Olympic Hot Tub Company has been asking the question: ” Nude or Not Nude? ” since 1982.  We asked our entire customer base if they enjoyed their hot tubbing experience up close and personal or did modesty prevail? The 1982 survey results had 94% responding that they went nude.

Modesty or discretion swept our soakers through the Regan years and only 64% voted emphatically: nude, 17% voted suits and 19% voted yes for suits and no for bare depending on the situation, lighting and company! Results were similar in our 1999 survey as modesty continued to creep up in popularity. So where are we now? It’s time for a new survey!!

The point is, it always feels great, nude or not nude whichever you decide! Not surprisingly we received many poems, jingles and short stories from fans of the unclothed “look”, but none from bathing suit wearers. The nude bathing fans were far more vociferous in their “right” to go nude.

Here are a few poems that celebrate each author’s opinion:

Our Hot Spring Spa is so accustomed
To bodies heartily and merrily welcomed,
We would not, could not, dare to think,
Of dipping blithely into the drink,
With bodies clad in beach attire,
Festooned with elastic and underwire.
The wondrous tingle of oscillating jet,
Of air and water warmly met,
By aching muscle and tired skin,
Should have no barrier to greet within
The confines of this glorious space
Where care and worries melt with grace.
So, to your query, our answer clever-
Do we wear suits?
NO, NO, NEVER!

Hot tubbing with suits is both boring and square,
What good does it serve being covered down there?
If done in the buff-stripped naked and nude,
The calming effect is so comfy and dude.
Under the stars, secluded in dark
Au Natural yields marital spark.
Small, tall or short; lean, mean or chub,
Alfresco is best in an Olympic Hot Tub!

Yes, I do wear a suit in our hot tub. For quite a number of years it wore very well and was most comfortable. My husband made a few comments about it lately saying, “You should possibly invest in a new suit since yours seems to be getting a little wrinkled and baggy!” I told him to put his glasses on next time we go in the hot tub and he might decide that I should save the money and continue to wear that old faithful “Birthday Suit.” Believe me-I’d never find another one like it in 100 years! I think he now agrees!!

Yes and No as you may guess
Depending upon who’s our guest.
It’s suits for family and friends ta boot
Cause we’re not pretty without our suits.
And besides the tree house in the neighbor’s yard
Tends to keep us a bit on guard.
But I’ll confess when it’s real late
And the stars are shining so,
A skinny dip in my Hot Spring Spa
Is my favorite way to go.

Your hot tub can also be used for preventive medicine. Water’s therapeutic powers lie in its ability to alter the body’s blood flow. According to an article in Tennis Magazine, “When you immerse yourself in the hot water of a spa or hot tub, the temperature of your skin and muscles rise, causing blood vessels to dilate which increases blood flow to the skin and muscles. Turn on the jets and let the pulsating water massage the skin, increasing blood flow even more. The result? Your skin and muscles loosen and relax from the increased blood circulation.”

Improve your athletic performance by using your hot tub both before and after you exercise:

Before You Exercise. Soaking in a hot tub before exercising relaxes your body and loosens muscles, making exercise easier and reducing the risk of injury. A pre-exercise soak will also help improve performance. In fact, some golfers swear it has actually taken a couple of strokes off their game.

After You Exercise. Soaking in a hot tub after exercising is a great way to wind down and relax your muscles. The hot, swirling water embraces you . . . massaging your neck, shoulders, arms, back, thighs, calves, and feet. But most importantly, hot tub use after you exercise will greatly reduce or even eliminate the stiffness typically felt the next day. You’ll enjoy your workout & sports time more knowing you won’t be sore the next day.

Important Note. If an injury occurs, it is essential to apply ice to the swollen area first. Never get into a hot tub when you have swelling! Allow ample time for the swelling to reduce before soaking in your hot tub. The warm, circulating water will speed healing to any damaged tissue as well as bringing much-needed nutrients via blood flow to the problem area.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

*Drink plenty of water before and after soaking. I love chilled San Pellegrino from my local Trader Joe’s. Avoid alcohol until AFTER your soak.  Alcohol is dehydrating and is a depressant on your system.
*Cool down before you heat up. Wait until you stop sweating and your pulse returns to normal after exercising before getting into the hot tub.
*Enter and exit the hot tub slowly. Ease in gradually. Exit carefully. A sudden change in posture and temperature can cause lightheadedness.
*The maximum recommended safe temperature for a hot tub is 104 degrees. Soaking time at this temperature should not exceed 15 minutes. For summer, try 100 degrees or even 99 degrees in order to feel refreshed not enervated in the heat as I noted above. Kids under 12 usually prefer lower temperatures in the summer.
*Check with your doctor if you are taking medication or have a health condition that may be affected by extreme heat.                                                                                                                               *Wear sunscreen or a broadbrimmed hat if your soaking in the direct sun. Even better get one of our umbrella hats. Look stylish while you soak.
*Never leave children alone in the tub.

