Conference moira::naturism

    I was at Walden last spring and it is true.  There is a sign posted at
    the far end of the pond, which is quite a walk from the main entrance.

   A friend of mine has also been to this section of walden pond.

   There is a sign that states that there may be nudity beyond this part
  of the shore.  If this offends you, do not go beyond this sign.

   He was there last year, and I think he also was there this year.
  According to him, there were a few people nude, and enjoying themselves 
  with no problems.


   Paul

    I heard about this too.  While there I saw many signs posted on trees -
    looked very official.  I spoke with a Park Ranger who said these signs were
    unauthorized and that nude bathers would receive a citation - so
    beware.  A clever strategy by some naturists perhaps?

Actually, it makes reasonable sense.  If Massachusetts law is like that in
many other states, then providing advance warning of the presence of nude 
sunbathers could do quite a bit to ward off an indecent exposure charge.
People could still complain to the authorities, who could certainly 
suppress the nudity, but the "surprise" element would be eliminated.

By the way, the sign sounds a lot like the sample that is provided in
the old _World Guide_, which is apparently pretty much the same as the
one used in some Oregon parks:

		WARNING
	Beyond this point you may
	encounter nude sunbathers

    This article appeared in the Middlesex News 
    on July 30, 1991.  It is the column "Moroney's World"
    by Tom Moroney.  It is copied without permission.


        The Ghost of Thoreau Says: Swim in the Raw

        As dawn broke yesterday, I woke up with a voice
    in my head telling me to cast off society's rules and
    hurl myself -- buck naked -- into Thoreau's beloved
    Walden Pond in Concord.

        What was inspiring me to take my clothes off?
    Pee-wee Herman's big adventure in a Florida movie
    theater, you say?

        Hardly.

        At Walden Pond, an elusive mystery man has been
    stapling posters to trees all summer telling Walden
    swimmers to SWIM NUDE!

        The posters look so real -- even down to an
    authentic state seal -- that several bathers have
    been duped into thinking it is all right to take a dip
    sans suit.  As a result, lifeguards say the incidents of
    nude bathing have increased, though they are unsure of
    exact numbers.

        Here's an example of what's on the bogus posters:

        "Nudity is NOT permitted on the main beach in
    front of the bath house or within view of the street."

        But, "Nudity is permitted at the shoreline
    beginning approximately 400 yards on either side of
    the main beach."

        For the record, nude bathing is illegal on all
    public beaches.

        The park workers tear up the posters whenever they
    see one, but they don't get them all.  A Rhode Island
    woman became so incensed that she wrote a letter to
    the Concord Journal to call for a Walden Pond sit-in
    until nudity was banned.

        "I resent the desecration of our national and/or
    state historic sites making it appear that our
    forefathers were as prurient as this generation has
    become," write Joyce W. Page or Warwick in the July 18
    edition of the weekly newspaper.  "Perhaps ... there is
    a private pond where the indecent can practice their
    nudity without violating the innocence of children."

        Talk about repressed twits.  As Thoreau had rejoiced
    in skinnydipping, it had always been a secret fantasy
    of mine to wade au naturel in the world's most famous pond.

        So on with the show.

        Arriving at 6:30 yesterday morning, I ditched my
    car in the parking lot and headed for Thoreau Cove,
    near the back of the pond.  (I had my clothes on.  If I
    had sauntered through the woods naked, who knows?
    Some carnivorous woodland creature might have mistaken
    me for breakfast.)

        My pulse quickened as I approached the entry point.
    The mist was rising off the pond.  Shedding my swimming
    trunks, shirt and sneakers, I eased my totally unclad
    self into warm and comforting water.

        But suddenly, terror!

        From around the bend came the sound of a swimmer,
    one of those crazy tri-athletes, as it turns out, who
    paddle around the circumference of the pond every morning
    before work.

        Pulling out of the water just in time, I raced to
    put on my clothes and headed to the front of the pond
    where I met a man who would identify himself only
    as "State Worker".

        State Worker said that he and two others had almost
    captured the mystery man last month.

        It all started when a woman complained that a man
    in his late 30s carrying a dark blue knapsack was
    stapling the nudity-is-OK signs to the tries.

        State Worker and one man traveled by rowboat; a
    third went by land.  The trio had planned to surround
    the mystery man and grab him.  But the stranger spotted
    the posse and scooted off into the woods before they
    arrived.

        That was the last they saw him, according to
    State Worker.  They have no name for him, no age, and
    no known whereabouts

        But they do have a quote that he allegedly said
    to a park worker once: "Nudity is part of the Walden
    uprising."

        Maybe the mystery man is no man at all, but
    Thoreau's ghost launching an all out attack on our
    repressed swimming habits.

        I can see the made-for-television movie now:
    THE WALDEN POLTERGEIST! HE'S BACK AND HE'S MAD!

