Retro Rally for the Naked Sandy Hook Truth — Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect

Summertime … and the swimming is easy … and breezy without a suit. So goes the tale of the start of nude sunbathing and swimming at Sandy Hook. It’s been that way for some time now; but, there was a time when the nude beach debate was on like the heat these days and taken to the bridge, of course.

Years ago, in fact, there were some RFH teens rallying via that classic Rumson “bridge” mode of advertising to get a nude beach going on Sandy Hook. Everyone knows how that went.

Gunnison has been up and running since the mid-1970s and is currently the only legal “clothing optional” beach in New Jersey. And while alcohol is no longer permitted on Gateway National Recreation Area’s Sandy Hook beaches, one tradition is holding — nude (or bathing suit optional) sunbathing on Gunnison.

It’s not the big deal it was back in the 70s. Believe us, everyone was quite giggly and curious about it all those beach dwellers in the all together. But, some traditions have a rough start as this one did.

The Retro Pic of the Day (sent to us a while ago) is a throwback to the days when RFH students were rallying for the cause, painting the iconic bridge — the famous message board leftover from the old McCarter estate.

Gunnison is the namesake of Battery Gunnison on Sandy Hook, part of the federal Gateway National Recreation Area. The area was a fort designed to protect the New York Harbor in the 1800s.

The rumor was that the nude beach ended up being named after the fort because soldiers skinny dipped there at the time.

For decades now, anyone who wants to sunbathe and take a swim without clothing can.

Hmmmm. Wonder if the teens who painted this message on the bridge became Gunnison regulars. Anyone? Everyone in the ocean!