Nude Or Prude, The Solstice Swim In Tasmania

While the marathon swimming world refers to its non-neoprene swimming activity as naked swimming (or skin swimming) as opposed to its neoprene-clad version called wetsuit swimming, the Australians in Long Beach took that definition one step further.

At the Dark MOFO festivities in Sandy Bay, the Nude Solstice Swim kicked off with an inaugural naked swim. Naked as in nude, naturally, no swimsuits and no neoprene, although everyone wore red swim caps as a safety measure.

Hundreds of hardy souls bobbing up and down the open water appeared to be the same as every other open water swim, except when they got in and go out of the water in the early morning hours, the swimmers caught the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

Some ran in, some waded out. Some grabbed their towels and others just stood in their natural splendor warming themselves around the barrels of fire dotting the beach.

But the swim was not exclusively for those who braved the 12ºC (53ºF) waters nude. The Prude Solstice Swim was also part of the festivities for those who preferred.

Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas also participated, “It was a fantastic community effort. This is just Hobart. We’ve broken so many barriers this week. We’ve proven that people will start looking to come here for weekends, rather than the old idea of pushing people away.”

Photos posted here.

Copyright © 2013 by World Open Water Swimming Association