Around the fire, papers fly away, hearts warm, and the idea of soaking in water that flirts with 0°C this January 21 seems almost possible. Almost. “I try not to think about it too much because now I'm wondering what am I doing here, says Marie-Pierre, 63, laughing. I'm used to cold showers but hey, this is another level!” Improvised yoga, deep breathing and a few bursts of nervous laughter: everyone has their own technique to coax the Meuse. “I came for the literary side of this experience I must say, confides Marie-Pierre. I liked the idea of surpassing myself while being carried by a word, a sentence, an intention. I also wanted to feel this intimacy with the Meuse.”
An icy bath, but not disenchanted
Vanessa Bell warns: “Two minutes maximum, and always in pairs! You have to talk in the water to make sure everything is okay.” Eyes meet, smiles become timid: did we really have to take the plunge? Come on, everyone gets on board at the same time. Upon immersion, the shock is total: screams, bursts of laughter and a few sentences broken by the cold.
But no regrets. Coming out of the water, the reddened faces and bright smiles bear witness to the infectious energy of this adventure.
Marie-Christine, 75 years old, and Fideline, 52 years old, shared the experience as mother and daughter. “It’s not my first Nordic swim, but in the Meuse, it’s a great first”confides Fideline. Her mother, for her part, discovers that she has unexpected fins: “I thought I was going to shiver for hours, but it ended up being okay! It was even nice.”
-Bowl of steaming soup in hand, everyone shares their feelings. “It’s a slap, but a good one!”slips a participant still wrapped in her towel. And some leave with memories and sensations that they will not soon forget… “I've never been so cold in my life, it's like you walked into a fridge”laughs Fadal Mbengue, a 32-year-old from Namur. But he says it with a smile on his face: “It was great. I think I'll do it again.”
These Namurois are not afraid of anything! Icy water, burning words and a good dose of courage: all that was needed to melt away the routine of January.
