despite the fact that the temperature in the water couldn't have been more than 5 degrees celsius, and despite the fact that a 100+ degree difference between the heat of the sauna and the coldness of the sea couldn't possibly be healthy, people didn't hesitate to take a late night swim during our stay at gullmarsstrand (near lysekil, swedish west coast). well, some people did hesitate. i decided early on to stay in the sauna, keeping my beer company (so i can't be blamed for hesitating). one guy didn't go farther out of the door than one step, before returning to the heat inside... i think that the "healthiness" people claim to feel after taking a cold swim in conjunction with a sauna bath, is actually joy for still being alive. nothing else.

photo shot on tri-x pushed to iso 1600, using the wide end (or nearly so) of a tamron 17-35/2.8-4 mounted on my nikon f80. late january 2004.