Turning : lessons from swimming Berlin's lakes

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The water slips over me like cool silk, rising around my legs, over my waist, up to my collarbone. When I relax, the lake's sound is a muffled roar, every vibration amplified by water. Jessica Lee, a Canadian of Chinese and British descent, swims year-round, especially loving the winter's sharp, freezing water. At twenty-eight, feeling lonely in Berlin while working on her thesis, she decides to swim fifty-two lakes around the city, regardless of the weather. This journey becomes a beautiful obsession, leading her to confront her past fears of near drowning and the ghosts of the landscape. Each swim brings new experiences: the thrill of a turquoise lake, cracking ice, floating under blue skies, and navigating murky depths. Through this year of swimming, Jessica gains strength, finds friendship, and discovers how the landscape can haunt yet also hold us. This narrative resonates with anyone who loves swimming, seeks to push beyond caution, and understands the profound joy of surrendering to the water, allowing the body to float home to the surface.