That funky floating sauna has found a summer home

Yes, the contrast therapy of sauna-cold plunge has spring-summer appeal.

After a wildly successful inaugural winter season at Downtown Kelowna Marina, Loyly Floating Sauna has found a spring-summer home -- bobbing at McKinley Beach Marina.

"It's a little out of the way after being downtown," said Nick Rasta, who owns Loyly Floating Sauna along with his wife, Jessica.

"But it's been going really well since we opened at McKinley on May 17. We're a destination, because we're continuing to get people from Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton coming out and tourists from Vancouver and Calgary and people from McKinley are giving us a try, too."

McKinley Beach Marina is about a 20 minute drive from downtown.

You'll have to book ahead, park slightly up the hill from the marina and be let in through the locked gate to get onto the dock that has access to the floating sauna.

Because Loyly is bouyant, the business that built the platform on floats, Shoreline, was able to transport it by water from downtown to McKinley.

The plan currently is to operate Loyly at McKinley until June 30 and then make a decision as to whether or not to stay there for the rest of the summer.

Loyly will head back to the Downtown Kelowna Marina for either Sept. 15 or Oct. 15 for the lucrative winter season.

"This time of year is a little different, but it's still good for the alternating of hot and cold in the sauna and the cold plunge pool," explained Rasta.

The sauna is kept at a steamy 80C and Okanagan Lake, which fills Loyly's grated cold plunge pool, is still a chilly 11C.

Cold plunge has benefits as long as the water is 15C or less.

"Once Okanagan Lake gets above 15C and if we decide to stay open all summer, the floating sauna is still a fun activity and you get the sauna benefits," explained Rasta.

"And you can still go in the plunge pool or hop in the lake. Even in the summer, the water is going to be a lot cooler than the sauna."

Speaking of the health benefits of the sauna-cold plunge combination, they are myriad from improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation, boosting immune function and increasing metabolism and energy levels to flushing toxins, tightening pores and firming skin and better sleep.

Plus, it's a blast to alternate between the cold of the plunge and the heat of the sauna.

That's what my wife, Kerry, and I discovered when we hit Loyly over the weekend.

We started with an invigorating plunge for one minute and then lounged in the sauna, taking in the view of lake of McKinley through the massive picture window, for 10 minutes.

We repeated the cycle four more times and finished with a quick cold plunge before drying off and wrapping up in dry clothes.

It was not only fun, but we felt relaxed and elated at the same time.

We also slept well that night.

"That's the beauty of Loyly," said sauna attendant Shaye Tarry.

"You can make it whatever you want. You can chat and socialize or be totally calm and quiet and do your breathwork."

Loyly is open seven days a week from 7 am to 9 pm for 70 minute sessions.

You can book a 'community' session for $47.25, which means you're sharing the space with up to six other people, or you can book the whole place out for $283 for yourself and up to six friends.

Book at: https://www.loylyfloatingsauna.ca/