A Vistula autumn, Warsaw style
Too many cooks may spoil the broth, so just in case we have vegan pea soup and cream of tomato waiting. This year, we are going winter swimming on Sunday, November 17. But before getting wet in the Vistula, we can warm up by getting our dancing shoes on. It is an essential accompaniment to group river swimming, which is often done by princesses, raftsmen, magical creatures, superheroes and brides. Anyone can splash around in warm water in a bathing suit in the summer, but it’s much more fun to strip off and take a plunge in the Vistula River in December. This is how we enjoy the river in autumn and winter during the Vistula District Walrus School.
The gleaming boulevard, empty beaches and panorama of Warsaw can be seen much more clearly during a walk or bike ride through the riverside forest winding picturesquely along the entire right bank of the Warsaw stretch of the Vistula River. Autumn and winter are no reason to leave behind recreation and outdoor activities by the Vistula. Rain on concrete can bring out much more beautiful colours of neon lights and lanterns, on the beaches nobody is bothered by the heat, and the lack of leaves on the trees is merely an incentive to explore nature more deeply and to discover new places by the river.
When the season for beachgoing and socialising on the steps and in café clubs comes to an end, lovers of autumn pleasures close to nature flock to the Vistula. It’s no problem to make a walk more enjoyable with a hot drink, and warmer clothing will not put off cyclists and runners. Interestingly, for nearly a decade, as part of Warsaw’s promotion and development of the Vistula, there has been an offer especially for those who do not like long trousers, heavy shoes, and winter jackets. The river invites absolutely all lovers of autumn, wild swimming, and those cheering them on, as well as admirers and those who are a bit sceptical.
Another active autumn in the Vistula District is on its way. For almost a decade, a group of several hundred enthusiasts of cold-water swimming have been meeting on Sunday mornings in November and December, at Warsaw’s Rusałka (ZOO) beach.
Every incarnation of the spectacle is full of attractions and surprises. Thematic costumes, dancing, drum parades, and bonfire concerts all add to the experience of jumping into the icy water together. Each swim is preceded by a legendary warm-up and beach dancing. A warm meal and hot tea are always waiting for all the ‘walruses’ when they come ashore, and for those that stay longest there are special prizes that have been creating a unique Vistula collection for years.
The Warsaw walrus school can also be reached on the river waves every Sunday aboard the barge Dar Mazowsza. It is the largest wooden vessel on the Vistula River, which, in addition to comfortable seats and a covered wheelhouse for the winter, also comes equipped with an on-board sauna, heated with wood from the Vistula. Professionals take care of safety as event participants get into the river under the watchful eye of the capital’s Volunteer Water Rescue Service and a City Guard motorboat patrol.
When indulging in bodily pleasures it is worth also remembering the works of the spirit. Many walruses take matters into their own hands in gratitude to the Vistula. To the shame of litterbugs, walruses get together to clean the beaches of garbage that someone probably forgot to throw in a bin and left behind, harming the river.
Winter swimming is becoming more popular every year, and not only because it is a fantastic way to toughen up the body. It is also a great way to challenge your own limitations, especially combined with a sauna, when you have to pluck up the courage to take the plunge while warmed through.
In the autumn on the Vistula, you can find out what walrussing is all about, and how to do it sensibly and safely while taking care of your health and well-being. Of course, in the interests of improving their physical condition and resistance, and preparing for the winter season, the Vistula District constantly encourages Varsovians not only to walrus, but also to sauna; not just on board the Dar Mazowsza, but every day from early morning to late night at the Vistula Sauna moored on the water in Port Czerniakowski.
The list of related activities is endless. For active people who do not like to stop having fun on the water, the perfect choice may be the ‘Wiosłuj i saunuj’ (‘Row and Sauna’) initiative, where after kayaking or paddle boarding, you can have a sauna. The romantic and sensitive will fall in love with the offbeat ‘Must Be the Poet’ pursuit of reciting poetry during a sauna session.
All activities in the Vistula District take place regularly and prove beyond doubt that spending leisure time actively by the river, enjoying the beach, recreation, and feeling good are all possible during each of the Vistula’s four seasons.
More on: FB/dzielnicawislapl and SAUNA WISŁA
Author: Jan Piotrowski, Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw for the Vistula
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