Gregor Lengler

Much-loved winter bathing

Dedicated bathers know nothing better than taking the plunge every Saturday on the Kiel Fjord. Whether in March, July or October

Gregor Lengler

More and more people are getting excited about winter swimming

The Kiel Fjord lies still in the morning light. The water is smooth and steel gray. Lukas Zarling stands at the end of a wooden jetty and looks out towards the large ships that are slowly coming in. The dawn glows behind thick blue clouds. It seems as if the sky hasn’t quite decided yet whether it really should be daylight.

Lukas buries his hands deeper into the pockets of his thick jacket. It’s a Saturday at the end of October and it’s cold – as it should be at this time of year. The air is ten degrees. Lukas has come for a swim. But where are the others?

Lukas Zarling, 33, is a winter swimmer. He loves plunging into the water even when summer is long gone in the true north and the air and water temperatures are approaching zero degrees. The engineer from Kiel is not alone in his enthusiasm. More and more people are practising winter swimming or ice bathing, partly because of the medical wisdom that the cold strengthens the circulation, promotes blood flow and stimulates the immune system. Luka’s enthusiasm began a few years ago in San Francisco, where he swam through the cold Pacific Ocean. “I’m actually a bit of a hothead,” laughs the 1.90-metre man, who now lives out his passion in his home state of Schleswig-Holstein, where there are plenty of opportunities with the North Sea, Baltic Sea and numerous lakes. As a true Kiel sprat, Lukas prefers to jump into the fjord. Every day, if possible.

Because today is Saturday, a whole group of winter swimming fans have gathered at the bathing jetty by the Reventlouwiese, around 15 people between the ages of 25 and 65, who quickly shed their clothes and slip into swimwear. Some put on woolly hats, because the head cools down the quickest in cold water.

Gregor Lengler

Gregor Lengler

Gregor Lengler

Gregor Lengler

This morning there are even a few porpoises in the fjord

But suddenly a murmur goes through the group, “Look! There, by the buoy!” Two porpoises peer out of the water in front of the bathing area. As quickly as they appeared, they disappeared again. The sight of the small marine mammals has left an impression. Now get into the water yourself!

A QR code is attached to the jetty railing, which Lukas uses to find out the water temperature. 12.6 degrees Celsius. “The golden rule for winter swimming is one minute for every degree above zero. So we can stay in for twelve minutes,” says another member of the group. As the first people get into the water, there is a sharp intake of breath. “You just have to accept that it’s cold,” says Lukas, before he himself bravely climbs over the ladder into the autumn-cold Baltic Sea.

After a few minutes, the scene almost looks like a day at the beach in summer. The gang is having fun and laughing, some of them take a dip. Lukas looks at his waterproof watch. Twelve minutes are up, so they quickly head back ashore, where everyone dries off while a Labrador looks on, tail wagging. “That belongs to Moby,” says a swimmer, pointing to the iconic fish stall around the corner. “That’s where we like to have our morning coffee.”

But first, Lukas and a few friends take a sauna session in the “Rune Sauna”, which is located a few meters away in a wooden hut on a meadow. Afterwards, Moby serves hot punch and tea under radiant heaters. Lukas explains why winter swimming makes him so happy, “It totally invigorates me and relieves stress.” Others say that swimming builds mental strength. While stories ranging from ice swimming to hot springs in faraway countries are told, the normal café guests listen with wide eyes. They probably regret not having their swimsuits with them. But perhaps they will be there next Saturday. The porpoises would certainly be delighted.