for exploration here, with the weightlessness aspect. Actually, the idea of shallower water reminds me of a fantasy of making love right on the edge of the sea, with the incoming waves lightly washing over us. Has anyone out there tried that? Oooh, yes! But it's MUCH more fun if there's at least four feet of water in the pool, and you're facing each other. That way the water can support the lady, somewhat, while she holds on to the edge of the pool. And the guy's hands are thus free to - er - do other things. But he does have to have his back to the pool wall for this to work. Elna Well, to counter that [imagination is ALWAYS on-line here!] how about SCUBA buoyancy compensators and then the depth of the water becomes a moot point?! They're like life jacket, inflatable, but you control the degree of buoyancy to suit your, er, taste. PETER ? I'M RICK, INTO KINKY STUFF: SUCH AS SPANKING; U AND I HAVE CONVERSED BEFORE. SKINNY DIPPING ? LET ME TELL YOU... I LUV IT I THRIVE ON IT. I MET MY GIRL THAT WAY. B U T . . . I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OF ABOUT 180 RESIDENTS. I, AND MY GIRL WENT SKINNY DIPPING ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO. APARTMENT SECURITY CAUGHT US NOT ONLY SKINNY DIPPING, B U T , YES, U GOT IT, MAKING LOVE IN THE JACCUZI, 14 AND 1/2 FT. FROM THE POOL. NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT IT WAS RATHER INTERESTING, WE GOT TURNED ON ENOUGH TO EXHIBITION--ISM, WE MADE LOVE IN THE DENNY'S PARKING LOT THE NEXT NIGHT !!! WE DID NOT GET CAUGHT !! OH WELL, MAYBE NEXT TIME. PAULA ? SAME HERTE GAWD, I CAN NOT SPELL TO NIGHT. SKINNY DIPPING... WHERE 2 LOOK...WELL...CROTCH SHOTS ARE GREAT, BOTTOMS R BETTER!!! ONCE I VISITED A NUDIST BEACH N OR LA---BUTTS WERE NICE. UR LUCKY THO, GUYS HAVE A DIFFERENT REACTION WHEN TURNED ON ! SMILE LARRY, BY ANY CHANCE RU IN OR NEAR HOUSTON TX.? I LIVE IN AN APT. COMPLEX WHERE THIS IS A REGULAR PRACTICE. PAULA, PETER ? SKINNY DIPPING IS AN OL FASHIONED LUV SONG, SO TO SPEAK... WHERE 2 LOOK IS AN INTERESTING SUBJECT. EYES UP---U C THE PERSON. EYES MIDDLE---U C THE PERSON. EYES DOWN---U C THE PERSON. TURNED ON OR OFF, U MAKE THE DIFFERENCE... ERECTIONS, OR WETNESS ONLY PORTRAYS THE STATE OF MIND. WHERE RU? No wait a minute, here!!! There are some basic facts about anatomy I think you're overlooking! I mean -- where DO you put your legs? At least one set sorta has to be on the pool bottom, for stability. My arms aren't THAT strong -- I can't secure TWO of us to the poolside, frevvins sake! However, I hadn't thought about bouyancy compensators. That enables all sorts of other possibilities. But, in my overactive imagination, it still comes back to the issue of stability -- like the thought of making love in space, just what DO you anchor yourself to for stability? Elna Dear Peter: I don't think I could do it right now. I'd like to think I'm free enough to try it, but, well, what the hell do you do when you're standing there and ol' Ralph comes to attention? There are clothing-optional places around here, but this fear of having an erection while talking with someone keeps me, among other things, from going there. I'd be really embarrassed. That problem aside, I think I could enjoy it. --Larry N. C'mon Elna!!!! Do you think for a moment, nay nanosecond, that any 2 people, sober and determined, cannot overcome (heh) a little basic balance problem? I have described this to the point of a mechanical drawing. If it still boggles you, lets just find a hot tub or pool. Of course we'll wear swimsuits or somthin'!! JIm Hmmmmm. Sounds interesting. I have this pool...... It's unheated, except bythe sun, which means it's pretty nearly unswimmable fro m late September until about mid May. I"m still trying to picture things, though. Elna Dear Larry Although I had that problem the first time I tried it (in the sea) I did not have it when I went to the pool party recently. There must have been about 60 people there, about 50% male, and I only notice one person with an erection: all you need to do is jump in the pool or arrange a towel strategically! Peter Well, dear Elna, there are 2 extremes of temperture. And I think the physiological response that the male 'equipment' gives is well known. I've never been in a pool tha was cold. They are usually warmed by the sun and still =very nice!= in the evening at or after dusk, you just have to keep as much of you underwater as possible. At the other end of the spectrum in the warm extreme. My wife took me out to dinner (sumptuous feast!) and then to a rented hot tub in a redwood room. We were both willing but the darn water was SO HOT that we had to get out and cool both of our bodies down before thermodynamics would allow us our desires. Still have trouble picturing the form & function do ya? [checking OAG for next flight to West Coast] Dear Peter: Hmmm... I suppose exposure (hee hee) would tend to desensitize me. Still scared. Were all those people naked? Why have a party that way? I skinny-dip because it feels good. Standing around naked doesn't sound that interesting, but that's probably because it's one of those things I've never considered. I'll try to consider it. It's hard though. I work with men who constantly talk about sex as if it's dirty, and read stuff that really is filthy. I simply can't believe some of the rags they bring into work. It would