Customs - First the North Sea, then the sauna: New Year's swimming on the coast
Swimming in water temperatures of around seven degrees: some intrepid swimmers started the new year with a New Year's swim on the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony. Dozens of brave swimmers took to the ice-cold North Sea water on the Butjadingen peninsula in the afternoon. The motto: "Into the new year with a cool head!".
According to the organizers, between 50 and 100 participants ventured into the sea and around 200 visitors watched. There were fewer swimmers than in previous years, when the event often attracted around 250 participants. The reason for this was that the New Year's swim was not held in the North Sea lagoon- a seawater bathing lake - as usual due to renovation work, but on Friesenstrand beach.
The main focus of New Year's swimming, also known as "Anbaden" or "Anschwimmen", is the fun factor. The spectacle is usually watched by numerous onlookers on the beach. Organizers on the islands of Norderney, Juist and Borkum also invited brave souls to take a dip in the cold North Sea. In many places, swimmers could warm up with hot drinks or a visit to the sauna.
Information Butjadingen Information Borkum Information Juist Information Norderney
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Leisure time during the New Year celebration in Lower Saxony often includes a dip in the North Sea. Despite the Cold Water temperature, many people choose to swim in the North Sea, as seen on Friesenstrand beach in Butjadingen. The water temperature on that particular day was around seven degrees. Various locations along the North Sea coast, such as Norderney, Juist, and Borkum, also offer New Year's swims. After the swim, participants can warm up with hot drinks or a visit to the sauna, making it a fun and enjoyable leisure activity. Some individuals even make it a tradition to start the new year by swimming in the North Sea.
Source: www.stern.de
