January 2024

2024-01-01 07:03:00

There are of course these thousands of people, often in disguise, who jump into the water in the North Sea in front of Ostend, every January 1st. Frosty New Year, they call it. A folkloric, tourist attraction, quite marketing. Next door, more discreet, the south of the country has a few New Year’s Eve events, such as the polar bear dive in Habay (a few dozen people in the freezing waters of the Rulles). Or even others in the lakes of Butgenbach or Robertville.

These celebrations, inspired by a Canadian tradition (there, we often have to break through the ice before being able to get into the water) have several points in common: the search for the thrill of the unprecedented in addition to that of the cold, the The effect felt when leaving the water and the moment shared with friends in the context of end-of-year celebrations.

Break the ice layer before slipping into the water

“I have been doing this for around ten years,” explains Marina Bekisz, a 63-year-old secretary from Theutoise, who will be there once more this Monday in Butgenbach with around ten companions. “It dates from the moment I signed up for the winter swimming club in my town. This year, there are a little less than 200 of us registered in this club which is intended to be an extension of what is done in summer. Originally, the Theux swimming pool, now closed, only welcomed swimmers in summer, given that it was an unheated outdoor swimming pool. It was a shame. So, we started, with appointments all year round, regardless of the weather. Sometimes, when it had frozen hard, we had to break the ice before getting into the water for a few minutes… We have already gone to do this at the abroad, in the Austrian Alps, or even in Argentina, near the Perito Moreno glacier. We also have competitions, over distances varying from 20 to 100 meters in Belgium…”

Often with slippers on their feet, sometimes with gloves on their hands and a hat on their heads, these “frosty” people say they only feel good things when they are out in cold water. “The first sensation when entering the water, we must not lie, is the cold,” continues our lively sixty-year-old. “We feel very, very cold. Then, we feel good. Then we feel very, very cold. good. And that can be tricky. You can feel like you’re in a daze, a bit like a drug addict I suppose. You shouldn’t go beyond that. I felt bad when I got out of the water once. or twice, because I had gone on too long. But frankly, this kind of situation is very rare. We know each other, we help each other. Finally, in the long term, I am sure and certain that this strengthens us. Me -even, I haven’t been sick for years…”

Precautions to take before you start

On this subject, Nicolas Iconomidis, French doctor and himself a cold water swimmer, published the book Swimming in cold water, benefits and risks for health at the end of 2021.

“The effects (Editor’s note: of swimming in cold water) are first of all psychological, explains this specialist. By entering cold water, the body secretes dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, psychostimulants. For what is immunity, it might be stimulated because the vessels contract when entering the water then relax and dilate once the swimmer exits. Warning: before you start, it is important to take stock medical. It is necessary to check the heart, blood pressure and ear canals, which can indeed be impacted by the cold.”

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