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A man has defended his right to sunbathe naked following recent criticism, and is urging people to join him in a charity skinny dip.
Peter Leigh, the self-titled "Guernsey Naturist" said that people have been sunbathing nude on a particular outcrop of rocks on the west coast for over 50 years, and they are not visible to the naked eye from any public highway.
There had been complaints recently about naturists being seen in public bathing areas and talk of them 'parading' around the areas naked, which could be deemed as disturbing to families and other beach goers who would not wish to see such things.
However Mr Leigh said they are not there to be seen: "I guess the person complaining about us on an outcrop of rocks on the west coast is probably same one who complained about La Jaonaise bay in St Martins last year.
"Just leave us alone, we are not on public beaches, we just enjoy sunbathing without clothes on and also swimming without clothes on because it feels totally different swimming without the constraints of bathers. I just say to everyone, give it a go. If you are on a discreet beach take your tops off and your bottoms off and go for a swim, you will see the difference it makes."
Organisations are also underway to try and organise a Guernsey charitable version of the Great British Skinny Dip - an annual event held in the UK with the aim of overcoming the nudity barrier by raising awareness of all the health and well-being benefits of nudity and especially social nudity.
Mr Leigh explained: "A couple of us are trying to organise a Guernsey version of the Great British skinny dip which takes place all over the UK in September. It might be a bit late to organise it this year but we are definitely keen to get this going for next year, so if anyone is interested in taking part or getting involved then they can email me on guernseynaturist@gmail.com."
Pictured: Peter Leigh near his private west coast sunbathing spot.
Mr Leigh said he does not know if the person who complained recently is male or female, but he want to educate them and others that naturism is "not dirty it is equalising, liberating and freeing". He also explained it was more accepted in the UK: "In England we can walk round country gardens naked, they open them once a year for naturists. All around the UK places open their doors for naturists as there are so many of them, even Alton Towers and other amusement parks open their doors once a year for naturists."
Pictured: Naturists on a roller coaster.
Mr Leigh also addressed people who think La Jaonaise bay should not be for naturists: "Generally a naturist beach has got to be a beach out the way, a beach that is difficult to get to or is full of stones and so I would like to dispute those who say La Jaonaise bay is one of the best bays in the island. It is a pretty cove, but it is very stony and unless it is very low tide there is not much of a beach there. It is not a family beach as you are not going to make small kids walk down that ladder."
He also spoke out about those who thought it was provocative: "It's just a lifestyle, it is a choice not to be constrained by clothes. There is nothing sexual and there is nothing sinister about it at all. People say to me all the time that they could not go to the naturist holiday I go to in France as they would be too excited. I tell them they would not be as something has to happen upstairs in your brain for something to happen down there. And that doesn't happen when you walk out your door and there are 15,000 naked people in front of you, it just doesn't happen.
"When we are out on the rock sunbathing we are not there going 'woohoo look at us', we are just there sunbathing, and I see La Jaonaise bay now has a States' sign that says naturists may be seen on this bay, which is great. Please give us a sign down here that says naturists may be seen by these rocks, then it keeps everyone away - to acknowledge it as the unofficial spot on the west coast if La Jaonaise bay is the unofficial spot on the south coast. There are over 30 bays on this island others can go to and this is just a flat rock out the way.
"There are all different people who come here and being naked equalises you."
If you are interested in getting involved in the great Guernsey skinny dip then please get in touch with Peter on guernseynaturist@gmail.com.
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