Sauna and cold plunge, elsewhere
Greetings!
This week I’m highlighting hot and cold, or “contrast therapy”, experiences elsewhere in the world that have shaped my vision for Steelhead House, starting with the Dolphin Club in San Francisco.
Dolphin Club / San Francisco, California
Located on a walled off portion of the San Francisco Bay, the Dolphin Club is a volunteer-led community made up predominantly of swimmers and rowers. The clubhouse features several common spaces, two locker rooms (both 16-20 person dry Finnish saunas), a gym, kitchen and a large outdoor deck where folks relax and socialize.
I’ve been a member of the Dolphin Club for 10 years. These are my favorite parts of the experience:
Hot and cold: The temperature of the water in the cove ranges from ~48°F to ~65°F, which is to say that it’s usually pretty cold. After a good swim in the cove, followed by 20+ minutes in the communal sauna, you’re left feeling both invigorated and relaxed.
Community building: The Club attracts people ranging in age from 18 to 95, and while there’s currently a wait list for new membership, existing members pay less than $50/month and it’s open to the public 3-4 days per week. It’s supremely accessible, and cultivates new friendships across ages, races and creeds like few other places/organizations I’ve experienced.
For more on the Dolphin Club experience, check out this wonderful video.
Sandkaj Badezone / Copenhagen, Denmark
Source: https://svoemkbh.kk.dk/svoemmeanlaeg/bade-dyppezoner-og-flydende-saunaer/badezoner/sandkaj-badezone
I was fortunate to spend about a week in Copenhagen last August, and Sandkaj Badezone (translation: sand quay bathing zone) was my go-to swim spot. Open year-round, the bathing zone is essentially a large stepped seating/lounging area off of a boardwalk that sits next to a designated swim area. During summer, this is a much-loved spot for sun-lounging and bathing in the harbor. In winter, it turns into a cold plunge <> sauna circuit (the small brown structures in the image above are the saunas). The boardwalk features shops, restaurants and bakeries where you can gather picnic supplies, or hang out after a cold swim.
This video nicely captures the essence of the place.
Bywater Sauna / Seattle, Washington
A couple weeks ago, I visited a friend’s outdoor sauna operation, Bywater Sauna, in Seattle, WA. The founder, Nate Garberich, started a cold water swimming group known as Coldwater Collective during COVID. Bywater naturally grew out of that concept and community. Today, Nate has partnered with the City of Seattle to offer a contrast therapy experience at two different beaches on the west side of Seattle. Visitors cycle between the sauna - a very large 16-20 person wood-fired mobile barrel - and the refreshing waters of the Puget Sound. If you’re ever in the Seattle area, I highly recommend booking a session.
Have you had any memorable experiences with sauna or cold immersion? Please drop me a line – I’d love to hear about them.
Please follow us on Facebook, and stay tuned for next week’s edition on a brief history of sauna bathing in Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Thanks for reading,
Lorenzo (Tyler) Carlisle
