GRANGER — Dowagiac resident Jody Prestine saw an opportunity to be in the Guinness World Records and grabbed it — even though it involved skinny dipping at a nudist colony for the first time.

Prestine was one of 119 participants attempting to set the world record for biggest skinny dip at the Sunny Haven Recreation Park Saturday.

The park was part of a national attempt on Saturday by the American Association for Nude Recreation to set the world record for largest skinny dip across North America, a category that was recently added, according to Keith Milton of Sunny Haven.

“It’s an absolute hoot,” said Prestine of her first time at a nudist colony. “This is probably my only chance to ever be in the Guinness Book of World Records.”

But Prestine was one of the few first timers participating in the skinny dip.

Most have made a lifestyle out of it.

“I’m a lifetime nudist,” said Paula Frederick of Osceola. “The best part is the friendships you make here and the body acceptance.

“And you never get tan lines,” she joked.

Bob Swartz and his wife live in Granger, but have a trailer at the campground.

“There’s a freedom in being nude,” he said. “We all look the same. You can’t tell if you’re rich or poor.”

Swartz said he and his wife have been members of Sunny Haven for 10 years, but this is the first time he has participated in setting any official record.

“I just enjoy nudity,” he said.

Participant Marijanne Rauch said the skinny dip was fun, but served a larger purpose.

“This is a chance to expose the park to people who don’t know we’re here,” she said. “It will get the word out to people who might want to be a part of this.”

Rauch said she immediately feels more relaxed when she enters Sunny Haven — like a weight has just been lifted off her shoulders.

“Everybody is accepted,” she said, gesturing to the wide variety of ages at the park. “It’s like, we can just be ourselves.

“The kids are wonderful. They don’t even know they’re naked,” she said.

Diane Luttrell drove to Sunny Haven from Michigan to participate in the skinny dip, marking her first time in a nudist colony.

“I rode my Harley-Davidson naked through the campground,” she said. “That was pretty cool.”

Luttrell said she got used to the nudity quickly and was surprised by the friendliness of the other participants of the skinny dip.

“It was fun,” she said. “I would definitely do it again.”

The 119 participants in the skinny dip will be added with the numbers of skinny dippers on Saturday from nudist colonies from all over the country, Milton said.

He said he did not know how long it would take to calculate the total number for the new world record.

Staff writer Madeline Buckley:
mbuckley@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6358