>>2807438
ive always loved swimming in the nature since i was a child so inevitably living throughout canada the water is always on the colder side here. theres a lot of native lore about gaining power and healing through bathing in the cold water and that seems to be a shared circumpolar tradition but yeah the more you do it the easier it gets, your body reacts quickly and i often find myself coming out of the water and feeling WARM. it supposedly has something to do with your body converting white fat into brown fat that can be burnt to produce heat. i dont know if that is just woo woo or real science but some magic seems to be happening the more i do it. as for the culture - all of the regulars are usually cordial and some will informally gather and make small talk for a while but usually will disperse to walk the shoreline or take a nap or whatever. people build little shelters out of driftwood to hang out in. in the winter most of the time i am alone which i prefer anyway as it is more calming and clarifying