Some fanatics remain bobbing in the water, but most swimmers rush to the steaming bowls of pea soup and mugs of chocolate milk waiting in the pavilion. “It actually surprised me how cold it was,” says a man in orange swimming trunks who is still drying himself. “It’s been colder before.”
A group of girls has already wrapped themselves deeply in the towel. “It was really cold!” one of them exclaims. “But we’ll go again next year, won’t we?”, asks another. The rest nod in agreement. “It’s very tasty, though.”