Tanning, Beach & Nudism 

History of Tanning
 
In ancient history, tanning was considered a noxious trade and relegated to the outskirts of town, amongst the poor. The ancients used leather for water skins, bags, harnesses, boats, armor, quivers, scabbards, boots, and sandals. Around 2500 BC, the Sumerians began using leather, affixed by copper studs, on chariot wheels. Tanners would take an animal skin and soak it in water. Then they would pound and scour the skin to remove flesh and fat. Next, either they soaked the skin in urine to loosen hair fibers or they let the skin putrefy for several months, after which they dipped the skin in a salt solution. After the hair fibers were loosened, the tanners would scrape them off with a knife. Once the hair was removed, tanners would bate the material by pounding dung into the skin or soaking the skin in a solution of animal brains. They would also take cedar oil, alum, or tannin and stretch the skin as it lost moisture and absorbed the tanning agent. Leftover leather would be turned into glue. Tanners would place scraps of hides in a vat of water and let them deteriorate for months. The mixture would then be placed over a fire to boil off the water to produce hide glue.

My Personal Story

I was not born into a nudist family and therefore I was taught that one should not go around without their clothes on. Being nude in front of others was acceptable only in certain situations (Doctor's office, locker rooms, school showers, or other places where changing clothing was acceptable) and only for the short time it was required. One just did not walk around nude in mixed company.

As a youngster I went to a summer camp that was run by my Father and once a week we had "Scrub". Normally we wore out bathing suits when we swam in the lake, but on "Scrub Day" we took soap to the lake and left our suits in the cabins. As this is the only way we could really wash, and because it was an all boys' camp, the required nudity was acceptable. Because I could not swim I did not like going to the lake at all. As far as I was concerned being being nude with the other boys was not the problem being at the lake was.

A number of years later I finally learned how to swim and found swimming was much more enjoyable without wet clothing. Before the YMCA went co-ed I frequently swam nude there. I was sorry, at the time, when the Y changed its policy and required suits.

I wanted to go SKINNY-DIPPING and I doing so in alone in a remote area was unsafe

As there are not a lot of clothing optional beaches in Eastern Massachusetts (maybe some but they were hard to get to) I felt that my skinny-dips would be very few and very far between.

One day I found out about a resort near me where one could swim suit free without hassle. I sent for the information.

While I had never been uncomfortable being nude for short periods of time in places where it was expected, I had never gone around nude for an extended period of time and certainly not in mixed company.

My first project, therefore, was to be comfortable with myself nude for no particular reason. I practiced doing that by going around my apartment nude. Nudity was required when washing dishes, watching TV, paying bills, and doing many other household tasks.

I wasn't sure what my first visit to Solair would be like, but I definitely wanted to give it a try. I could always go home. I checked into the office, completed some paperwork, showed identification, and then drove to another parking area where I would be met by someone from the membership committee

As I drove past the lake I saw a beach populated by nude of men, women, and children. They seemed quite comfortable and unashamed. Nice tans. As the brochure stated, clothing obviously was out of place in this setting. Well, even though no one knew me, I was not going to embarrass myself in public by looking out of place. I undressed

I did not have to wait long before I was greeted by a nude man who gave me and another couple the tour of the campground. The tour ended at the lake and I was on my own. Well, I was here to go skinny-dipping and there was the lake. I swam for a while and then decided to just sit and sun on the beach. Without wet clothing I was warm and comfortable. Sure I was nude, but so was everyone else and, again, clothing was definitely out of place here.

Later I took a short walk on my own. As I passed other people a smile and "Hello" was in order, the lack of clothing was of no significance.

I returned to the lake for more swimming and sunning.

Before going home I took a warm shower in the round building that housed the showers. As the shower and adjoining hot tub made the drying area humid, I went outside. That did it for me. I was dried by the gentle breeze and the warm sun. That convinced me that this was how we were meant to be. There was nothing disgraceful about being nude. I completed the remaining visits and interviews as soon as I could and became a member.

That was my first real nudist experience. I have given up the textile life and now am clothed only when required. Since that time I have joined a number of naturist organizations and participated in a number of nudist activities. I have attended a lot of the TNS Gatherings & Festivals. I also have been on nude cruises.