 The best tip of all: have fun, relax and enjoy yourself!  

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

Hi Alice: It was nice to meet you at the GSBA luncheon. I just wanted to tell you how happy I am with my Hot Spring Prodigy model hot tub. I had heard from a friend who suffered from back pain that a hot tub was the best thing he ever purchased. I have a birth defect in my spine and as I’m aging my vertebrae is deteriorating and so causing very serious pain. I’ve been to pain doctors and surgeons - the pain doctors could only help so much and surgery is out of the question. Since I had to take a pretty good dose of a narcotic pain killer (which made me ill) to help me sleep, I could not imagine a hot tub could help me at all. However, I finally did purchase the hot tub and can’t tell you how happy I am. I use the tub every night and it relaxes me so much that I don’t have to take pain killers at all to fall asleep. I hardly can believe it myself. Now the only time I need pain medication is when I’m away from my hot tub when traveling.

I want to especially thank Don Riling, Olympic Hot Tub Company Sales Manager, for his patience in urging me to make a purchase. He stuck with me for several years before I finally bought one. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, why didn’t I do it sooner?!

Sincerely,

Mary Klein, Seattle WA

Thanks to Mary for writing. I’m always glad to hear from happy customers, but the specifics of her particular story about ending her back pain by soaking in her hot tub is of such use to others.  The amazing thing, too, is that she was willing to try the hot tub. I know so many people who are in pain 24/7 but learn to “live with it”. They can’t imagine not having it. The pain becomes part of their personality. There’s a lot of fear connected with giving up pain and I applaud Mary’s ability to take action to end hers.

Back pain is the #2 reason that people in the U.S. go to a doctor (after colds & flu).  If you or someone you know suffers from severe back pain, wouldn’t it be worth it to try a hot tub at home?  If the pain is diminished and you need less narcotic pain medication, wouldn’t you consider that a real victory?!!

We offer free test soaks-take a test soak late in the day to see if it diminishes any pain you have. Worth a try? I’d say so!

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

If you live in many Seattle and Bellevue neighborhoods, this has happened to you and will occur with more frequency in the summer months. The noise factor has been increasing recently due to the rise in fuel costs as airlines fly lower for many miles to save fuel. The FAA is considering flight path changes to take traffic away from neighborhoods currently overwhelmed by flight noise.

Unfortunately air traffic is not spread evenly though out the Seattle area. A few neighborhoods take the bulk of all air traffic in and out of Sea Tac.  We’ll always have aircraft noise, but I, for one, would like to see an equitable distribution over all Seattle neighborhoods.  Only the FAA can change the distribution pattern.  The Seattle Council on Airport Affairs has an excellent summary of the issues and what’s at stake.

They also have a hot line to voice your complaints. Report Aircraft Noise to the Aircraft Noise Hotline:
Call! It makes a difference! Call the hotline numbers when you hear loud aircraft and report: 1) The date and time of the incident; and, 2) Your name, address, zip-code and phone number. If possible, add: aircraft description (e.g. 2-engined jet), and direction of flight (e.g. towards Sea-Tac or southbound).

Sea-Tac: 206-433-5393
Boeing Field: 206-205-5242
Renton Airport: 425-430-7471
Seaplanes: 206-684-8811

Port of Seattle Web Complaint Form
The Port of Seattle accepts noise complaints on the Web through a form. Click on the above to fill it out.

If airplane noise is annoying to you, too, take action! It’s about quality of life. It’s worth a call to vent your annoyance and protect your hot tub solace! The calls are being registered and tallied for the purpose of someday persuading the FAA to change the routing to a more equitable distribution. It’s about having the opportunity to soak in your hot tub in peace in quiet-at least some of the time!

