Naturist New Hampshire Homepage

Naturist New Hampshire celebrates National Nude Recreation Week with an open invitation to attend a cookout at Phil’s Forest in south-central New Hampshire.

Normally, attendance at Phil’s cookouts is limited to members and first-time guests only, both because of limited space and in order to provide a special benefit for members; but, during this one week of the year, we open the event to all as a way of introducing naturism to a broader range of people.

Phil owns several acres of land which abut a like-sized parcel which is owned by Public Service of New Hampshire, providing plenty of space for hiking, as well as enjoying the activities in the clearing which boasts four cabins that provide a place to get out of inclement weather.

Participants are asked to bring their own towels and food to share, and for an event such as this one, it might be a good idea to bring along your own chair or blanket, as well.

There will be games to play, both physical and intellectual, and we usually have sing-alongs or tell stories to make the event complete. Then there is always the opportunity to just sit and relax or take a nap without hassle.

We do ask for a $10 donation to help defer Phil’s expenses in maintaining this property and providing some of the food and paper goods.

This year Naturist New Hampshire is planning its first-ever naturist tour and photo safari, scheduled July 19 - 27. Initial plans for a full-fledged photo safari have been scrapped as a result of the light response from potential photographers and models, but we are still planning to provide opportunities for people to do some photography with those who want to participate.

The full itinerary is still being worked out, but the idea is to have some specific sites to visit so people can join us at some or all of the locations during that week. The first stop will be The Ledges on Vermont’s Harriman Reservoir, and the tour will continue with locations such as The Cornfields in Brattleboro. From there we will move to other clothing-optional locations in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts for sunning, swimming, and socializing, ending with a trip to Aquinnah, the nude beach on Martha’s Vineyard.

Reservations are not necessary for the tour, although it is helpful to know if you are planning to attend, so we can be watching for you. Email free@natnh.com to receive an itinerary and some suggestions for lodging or camping.

Naturist groups have long been known to be among the safest places for families to be. There is a shared concern for making people feel comfortable and secure, and club members tend to look out for each others’ children to be sure they are safe.

During the Eastern Naturist Gathering in June, Fred Van Nest and Edward A. Thibeault presented a workshop that showed some cracks in that model. In recent years, there have been a few — very few, but enough to raise concerns — incidents in which people made it through the security at some naturist venues. While they cited no instances in which assaults took place, there was one case where a man was secretly photographing children when he was discovered. In another case, a woman who had murdered her lover and stolen his money found refuge at a naturist facility.

Fred, who has been involved in developing nudist policies for many years, and Ed, who is a criminologist, are advocating a stricter set of policies to protect clubs and resorts from sexual predators and other criminals.

While the workshop included discussion of fingerprinting, closed-circuit television monitoring and digital surveillance, the focus was on measures that are less of an assault on privacy while still providing an acceptable level of security.

Those attending came away from the workshop in general agreement that clubs and resorts should, at minimum, require participants to show valid government-issued IDs, such as a driver’s license. Then, if problems arise, club officials can give reliable information to the police.

Most agreed that clubs should make copies of those driver’s licenses or other IDs and check them against the online sexual offender lists maintained by each state. Then, if there is a positive match, the person can be confronted with the information.

Attendees made note that, in some states, simply being nude can lead to a designation as a sexual offender, so it was agreed that a positive match on its own would not necessarily be reason enough to exclude someone; but it would point up the need for further inquiry, possibly including an FBI criminal record check — the cost of which the person in question would have to bear.

Naturist New Hampshire has long made it a point to check the sexual offender list whenever someone has applied for membership, and there was a single case in which a potential member’s name showed up on the New Hampshire registry, causing the club to reject that member.

NNH has not, however, recorded driver’s licenses or other forms of ID to this point. After attending that workshop, it appears to be something the membership should seriously consider doing, in order to ensure the continued safety of our membership and, especially, of our children.

NNH already has in place policies on cellular telephones and cameras, in order to protect privacy and prevent unintentional posting of photos on the web or other places without the subject’s permission. Cell phones and cameras are allowed only in designated areas and only with the permission of the person being photographed. Photographers also must ensure that no one is in the background when they are taking photos, unless those people, too, have granted permission. Unauthorized use of cell phones and cameras constitutes grounds for expulsion.

We will be discussing all of these points to be sure NNH is providing the proper balance between security and privacy.

Last fall, we launched a new online magazine, “Living Free,” with the first issue being completed at the end of January. Once complete, the e-zine is compiled on a CD and is offered for sale in that format.

We are now nearing completion of Issue #2, but have found that people have not been as forthcoming as we had hoped in providing material, which has helped to delay the completion of the second issue.

“Living Free: Naturism & Our World” is more than a naturist magazine; it is an attempt to bring together a lot of elements that are important to living, including healthy eating and exercise, spirituality, and the arts.

We are looking for stories on naturist experiences, travel, tips for making your home naked-friendly, and on raising a naturist family; but we’re also looking for discussions on books, politics, the environment, and everyday living.

We need poems, sketches, short stories, and tall tales. We need personal accounts of things you have encountered as a naturist, or as a homeowner, worker, commuter, or observer of human life.

One of our most pressing needs is for photographs. These can be photos of yourself to illustrate your articles, photos of friends in naturist settings, and especially photos of naturists in everyday situations. Nude cooking, nude around the house, naked gardening, naked hiking, fishing ‘au naturel’ or making house repairs. We just need pictures.

Simply sending in a letter will help with providing a well-rounded product for our readers — and did we say, photos?

Again, while the main focus is naturism, we don’t want to confine “Living Free” to accounts of naturist resorts and planned activities — although those are welcome. We want to have articles reflecting philosophical issues, whimsical observations, and outrages. We want opinions that are honest, whether or not they are “politically correct” — and whether or not they agree with what we say.

“Living Free” also appears in a format where people can respond to what they read, and we want them to do so. Take exception with the article, or agree with it. Offer further illustration of the points made, or suggest other interpretations.

The e-zine also is published in two formats, one with photographs and one without. That is to provide for those who have slow internet access and who do not want to wait for photos to download, and for those who simply would rather not have photos of naked people on their computer screens — those who read “Living Free” at work, for instance.

Furthermore, the e-zine offers the ability to download articles in PDF form so they will appear like a regular magazine and can be printed out in full color (with a color printer, at least).

And, when compiled on CD, the entire magazine is provided in PDF format so those who favor printed documents will be able to print out the entire magazine. Or, choose individual articles in Word format.

So, please consider contributing your letter, poem, article, or fictional piece to “Living Free” and send along some photos to illustrate them. And don’t worry if you’re not a writer; provide us with information and we’ll be happy to edit it into a readable story.

If you’re not contributing, you still might want to subscribe to the e-zine, either online or on CD.

Mail your articles, or your order form, to: Living Free, PO Box 969, Winnisquam NH 03289.

Summer 2008

Cookouts at Phil's

Something new

Points To Ponder

Living Free

Call for youths

Rules and Etiquette