When Kayla Sibilia would take cold winter swims near her old home in western Massachusetts, she'd immediately have to jump in her car when she was done, crank the heat up to high, and shiver a bit until she warmed up.

With that in mind, the current Little Compton resident has built a mobile sauna and over the winter has been renting out space in it to those seeking to warm up, get healthy, take in the views without freezing, and meet people. The little wood-fired sauna on wheels can regularly be found at South Shore Beach.

“People walk by the beach and they’re like ‘What is that?’ and I say, ‘It’s a sauna,’” Sibilia said. She said that curiosity, and the scenic views the business offers, are among her favorite things about the new venture which she calls "Altaer."

This isn't her first rodeo. Sibilia grew up with a sauna in her childhood home and later, built a mobile unit and took it everywhere — beaches, national parks and other spots, all winter long, and would rent it out for events or private use. When she moved to Little Compton last November, she decided to build another.

“One of the reasons I turned the sauna into a mobile unit is because I want people to build a deeper bond with nature,” said Sibilia.

The sauna was built with the help of local artists from the Sakonnet area. It is heated with wood, and there's enough room in there for five or six people. These days, it spends most of its time at South Shore Beach, and Sibilia was also given the Little Compton Town Council’s blessing last Thursday to operate at Sakonnet Point when conditions aren't good at the beach. She charges $40 per person per hour, or $143 for a party of six, and patrons book in advance.

“Every single day has been booked,” she said.

Raylyn DiPaolo, a sauna tender who works with Sibilia, said she believes people are becoming more interested in ways to tend the body and become one with nature, and suspects that plays a big part in why the sauna has become popular over this long cold winter.

As for swimmer Chrissy Collins, who spent time in it last week, "It's a good way to meet people (and) it's good for your health."

The sauna operates through the end of April and will re-open when the weather turns cold again.