Sanum per aqua. Latin for Health through Water.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

We have received a letter from Susan Berta, Whidbey Island Hot Spring Jetsetter owner about her efforts to monitor whales traveling through the sound:
“I have been a Hot Spring Spa owner for many years, & have referred others to your wonderful spas. I have a request for other spa owners that live on or near the water in Puget Sound.  We have a non-profit organization, Orca Network, and track whales throughout Puget Sound & BC Waters. We sometimes get the thrill of listening to whales pass by in the night while we are soaking in our Hot Spring Spa. We’d like to encourage others who have hot tubs near the water to listen for whale spouts in the night, and report them to our whale-sighting network at 1-866-ORCANET, or info@orcanetwork.org. You can help us gather valuable data on our beloved Orcas and gray whales if you just let us know when you are lucky enough to have whales swim by while you’re soaking - how much better can it get?!!I”

Whales are seen everyday from May through October in Puget Sound.  If you’re fortunate enough to spot one or a pod, before you report a sighting, answering some or all of the following questions will be a big help for Orca researchers:

Type of whale seen (orca, gray whale, etc.)
Number of animals seen?
Where did you see them (latitude and longitude if possible)?
What direction were they traveling?
When did you see them (date and time of day)?
What were they doing? Playing? Feeding (on what)?
Were there any males (very large fin on their back)?
Any unusual markings? Scars?
Have you seen whales in this area before?
Did you get photos that may identify individuals?

For more information on sightings, check out the website: www.orcanetwork.org.

If you’d like to know more about Orcas, don’t miss the Orca Month event at the Aquarium next week:  “Southern Resident Orcas, Then and Now: What Have We Learned? A look back at the Southern Residents, threats to their population, and current status.” Sponsored by Orca Network, Seattle Aquarium, & Puget Sound Partnership

Tuesday, June 23rd, 6:30 pm
at the Seattle Aquarium
1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA

Sign up on the Orca Network Website and remember to keep the Orca Network phone number near your hot tub to report sightings. 1-866-ORCANET (672-2638).

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

Hi Val,

Thanks so much for all your help with my recent hot tub purchase. We have spoken many times on the phone, but it is a testimony to your professionalism and ability to build trust with people that I purchased my hot tub sight-unseen after simply discussing it with you on the phone. Later, when my girlfriend and I had a chance to actually see the tub, it was exactly as you had described.

The delivery was scheduled and I hustled to construct a suitable deck in my back yard. You provided the name of a trusted builder so I could make sure I built the deck so it would easily support the tub weight, and he was extremely helpful. I was running late on the delivery day (they were right on time, dang it!) but I really appreciated the cooperative spirit of the delivery guys, who easily slid the tub onto the small scrap of finished portion of deck (all I could get done by the delivery date). They even waited around without complaint for 10 minutes as I placed the remaining three deck boards under where the tub was to go. The follow up after delivery was excellent also, and I have been singing Olympic’s praises to everyone I see. Good value, excellent service, and a quality product. Thanks again, and feel free to show this letter to any prospective client who is thinking of buying a tub from you. If they have questions, they can contact me
at the cell number below. (Phone number available upon request: alice@olympichottub.com)

Sincerely,

Dave

Mr. Johnsen purchased a Hot Spot Mallorca for his home on Bainbridge Island. It was installed in February and as you can tell from his email he’s been happily soaking ever since.

The photo at left shows the Mallorca. Hot Spot Spas are hot and ready for a quick soak any time. Just settle in, soak up the warmth, and relax as muscle aches and stress disappear. Choose from three models in the Hot Spot family, lean back, and truly relax, because you know your high-quality spa is from the makers of Hot Spring® spas - the world’s number one selling brand. Once you own a Hot Spot Spa, you’ll wonder how you got through the day without it-just like Dave Johnsen.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

To create whirled peace in your life, consider adding a hot tub soak to your daily routine.  You won’t call it a “routine” every again.  It’s the one thing you’ll use day after day, week after week. We saw many Olympic Hot Tub owners at our warehouse sale yesterday who told us how much they enjoy their hot tubs 10, 15 and 20 years after purchasing.  Their enjoyment hasn’t diminished from the first day they installed it and that first soak.  Surveys have shown that Hot Spring owners use their spas 3-5 times a week on average. It is the ONE spa brand that gets used because of the no noise operation, low operating costs and easy care. It’s always hot, always clean, always ready when you are. So, of course, it gets used and enjoyed!

To maintain your sanity In this busy world, it’s a must to have a place that’s a sanctuary from cell phones, email and news.  It’s easy to get side-tracked by trivia and the overwhelming glut of information that comes our way everyday. There’s nothing better than taking a daily hot tub dip to refresh, renew and get you back on track towards what ever is most important in your life!

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.