A local authority in Dublin says there has been huge interest in a proposal to build a floating sauna in the area.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council says the plan for the harbour area is designed to attract more people to the waterfront.
Saunas have become a regular sight at swimming spots around the capital in recent years, and the council said their increasing popularity has prompted the public to contact them to request access to these facilities.
In response to their popularity, it has put out a call for interested parties to provide a floating sauna on a pontoon in the historic west pier, which is already home to some other water-based activities such as paddle boarding and boating.
Director of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Tim Ryan said the idea for Ireland's first floating sauna has captured the public imagination.
"We've been trying to get more people out, involved in water sports or just engaging with the water, walking down the piers, that kind of thing.
"So it's another idea along that vein. We're hoping this will be the first floating sauna in Ireland. It's just something a bit different."
"The interest in this has really surprised us since we launched the expressions of interest document.
"Normally, these kind of things go under the radar. The public imagination has been captured by this idea. So we're really excited to see what comes out of it."
The floating sauna can include a deck area and a plunge pool, but those using it will not be able to swim in the harbour.
"People won't be allowed into the water here because of the risk of collisions with boats. But we are saying within the expressions of interest document that there could be a plunge pool within the pontoon itself.
"So there could potentially be a hole in the pontoon to allow people to do that."
In recent weeks, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has been offering sauna operators the chance to run pop-up saunas at swimming spots in the area, but there are also some more established saunas in the locality.
Popularity of saunas 'exploding'
Sandycove Store and Yard is around the corner from the area's famous Forty Foot swimming spot.
At the front of the shop, customers sit in their dry-robes sipping lattes in the café. Out the back, others scurry around in swimsuits, shivering or sweating as they run between rain showers, ice baths and saunas.
Owner Trevor O'Rourke says the popularity of saunas in Ireland is "exploding".
"We set up here about four years ago. Every winter it got cold but the sea swimmers were still coming in. We put in saunas about two years ago and it's been going strength and strength since then.
"The benefits are obviously huge from your muscles to aches, pains and your mood. There was only a handful of us a couple of years ago. Now, I think there are close to over 100 saunas all across Ireland. It's getting bigger and bigger."
Craig Brunker from Dalkey visits the sauna two to three times a week, he says, to experience calm.
"We all have busy days between work, school, kids, home life. To come down here and be calm, peaceful, sit in the sauna, it's a great place to be."
Sandycove attracts some of Dublin's most dedicated swimmers. Among them is Des Burke-Kennedy from Dalkey, who is measuring the temperature of the water.
He has swum every day for almost 1,300 days in a row.
He's aiming for 1,500 swims in succession and thinks the sauna is a wonderful idea.
"I think the great thing about a sauna is that it attracts another group of people. There are people coming down here for a sauna across the road here. I haven't seen them before, but now they're getting into the water. So it builds up the number of people who are enjoying the sea. It's wonderful."
However, he doesn't use the local saunas himself.
"At the end of all this, usually the shock of this is too big. A double shock would be a double whammy for me."
Jackie Mahoney from Cabinteely also thinks the floating sauna is a good idea, even if she wouldn't use it herself.
"It doesn't do it for me. I just need a towel!"
Sisters Aoife and Áine McCann and Ciara Whelan sip hot drinks from flasks as they dry off after a swim. They have mixed views about the new facility.
Aoife says she thinks it will be popular.
"I think it's a good idea. I swim a lot, and I've used the sauna over there, and it's great thing to do. I'd say it would be very popular."
However, Ciara says that without being able to swim alongside it, she is unlikely to use it.
"I think that's the benefit of it, is going from the sea. A plunge pool is fair enough if you're the first one into it, but if you're the fourth or fifth, it doesn't particularly appeal to me. So if you can't get into the harbour, then probably no."
The floating sauna will be built and funded by a private operator, with the local authority giving them access to the pier for the facility.
Anyone interested in providing the service has until Valentine's Day to submit their plans.
