Glacial Shrinkage: Taking one for the Environment

by Neil Woodburn on

What do glaciers and shrinkage have in common?

Two things when you combine glaciers with global warming and naked bodies.

Photographer Spencer Tunick, who has been making quite a name for himself by taking pictures of mass nudes, has recently turned his lens towards a good cause: global warming.

The photographer, who never seems to have a problem drumming up nude models, enlisted the help of 600 people who hiked to Switzerland’s Aletsch glacier this morning, took off all their clothes, and posed for the largest mass nude shot ever taken on a glacier (I’m taking a wild guess on this one).

The event was to draw attention to the plight of Europe’s rapidly decreasing glaciers, most of which are expected to disappear by 2080 if warming trends continue. The Aletsch glacier itself has receded 377 feet in the last two years and has become the poster child of global warming within Europe. 600 naked people frolicking on its slopes probably haven’t helped in keeping temperatures low, but has at least raised some awareness about the issue amongst those searching for porn on the internet.

Best Nude Beaches

by Willy Volk on

I visited one nude beach, once.

Cape Town’s secluded Sandy Bay is a wind-protected cove that our friend told us was great for letting it all hang out. After spending a few days at the gorgeous, trendy, topless-friendly (but ridiculously overcrowded) Clifton Beach, we decided to mix things up and head farther afield. Sandy Bay was, as promised, remote, quiet, and pristine. It was also filled with creepily bronzed, withered middle-aged men who were so evidently trying to ogle my junk that I couldn’t relax. In short, it was fun, it was different — but it was time to go.

If the thought of getting your daily dose of Vitamin D in the buff titillates you, you might want to check out USA Today’s picks for the world’s best nude beaches:

  • Hawaii’s Little Beach
  • Vancouver’s Wreck Beach
  • France’s Cap d’Agde
  • Antigua’s Hawksbill Bay
  • Miami’s Haulover Beach
  • Oregon’s Rooster Rock State Park AND Collins Beach
  • St. Martin’s Orient Bay
  • Australia’s Samurai Beach
  • San Diego’s Black Beach

Prefer your nudism a little more active? Why not try nude skydiving, nude dining, nude discoing, nude bungee jumping, or nude running?

Do You Feel A Breeze? Yup, We’re Skydiving In the Nude.

by Willy Volk on

Unless your goal is to get others to laugh at you, I can’t possibly imagine what thrill there could be in nude skydiving. Nevertheless, there appear to be a number of people who are not only into nude skydiving, they actually promote it by posting videos of it online. This short clip is my favorite: there’s a very funny thing going on it that red circle. Although the video probably won’t get you into trouble, there is a small (tee hee) chance this video could be NSFW.

If you’re interested, here are a few more nude skydiving clips (again, possibly NSFW), as well as some more details about how to do the sport properly. Watch out for that rip cord!

And here’s an interesting clip in which Daryl explains the pros and cons of the nude skydive this group is about to take. (If nipples are NSFW, then this clip is definitely NSFW.)

If you’re still with us, I’ve got a special treat: guess what happens to a a woman’s naked breast during free fall. It ain’t pretty, and it may not be safe for work.

Need more nude skydving tips? Check out this how-to, which addresses, at its end, a question that I would never, ever, in a million years, have thought of.

World Naked Bike Ride Day, 2007

by Willy Volk on

Giving new meaning to “underground” railroad bicycle route, on March 10th, organizers staged a World Naked Bike Ride to protest against oil dependency and car culture. Missed it? Me, too. Don’t fret, though. There are more to come.

On June 9th and 30th, the organizers are staging additional WNBRs all over the world to continue their protests against indecent exposure to automobile emissions and to celebrate the power and individuality of our bodies. Painting your body, painting your bike, painting the town, and other creative expression is strongly encouraged. From the looks of it, lots of people were certainly expressive during the March protest ride.

If this sounds like something that oils your chain, check the list of locations, stock up on sunscreen, and plan a road trip. Oh, wait… does a road trip defeat the purpose?

(WARNING: The WNBR site is NSFW.)

The World’s Best Clothing-Optional Resorts

by Willy Volk on

Sometimes, the best vacations are those in which the traveler can let his or her down, unwind, and put it all away — literally. If you’re looking for a place to let it all hang out, then you might want to check out our list of some of the world’s best clothing-optional resorts. In addition to being quite liberating, bear in mind (ha ha), that packing for these detinations should be very, very easy.

In case you’re wondering, “clothing-optional” doesn’t really mean you’re still supposed to prance around in your your tighty-whities — even if you DO look like these guys.

(Warning: Some of the websites listed are NSFW.)

  1. Catering specifically to couples, Palm Springs’ Terra Cotta Inn is a beautiful, historic mid-century modern property. Originally built for celebrities, the complex boasts 17 large rooms, a poolside breakfast, and high walls — to deter Peeping Toms.
  2. Pleasure Grove Resort is an adults-only resort in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Georgia, 1½ hours north of Atlanta. A full-service, four-season resort, “The Grove” is the perfect destination for couples to “get away from reality, indulge their senses, and realize their wildest fantasies.” Unless, of course, those fantasies include wearing lots and lots of clothes.
  3. Jamaica’s Hedonism II hosts annual couples’ conventions that feature various events, including erotic costume contests that tend to the extreme. Is that a banana costume, or are you just happy to see me?
  4. Hidden Beach Resort Au Naturel Club was created for “uninhibited vacationing.” The only only all-inclusive nudist resort in the Mexican Caribbean, Hidden Beach boasts 42 beach-front suites in Tulum, Quintana Roo.
  5. Located 90 minutes from LA, The Sea Mountain Spa was ranked the Top Celebrity Spa in the US by MSN (2003-2006), and awarded Best Private Retreat in the USA 4 years in a row. AOL declared it one of the top 5 places to be naked in the USA.
  6. From August to April, Cairns’ The White Cockatoo operates as a nudist resort with a limited number of non-nude chalets available in a separate area. The Cockatoo (tee hee) promise that naturalists and non-naturalists will not accidentally bump into each other. After all, who wants to run into a clothed person?!
  7. If you are looking for luxury and sophistication, Portugal’s Quinta de Horta…may not be for you. However, if you’re looking for casual arts and crafts, an organic farm, and horseback riding — all in the buff — then you’re in luck.
  8. Located on the Florida-Georgia line,along the banks of the St. Mary’s River, the Hidden River Resort promotes “respect for our environment, ourselves and others while experiencing family and social nudism.” At the 88-acre retreat, guests can go hiking, lounge by a cypress pond, or enjoy campfires with marshmallows. Watch out for flying embers!. Pets are welcome — but they must also romp in the nude.
  9. Club Orient is a naturist resort situated on the mile-and-a-half-long Orient Beach on St Martin.
  10. Eden Bay Resort & Spa, in the Dominican Republic, is adjacent to the world-class Robert Trent Jones golf course. Careful with your club!

If you go, send pictures!