thermal swimming in the snow

We planned a second wellness weekend break by the sea in winter - this time in Usedom - the most north-easterly beach in Germany. We decided on the Strandhotel Herringsdorf because it had an outdoor thermal swimming pool, as well as the usual gym and sauna combination. I was so impressed by the 30' warm and salty pool, fed directly from a thermal spring - you could feel the small inlets along the bottom. The pool was surrounded by snow and ice and although you only had to step outside directly into the pool, it was quite a shock, and then there was a definite warm reward for diving under the water! And the interesting and quirky feature of this pool was a type of skylight in the bottom of the pool, letting light into the gym below - it offered some interesting perspectives of people swimming above...