Ottawa is about to get a new way to spend a winter evening on the water. Mat Slaman, the entrepreneur who spent 17 years sailing pirate ships around Mooney's Bay, is opening a floating sauna moored beside the NCC River House at 501 Promenade Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier, with an early October 2026 opening date.
From pirate ships to Toronto expansion
Slaman built his name in Ottawa with Pirate Life Adventures, the company he ran for 17 years sailing around Mooney's Bay. Under his leadership, the business expanded to Toronto in 2014, growing well beyond its local roots. But this past May, Slaman decided to "pass the pirate hat," putting Pirate Life Adventures and its four vessels up for sale so he could move on to a new project. The company and its ships are still on the market.
Winning the NCC's request for proposals
That new project is Saunoa, and it's already found its home on Ottawa's waterfront. The National Capital Commission put out a request for proposals to find a partner willing to design, build and operate a floating sauna near the NCC River House, and Slaman's company was announced as the winner.
Waterfront spaces, much like the NCC River House, are highly used in the summertime, he said, but in the winter they become vacant, empty spaces as folks retreat indoors. A floating sauna, moored right on the water, gives people a reason to come back to that same spot once the weather turns cold.
Why a sauna, and why now
For Slaman, the appeal isn't just the heat. Sauna is a space for gathering, he said. It's a space for community. It's a space that we need more than ever today. After spending nearly two decades running boat tours built around groups of strangers having a good time together on the water, it's not hard to see why he'd gravitate toward another concept built around shared space, just a different kind of vessel.
What to expect and what it costs
According to Saunoa's own site, the Ottawa location opens in early October 2026 with 90-minute sessions. A single session runs $45, with package pricing bringing the cost down to as low as $34 per session for a 25-pack, aimed at people who want to make it a regular habit rather than a one-off outing.
The Ottawa angle
This is a distinctly Ottawa story: an NCC property, a well-known local entrepreneur, and a use of the city's waterfront that's designed specifically to fill the gap left when the boats and patios close for the season.
No exact opening day beyond "early October 2026" has been announced yet, so anyone hoping to book a session should keep an eye on Saunoa's site for details as the launch gets closer.
Sources: Ottawa Business Journal, Saunoa
