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An electronic guidebook for planning and walking the Overland Track.
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Acceptable Swimwear?

Mon 14 Jan, 2019 12:38 pm

Hey all,

I'd like to keep my pack weight down so with that in mind, what's acceptable as (male) swimwear on the overland track? Do I need to take a dedicated swimming trunk or can I use my underwear? :oops:

I'm not sure so I had to ask :D

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Mon 14 Jan, 2019 2:34 pm

I think the Kia Ora Hut is the one with the creek, everyone was swimming in underwear when I was there. Some even in the extra light mesh underwear.
We didn't see any swimmers at Lake Will or Echo Point and only a few brave ones at Lake Windermere (it was February and the water was freezing).

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Tue 15 Jan, 2019 8:45 am

Thanks for the info, I guess it's fine then :)

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Tue 15 Jan, 2019 8:12 pm

I went basic Speedo's. Pretty lightweight and dry quick.

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Wed 16 Jan, 2019 12:12 pm

bobcrusader wrote:I went basic Speedo's. Pretty lightweight and dry quick.

What were others wearing? Did you see anyone with just their underwear?

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Wed 16 Jan, 2019 12:40 pm

I've never seen anyone (male or female) with actual swimwear when out walking, certainly I just swim in my underwear or less depending on how many people are around. If you bushwalk enough you'll likely lose all sense of modesty because your priorities shift.I very hurriedly disrobed in front of a bunch of strangers the other week because I had discovered a tick and was a lot more interested in removing it and making sure there were no others, than I was concerned about strangers seeing me in a state of undress.

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 17 Jan, 2019 9:27 am

Hermione wrote:I've never seen anyone (male or female) with actual swimwear when out walking, certainly I just swim in my underwear or less depending on how many people are around. If you bushwalk enough you'll likely lose all sense of modesty because your priorities shift.I very hurriedly disrobed in front of a bunch of strangers the other week because I had discovered a tick and was a lot more interested in removing it and making sure there were no others, than I was concerned about strangers seeing me in a state of undress.


I agree about the priorities thing. I feel the same. At the same time I don't want to offend people. And given overland is a bit mainstream I just wanted to make sure others do that. From the sounds of it, it should be fine to just wear my underwear for swimming. I don't want to add another 100gs for swimwear :D

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 17 Jan, 2019 11:17 am

Swimming out to the island in Windermere doesn't count unless you do it starkers. ;)

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Sat 19 Jan, 2019 4:53 pm

I did the Overland Track at Christmas.

1) There were a number of places to swim. People went swimming in Lake Windermere. There's a swimming spot which is 20-25 mins walk backwards from Pelion Hut - I think it's near Douglas Creek along a foot track that goes past / near the Old Pelion Hut from how people described it to me. There's a creek conveniently right beside Kia Ora hut which was freezing cold but still lovely, and I had a swim there. (Be very careful with the mossy slippery rocks though) And then Fergusson Falls virtually everyone who walked down went for a swim. Again very cold water and very slippery mossy rocks and a few of us got small cuts and / or slipped on the rocks. Lake St Clair you can also swim in.

2) People went swimming in bikinis, in swimsuits, in board shorts (guys). And some went in their clothes in order to wash them and then hang them out and switched into their camp clothes. I didn't see anyone go in their underwear, but I don't see why you couldn't. No-one's going to arrest you. lol.

Hope this helps.

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Wed 13 Feb, 2019 5:27 pm

Thanks for all the replies peeps. I swimmed with my undies and didn't get arrested :D

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 14 Feb, 2019 8:01 am

But you should for your grammar [WINKING FACE]

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 14 Feb, 2019 12:30 pm

One of the memorable moments on my first Overland Track trek was at Kiaora hut. A few young ladies came into the hut wearing only the underwear they'd just been swimming in (at the small waterfall just down the creek a bit "Kiaora Falls" as they called it, but not actually the real Kioara falls, which is a lot further down).

They stripped off their wet underwear and we copped a full-frontal eyeful before we knew what was happening. I just didn't know where to look!

It might have been a little less awkward if I wasn't with my Dad. :-)

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 14 Feb, 2019 1:50 pm

bush_tux wrote:Thanks for all the replies peeps. I swimmed with my undies and didn't get arrested :D


Means he 'swimmed' with his undies (on top of head to keep dry) as opposed to 'swimming' in his undies?

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 14 Feb, 2019 3:06 pm

It seems contextual. In some circumstances you could swim in your underpants without any fear of offending. You could swim nude in some cases. In other circumstances (e.g. when there are families with children) it might not be the most polite thing to do. It's hard to generalize. Then again, the distinction between underpants/panties and a speedo is minimal, maybe just cosmetic.

On the other hand, swimwear is really light. Tasmania can get pretty dang hot at times and even if you prefer wearing pants most of the time a pair of shorts, which function perfectly as modest swim trunks, are worth the minor weight for carrying. If for no other reason they act as a backup pair of underpants if circumstances dictate needing that. Ha ha.

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 21 Feb, 2019 3:50 pm

Son of a Beach wrote:One of the memorable moments on my first Overland Track trek was at Kiaora hut. A few young ladies came into the hut wearing only the underwear they'd just been swimming in (at the small waterfall just down the creek a bit "Kiaora Falls" as they called it, but not actually the real Kioara falls, which is a lot further down).

They stripped off their wet underwear and we copped a full-frontal eyeful before we knew what was happening. I just didn't know where to look!

It might have been a little less awkward if I wasn't with my Dad. :-)


:lol:

Re: Acceptable Swimwear?

Thu 21 Feb, 2019 3:52 pm

Orion wrote:It seems contextual. In some circumstances you could swim in your underpants without any fear of offending. You could swim nude in some cases. In other circumstances (e.g. when there are families with children) it might not be the most polite thing to do. It's hard to generalize. Then again, the distinction between underpants/panties and a speedo is minimal, maybe just cosmetic.

On the other hand, swimwear is really light. Tasmania can get pretty dang hot at times and even if you prefer wearing pants most of the time a pair of shorts, which function perfectly as modest swim trunks, are worth the minor weight for carrying. If for no other reason they act as a backup pair of underpants if circumstances dictate needing that. Ha ha.


Do zip off pants count? :D
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