April open forum

A few rounds of naked golf? What about skin protection from UV rays?

The marsh near my home is seen on April 5, 2025. If you look carefully, you can see two Canada geese in the centre of the picture, one on the water, the other standing on a tuft of grass. They are part of a flock that returned to the area a couple of days ago, honking enthusiastically. What a welcome sound at this time of the year!

Spring?

Technically speaking, it is here now. But the end of March was bitter and spiteful in these parts, and the first week of April has been just as rotten — with two bouts of freezing rain that knocked out electricity to hundreds of thousands in the neighbouring province of Ontario and to tens of thousands in Quebec, including my house for almost 24 hours. Right now, as I write this, we’re receiving a mix of snow and rain and there is a still a fair bit of winter snow on the ground.

Sigh. It does put a damper on spring fever, though I was heartened to see a flock of Canada geese returning to these parts a couple of days ago. They are camping out in a marshy area here that is fed by a stream that doesn’t freeze in the winter, so there is some open water for them (most lakes around here are still frozen over). I snapped some pictures of a couple of them today (see one above).

I’ve been thinking about summer outdoor projects and recreational activities — and about skin protection from UV rays. The latter came to mind recently after I read an article about golfing in the nude. I don’t play golf, but I would imagine that one could get quite fried while playing in the direct sunlight for several hours. A hat and sunglasses are necessities, of course, along with a good sunblock or sunscreen lotion covering every bit of exposed skin.

I’m guessing that most experienced naturists and nudists are on top of this. But considering that there may be a lot of newbies and other interested folks looking in, I thought I would ask some of the experienced naturists/nudists to share their thoughts on skin protection for people who spend a lot of time naked in the sun.

And what about keeping biting insects like black flies, mosquitoes and horse flies at bay? Are you using any bug repellents on your bare skin, presumably applied on top of the sunscreen or sunblock?

Personally, living in a northern forest by a lake, I am careful about the amount of time I spend in direct sunlight in the summertime, especially in mid-afternoon when the sun is hottest. I often sit by the lake in the shade of the trees.

I use a mineral-based sunblock when I am going to be in direct sunlight for any length of time, say when I am canoeing. One can burn very quickly under a blazing sun when you are out on the water.

I opt for mineral-based sunblock (which deflects UV rays) because it contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, both of which are deemed to be safe by the FDA and are less likely to cause irritation or allergic reactions compared to chemical sunscreen (which absorbs UV rays and neutralizes them). And I never use bug repellent on bare skin because I’m wary of chemicals like DEET. (The bugs appreciate my concern.)

So, what say you on this subject?

Or any naturism/nudism-related subject, for that matter.

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A warm welcome to all the new members who have been signing up recently. We’ve got off to a quiet start this year, and I hope we’ll be more active here in the months to come. Meanwhile, feel free to join in the conversations here. Comment by clicking on the tab below or going to our website.

Happy April, everyone. And Happy Spring? (And Happy Fall for those living Downunder!)