The Chills and Thrills of Cold Water Night Swimming – Lake Geneva, Switzerland 2024 – Mammalian Dive Reflex

So, I happen to be in France, 100 meters from the border of Switzerland, on the outskirts of Geneva, I knew I’d be here around the holidays. I’ve mapped out several different routes to visit various animal parks and nature conservatories, all requiring negotiating the way in to the city around the airport. 

I googled at the last minute and found this “New Year’s Eve at the water’s edge, bringing the New Year in to the sound of music” Wow, great. I‘m there!

I had recently seen an article in National Geographic about the benefits of cold water swimming. “This is what a polar plunge does to your body” 

I spontaneously decided to do a cold water plunge in lake Geneva on New Year’s Day. The water of the lake is extraordinarily clear, tremendous visibility. I wound up meandering eventually to an area that I found afterwords, is precisely a bathing area: Bains des Paquis. They advertise ‘night swimming’ there although it wasn’t scheduled that particular evening!

It was already after dark, I walked along a pier. Had randomly asked a few people along the way if anyone wanted to take the plunge. Approaching this statue monument at the end of the peninsula, looking down at this boardwalk, I ironically saw a couple getting dressed, having just gotten out of the water.

My cue to take the plunge. I watched and listened to a cluster of birds by this faux light house and eventually built up the nerve. 

I looked at the splash wet marks on the wooden walkway by ladders where people had gotten out. This couple were already long gone. I didn’t last very long, but was fully invigorated. 

Now I realize why I’m doing this. The character in the book is involved in this process on pg. 120 known as the Mammalian Diving Reflex  |  Bar–atm  |  Reduces Need for Breaths “While the initial cold response leads to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, those changes reverse after several minutes.”

I vowed to do it the following day, same place, this time found a place along the building with hooks on the wall for bathers. Around the corner, I saw another couple, in the water. These people have dressing rooms and heat and probably hot water for when they get out. I didn’t, but had layers to put on. Here were concrete stairs going right into the water. This second day was tremendously windy. I went for it. The wind whipped the moisture from my skin quickly.

I did it a third time, also hearing and seeing other people who had come for a night swim. I didn’t fully immerse my head, but swam around these same white birds, now right where I wanted to go in. The third time I stayed in longer, and didn’t have the convulsing feeling of cold and need of heat afterwards. It’s fully exhilarating and is such a charge emotionally, as much from the physiological effects as to simply know that you’ve done it.