TT tries: Waters in Ås!
TT tries: Waters in Ås!
Journalist: Åsmund Godal Tunheim
Photographer: Thale Jensen Hevrøy
The multitude of puddles, ponds and pools in Ås have apparently been declared safe to swim in. This opens a world of possibilities for bathing – but which one is the best? A sunny Sunday, the TT-staff decided to get into their swimming trunks and take on the responsibility of figuring it out.
Just a little disclaimer before we start; we didn’t test all the waters. Nevertheless, a wide variety of mud pools got a taste of our summer tan student skin. We did our best, as the academic citizens we are, to analyze and evaluate the quality of these bodies of water with precise and verifiable methods. Unsure of where to go for your in-between-lectures-swim? Well, just keep reading:
Andedammen
A natural starting point, and a spot that many of our paint interested readers probably have a close and intimate relationship with. It has a pleasant temperature, and is conveniently located amid beautiful scenery. But the fun stops there. The visibility is 30 cm max, and a foul smell rises from the deep if you move too much. Maybe it’s the smell of flesh-eating bacteria enjoying themselves in the sludge? Safe on shore, we notice that we are covered in a sticky slime, which makes us feel terribly sorry for our towels. Wouldn’t want to swim here for long, unless it was for a good cause.
Speildammen
A reflection as in a mirror, they say. And this is a pond for reflection! In one way it’s playing it’s part of mirroring the face of our grandest university building. In another way it’s also its perfect counterpart. Its dreadful stench burns our nostrils, and gives a sensation of regurgitation. The pond was so muddy that we had to bomb dive into it to break the surface, something the pond didn’t like. It fought back with sludge and slime that clung to body hair we didn’t know we had, and painted them black like the most expensive mascara. A liquid liar with a beautiful backdrop.
Speilkulpen
After a meeting with its disgusting neighbor, it felt delightful and refreshing to lower ourself into Speilkulpen, a pleasant little pool with a comfortable temperature, fresh smell and nearly clear water. It felt like coming home. We could wash away the slime from Andedammen and the body hair muck from last dip, and also feel quite clean afterwards. A dip I strongly recommend – a perfect pick-me-up between lectures in Law and Social Economics.
Lille Årungen
This afterthought is found in the middle of the storm water stream between Andedammen and the big namesake in the north-west. Other than that, there isn’t much that reminds you of Ås’ biggest lake. The pond is small, with sharp fist-sized rocks to get past before you’re in the water, and most of the surface is covered in slimy algae. The water is fairly cold, but clear and not smelly. The sunny sauna-like platform was lovely, so lovely that I was the only one to get wet this time. This one is probably not a bad idea either, if you get enough of the Veterinary hospital and need to cool your head.
Skogsdammen
This is a true tarn, with esthetic qualities that both Claude Monet and Theodor Kittelsen would appreciate. Here lies big logs bobbing in the water and wild plants are flourishing both above and under water. We are scared for our toes when we’re entering the water, fearing that the big pike is hungry for a little toe snack. We also fear that we will anger the water fairy, who undoubtedly lives in this tarn. The pond is cold, smelly and provides a smooth transition from water to mud. You also feel the stares of a dozen sweaty students behind Eika’s glass façade. Not a must, this one.
Årungen (by Kinnhuken)
The big mama, with an aura of experience and lived life. She has tasted car wrecks, trash and runoff from freshly plowed fields and sweaty rowers’ foreheads. You would think that a lake of this size could get the mud to the bottom, but no. The water here has a similar quality to the puddles we used to jump into with our Cherroxes as kids. Despite the lean-to, campfire and and loo, the surroundings are kind of boring, and yes – it is a few stone’s throws away from campus. Impossible to pop by in between lectures, and maybe not worth the trip. However, other than the little pool by the Clock building, this is probably the best option if you don’t want to feel gross and get sick after your plunge.
