Rize’s winter swimming festival attracts nature enthusiasts

Rize’s winter swimming festival attracts nature enthusiasts

RİZE
Rize’s winter swimming festival attracts nature enthusiasts

Numerous nature enthusiasts have gathered around a freezing lake in the Black Sea province of Rize on the occasion of a winter swimming festival, marking the 9th edition of the exclusive event.

Despite frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall, around 40 participants dove into the lake in the national park at the Kaçkar Mountains as part of the festival, organized under the leadership of local mountain climber Hasan Önder.

“We hosted the event with our climbing and nature-loving friends in a snowy, high-adrenaline setting despite challenging weather,” Önder noted, deeming the occasion a tradition and unveiling their intention of hosting the event in several different locations in the upcoming years.

Olgun Atagün, one of the participants, expressed satisfaction with the organization, though noting that he was apprehensive about going into the lake at first. “We were pleased with the snowfall. Doing this in such a setting is fantastic.”

Participating in the event each year, diver Mustafa Beyaz described the sensation of diving amidst the snowfall as entirely unique.

While some of the participants lit fires and danced horon – a famous folk dance unique to the Black Sea region, with people dancing hand in hand – in the snow, others swam to the shore and sipped tea in a bid to warm up.