Growing up, we spent every summer at our family's cottage on Lac McGlashan, a small, beautiful lake about 45 minutes north of Ottawa. When I was young, we had curtains for doors, open-concept ceiling, bunk beds and cold water only. 'The cottage' as it's fondly named, became the place where our family gathered, and my dad's favourite place in the world (and mine too).
When you went to visit, you were tasked with an hour of labour, which got you hot enough to jump in the lake no matter how cold it was. When I was 7, I 'swam to the rock', a small island 3/4 of the way across this small lake, a huge feat that earned you a certificate.
It is so peaceful there and the water is so calm, it trumps any other swimming experiences I've had. The cottage is now a 4-season house, and my parents are up there most of the year. I try and be up there at least once a week to reconnect with nature, hike the local trails, swim and canoe. Through this passion for our lake, I have been working on a project called Water Rangers with the Ottawa Riverkeeper and other water organizations. We've built a platform to help citizen scientists like me and my dad to learn about the science and record our own observations about water. I hope that through it I can help other people connect with local waterways!
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Save your favourite destinations, activities, and articles to start creating your very own personalized Great Lakes Guide.
As of 2024, the Great Lakes Guide will be transitioning to Biinaagami.org. Biinaagami is a multimedia, change-provoking initiative rooted in Indigenous knowledge aiming to uplift voices and to connect people with their watershed.
