need to be fit?

[Byron]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tOQ0grIWVp...0/DSC00245.JPG
Dammit - just missed the sailing of my ferry and he's not seeing me !

Never mind , now got there - a bit slower but not too far behind schedule:
http://england2france.com/wp-content...g-ashore_1.jpg

[Torchwatch]

Byron; is that the beach just north of the industrial area of Calais, it is very quiet and beautiful there, wear whatever you like and you won't be disturbed?

[Byron]

Yes, I think so - the dunes go on for miles like that and I usually need a point of reference such as the Town Hall (which isn't in the pic and I think one would just keep going along there to Cap Gris Nez).
It has a great feeling of space - couldn't have a starker contrast to the claustrophobic Dover-Folkestone coastline I always feel.

[louis]

Most interresting article indeed nand by a aussie paper to.
No 1 for France.

[Byron]

Yes, interesting results although I am not surprised at France*
If I was required to make an on the spot guess I would put Oz where is Italy and Germany where is Sweden in the top five.
Although 21 countries were involved the Poms aren't mentioned so I do not know how they voted (and the FlipFlop Report doesn't show on the Expedia website).
The only caveat I would make is that this Aussie travel company probably doesn't have a great Russian/Chinese/East European clientele and their views may have changed the distribution in the speedo league table.

*I hark back to the days when what the boys wore on the beaches was probably smaller that Brigitte Bardot's bikini bottom in St. Tropez.
A photographer called Ferrero of Nice was busy at the time, which would have been more than forty years ago, and his copyright logo will still crop up occasionally on pics in vintage websites.

[knikon]

I still dont get why so many choose to wear boardies. I just read a survey that stated how boardshorts are a hazard and males are more likely to drown when wearing them than not... Rare study and hard to find. If I can fish it out of my bookmarks Ill post it here.

[Byron]

What you refer to is vaguely familiar - I do not recall exactly who said it but check the RNLI to see any advice they may have published on open water safety.

[Torchwatch]

Weak and non swimmers entering the water are more likely to get into difficulty and less likely to be wearing speedos or square cuts.
This might unbalance the safety aspect of wearing board shorts in the sea.
Also board shorts wearers may not have planned entering the water and are more more likely to have been drinking than speedo or square cut wearers who have planned to go to and into the water.

[knikon]

While more of a convience factor, out here in california there are many boardshorts that contain pockets. I go ocean kayaking and I lost a cellphone due to pockets in boardies. Speaking of kayacking, it is MUCH easier to board that thing after I've flipped it in a speedo. Never again will I wear shorts on my Kayack.

[Torchwatch]

Do you have a canoe or a surf ski?