The first rays of sunlight break through the twilight in a mystical way, touching the surface of LakeLaach. The mountains surrounding the lake cast long shadows that create bizarre patterns. You can sense that something momentous once happened here, shaping the surrounding landscape.

At this mysterious hour of the morning, Laachus comes to life—a stone that belongs right here. He doesn’t know how long he’s been lying there. The only thing certain is that it must have been a long time.

Laachus cautiously squints into the faint light of the rising sun and sees the lake lying steaming before him. Here and there he sees bubbles rising in the water, drawing circles on the surface. Still tired, Laachus gives in to the urge to step into the cold water to refresh himself. Through the crystal-clear water, he spots numerous other stones at the bottom of the lake. Laachus is delighted. He’d like some company and thinks to himself: “Maybe I can find a friend down there to play with 53 meters below the water’s surface.”

Laachus takes a deep breath and dives headfirst into the lake. He kicks, splashes, and paddles with his arms, but it’s all to no avail. Laachus remains at the surface, as if a mysterious force or an enigmatic resistance were preventing him from submerging. Completely exhausted, Laachus lets himself float on the water’s surface and ponders why he is so different. The sun is already almost directly overhead when Laachus climbs out of the lake and decides: “I will not rest until I have an explanation for this invisible force.”

And so Laachus sets off through the legendary volcanic region of Lake Laach to find out why he can swim.

Location info:

Lake Laach, 56653 Maria Laach