    
    Too bad we don't know who he is; he could supply us with bogus posters
    and we could help him.  Wouldn't have to limit ourselves to Walden
    Pond, either. :-)
    
    CQ

    Maybe all this publicity will help the naturism cause!  I liked the
    article in the previous note, spoofing the person who allowed that
    'maybe there's an isolated pond where those indecnt people can persue
    these activities away from the inocent childern'. If only we could all
    be as inocent and uncluttered as the childern.  When our childern were
    young and we all went skinny dipping in lakes and ponds was some of the
    best times of our lives.
    	Anyway, following Christine's lead, let's not restrict ourselves to
    Walden.  I would offer that there's at least two other secluded places
    to go;1)Hopkington State Park, to the right of the boat launch and
    sailboard area.  Go through the trees along the trail to the far side
    of the lake.  You can find areas between the bushes and trees to have
    your own private space.  I go there during the week when I get the chance and find
    several au natural sun bathers.  It's a bit crowded on week-ends
    though. 2)Buzzard's Bay. I sail off Swift's Beach and usually find the
    beach around the neck is secluded enough for a leisurely nude lunch. 
    By the way, I see more and more small pleasure boat loads of nude
    sailors.  Maybe this is the way to go.  Do sailors have more fun, are
    they more tolearnt, or both? 
    	Does anyone else have favorite spots, not frequented by the
    authorities?
    		enjoy, Gary

    From The Concord Journal, Thursday August 8, 1991:


    	Nudity flyer suspect questioned

    	After months of finding flyers at Walden Pond that falsely
    proclaim nudity is allowed around certain sections of the park,
    state police and park officials finally have a suspect who they
    believe may be responsible for posting them.

    	Walden Pond lifeguards apprehended a 50-year-old man after a
    visitor at the beach reported seeing him posting the flyers around
    6 pm Tuesday evening.  State police arrived shortly thereafter and
    the suspect volunteered to go to the barracks for questioning.

    	No charges have been filed against the suspect as of yet and
    further information will not be available until they are, said
    state trooper Debra Thompson.

    	"The matter is still under investigation," said Thompson.  
    "Until charges are officially made in court, there will be no more
    information."

    	The suspect was seen posting the flyers by John Small, a
    regular visitor at Walden Pond.  Small then notified assistant
    head lifeguard Ron Simmons.

    	Simmons had two other lifeguards, Suzanne Hoge and Vinnie
    Livieratos, investigate the scene.  Hoge drove out with Small on a
    motor boat tot he place where Small spotted the suspect while
    Livieratos patrolled the area by foot.

    	So the suspect would not recognize him, Simmons said that
    Livieratos went out "undercover," not wearing the orange apparel
    that lifeguards normally wear.

    	Simmons said that when Livieratos spotted the culprit, who
    matched Small's description and those of other lifeguards who have
    spotted him before, he identified himself as a state worker and
    told the man he had some questions for him.

    	At first, the man ran away into the woods, said Hoge.  After a
    chase that lasted about a half-mile, the suspect stopped and
    talked to the lifeguards.

    	The man was very cooperative after that, said Hoge.  He was
    out of breath from running and suffered minor abrasions from a
    fall he took.

    	"We offered him a drink and (administered) first aid to him,"
    explained Hoge.

    	According to the lifeguards, the man appeared younger than his
    age and was very average looking.  He had binoculars on him, and
    said the flyers where [sic] just part of a big prank.

    	"He said he was embarrassed," said Simmons.  "He told us that
    he had a family.  He didn't want to hurt anybody (by posting the
    flyers)."

    	Because the suspect was usually spotted in the early evening,
    Simmons and Hoge figured he works or lives in a community within a
    half-hour drive from Concord and comes to the pond after work.

    	There is still no apparent motive for why the suspect was
    posting the flyers.  Because the man was carrying binoculars,
    Simmons said, "Maybe he just wanted to have a look (to see if
    anybody took the signs seriously)."

    	Park Supervisor William Schold, representing all park officials
    at Walden Pond, said, "As far as we are concerned, we would like
    to pursue this to the fullest extent of the law."

    	If charged and convicted, the suspect could face up to $100
    fines for each flyer he has posted.

    	While the suspect's identity is being withheld by state
    police, lifeguards said that he gave them his name and said he is
    a Chelmsford resident.

    
    Now I think the guy's creepy.  Seems like he just wanted to post the
    signs and then see what he could see.  I'm not sure why I ever thought
    it would be otherwise.
    
    CQ

He had the binoculars to scout for police. Doesn't it make sense to you that
the media would try to flesh this guy out as a creep? I find the story
extremely bias and overzealous when it comes to filling out the ulterior
motives. I carry around a monocular when I go to the beach. I look a birds,
boats, planes, people, etc. So what?

								John.

    
    
    You could be right, thanks.  I didn't think of all the other reasons
    one would carry binoculars.  I mean, I carry 'em sometimes, too.
    
    CQ

The idea is to circumvent the issue. If the guy can be proven to be a creep,
then no one has to ask any questions, like why is nudity against the law and
why can't the state use signs. If I know the Cop types who nabbed him, he was
probably humiliated more than a little.

Remember, people only believe the really BIG lies.

If "GOD"(tm) had meant for us to be nude, we would have been born without any
clothes on. No wait. 

							John.

	What's unclear to me is whether the guy himself was a naturist
    or not.  If he was, I'm willing to give him the benefit of a doubt.  
    If he wasn't, but rather out for kicks, to try and "scout out the
    nudies", then that's a different story.

	I'm sure we'll never know though...

	amy

that either way his binoculars would have burned a hole through you. People
rarely act on singular motivations. Maybe he was a bit of a voyeur. I still
think it's too bad they caught him. We now return you to your status quo.

							John.