be nice to meet some people who are different, who feel sex isn't that way. I'm not sure exactly what I want. Openness, I guess. --Larry Nelson Dear Larry The pool party was "clothing optional". Most people opted not to wear clothes. You're unlucky in your colleagues, but of course you can meet people here on with more open and healthy attitudes to sex. The party was given by a local Mensa group. I find the people there to be very interesting and to have a very adult attitude to sex. It might be worth investigating whether there is a group in your city. Where do you live? Peter Hmmmmmm. Frankly, I've never had a problem with either kind of anatomy in a hot tub. I do like to sit on the edge, from time to time, and let the body cool off, but I find if the ardor is there, the flesh is willing in good time. And in the meantime, there is all that delightful byplay! You've never been in a pool that was cold, huh? Come dive into my pool during the winter so I can watch you walk ON water getting out. Elna I wonder if they make a wet suit thats anatomically correct for males? The hot tub we used w~as as hot as a theraputic whirlpool - too hot! Never heard of such a wet suit. But there MUST be some -- here in Northern California the ocean currents are COLD -- but there are hundreds of surfers and abalone divers who wear wet suits and don't seem to hobble all THAT much as they emerge from the water. The hot tub you used must have had the wrong thermostat setting -- they can be individually controlled, and 105 degrees is simply too hot to be bearable for me, for any length of time. Different people keep their tubs at different temperatures. Elna We are going to wear this thread OUT!!! The hot tub was great for my bad wrist and her bad knee but for the general plumbing, I agree with you - too much! In addition to causing excessive dilation of surface and sub-surface blood vessels on me, it was of interest that I found it to have dilated my wife's vagina a good bit. What was usually a very good fit became a B-B in a boxcar, if you will. The cooling off period out of the tub took care of the problem - one of the best birthday presents I've ever had. Plus she surprised me (and herself) with her inventive spirit! I live in Los Angeles, Peter... I keep hearing about Mensa, but haven't been too interested since I know lots of "intelligent" people who can't think. I don't care for elite organizations; that's one thing I like about HSX. It's open to anyone with a modem. Are you a Mensa member? What is it like? I'm willing to have my preconceptions challenged. Yes, people here are open, but I only talk with all of you a few hours a week at most. Work is forty a week. And in person. That's one reason I'm glad I'm kept busy; I can ignore the others with good reason. I have to get the work done. I'm sure Mensa must have a group out here; I haven't looked. I'd appreciate your comments. --Larry Nelson Dear Larry I've recently rejoined Mensa. The quality varies a lot from city to city, but I know the LA group is very active. * Elna * knows a lot more about Mensa than I do, and I hope she can fill you in a bit more. They do not seem, to me, to have an 'elitist' attitude but are a very interesting group of people. I recently attended a week-end gathering of 600 members at Asilomar, Monterey, and had a wonderful time. I strongly recommend it. At leat four of the HSX section leaders are Mensa members - * Lana * and * Charlie * were at Asilomar as well as * Elna * and myself. I doubt whether they are topless in South Africa. I was once at the Moulin Rouge in Paris watching the topless can-can dancers. There was a South African at my table and his mind was totally blown. He'd never seen anything like it in that strangely puritanical yet inhumanitarian country. I said "well, let me tell you what I've seen on stage in Bangkok" but he wouldn't let me ... that was as much excitement as he could handle for one evening. Yes, I've tried it, and it's very nice. The only problem is that it's hard keeping enough lubrication in the system if you're into any amount of foreplay. We found that the only way to get around that was about a minute of oral sex with her standing over me immediately before penetration. (By the way, do any women find the term "penetration" offensive? If so, my apologies!) Why do you think the "New World" is behind the "Old World" in matters of public nudity? I'm sure a lot of members would be interested in a directory of nude beaches. Could you look up the title, author and publisher for us? In Quebec there are about fifty known nude beaches, including about half a dozen authorized and maintained by the provincial government. There are also about a dozen private clubs, in which membership or visitor's rights are readily obtainable. A central coordinating organization in Montreal publishes a quarterly (in French) the Spring issue of which contains a guide to all of these places. If anyone wants the address of this organization, La Federatsion quebecoise de naturisme (I sure hate typing French without the accents!) leave me a note in e-mail. . . . Richard T. Book:INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO NUDE BEACHES AND RECREATION,3rd Ed.Author: Lee Baxendall.Don't know publisher,but Publishers Central sells it. Thanks! I'll make a note of that. I don't.I think. It7s justa natural thing.