From a North American perspective, bathing in the midst of winter may seem an unthinkable abomination, an incomprehensible self-imposed torture. However, it’s a tradition dating back centuries in Europe, particularly in the Nordic countries, needless to say. Today, clubs exist in Europe that allow this activity to be done safely in groups.
Until recently, only a few individuals, deemed eccentric by their peers, practiced this activity in Canada, often in secret so as not to attract ridicule. However, the situation has changed over the last 10 or 15 years as the teachings of Dutchman Wim Hof have gained popularity worldwide.
Hof has developed a set of personal development principles based on mindful breathing exercises and cold acclimatization. This acclimatization starts with cold showers and, once the body has adapted, progresses to full immersions in cold water baths or natural bodies of water.
Now known as “The Wim Hof Method,” this practice is observed all over the world and is directly responsible for the renewed popularity of this activity.
Throughout Canada, groups of bathers come together to dig and maintain holes, assist newcomers, and practice the activity in the safest way possible.
The “Briseurs de Glace” (“The Ice Breakers”) gather every Sunday in a easily accessible yet secret lake that is privately owned. This is one of the challenges for cold water enthusiasts: finding a public, legal, accessible, and safe location.
That day, the thermometer was giving a water reading of 0.5°C (33°F).
