Int'l Skinny Dip Day Returns To Sandy Hook's Gunnison Beach

GATEWAY NATIONAL PARK, SANDY HOOK — International Skinny Dip Day was July 9 this year, and a group of people who got naked for a cause at Sandy Hook's Gunnison Beach doubled their numbers in 2022.

The group of enthusiastic New Jersey nudists met in the buff last Saturday to raise money for the Fistula Foundation, which helps women overseas who have fistulas.

Fistulas occur in some of the poorest places in the world, when a woman does not have access to emergency medical care, such as C-section, during childbirth. The baby tragically often dies during labor and the mother is left with holes in between her vagina, bladder and rectum. She can leak urine and stool for the rest of her life, and is often shunned by her community.

The charity nude beach day was organized by Woodbridge resident Thomas Francine, 35. In 2021, the first time he organized the fundraiser, about 100 people met at Gunnison Beach. This year, the crowd size swelled to more than 200.

Gunnison is New Jersey's only legal nude beach. It is part of Gateway National Park, Sandy Hook unit, and overseen by the National Park Service.

Each person is asked to donate whatever they can to Francine's fundraiser page, and meet at Gunnison Beach on International Skinny Dip Day. There, they are encouraged to entirely disrobe and hang out in the buff with fellow nudists.

However, anyone can choose to keep their clothing on.

This is the third year they have done such a fundraiser and so far, the group has raised $11,516 total. All of the money will go directly to the Fistula Foundation, which provides life-changing surgery for the women, who often live in rural Africa or Asia.

There were 12 other nudist events happening simultaneously across the country last Saturday.

Keyport resident Donna Speranza is one of the co-organizers of the event.

"I did not have a thought or the guts to experience it years ago," she said, of being entirely naked in front of strangers. "I became a nudist in 2013 through a family connection. Nudity is not shameful and nudists do not have perfect bodies. What I have found is that nudists are friendly, generous, good people. I have also learned to accept and embrace my imperfections."

In fact, once she got into nudism, she said she moved to this part of Monmouth County specifically because of its closeness to Gunnison Beach.

"It’s wonderful that we can continue to have new and interesting experiences and meet people of all backgrounds and ages and all really enjoy each other’s company," she continued. "It unifies us. The people I’ve met at Gunnison Beach are beautiful, caring humans."