BY SCOTT HADDOW
Wild Northerner staff
When the heat of summer scorches the land, many people in northern Ontario do one thing - jump into a cold lake or river and cool off in the best way possible.
There is a clear and undying love between people and the lakes and rivers of the region. It shows in the camps nestled in the many shorelines. It shows in how people of all ages run to the ends of docks and hurl themselves into the water with reckless abandon. It shows in the cult following of people who enjoy skinny dipping. It shows when people are floating on their backs and looking up at a cloudy sky or a star-lit night.
Yes, the love for lakes is deep and long-lasting.
Danika Andersen, 27, grew up swimming on Penache Lake at family camps. She has traveled all across Canada, from Haidi Gwaii to Cape Spear and from Dawson City to the shores of Great Lakes such as Superior, Huron and Erie.
Andersen is convinced people need to dive into their wild side and she always has northern Ontario in her mind and heart, even though she now resides in B.C.
“I’m not convinced a happy human spirit is possible without immersion into the natural world,” she said. “The human spirit requires the wildness, solitude, freedom and wisdom of the wilderness. I’m always drawn back to northern Ontario rivers and lakes. There’s so much opportunity here to get lost outside and feel as free as we should. I’m a B.C. girl for the time being, but I always come home for a swim. There are so many uninhabited, hidden lakes. I love cold water, and northern Ontario has plenty of it.”
When Andersen gets back home, its time to swim in Penache Lake.”
“It’s close to my heart,” she said. “For as long as I can remember, my summers have been spent exploring small
“I feel very grateful to live by such a large body of fresh water where it can be used at hand for personal recreation,” Taylor said. “I will forever appreciate, protect and enjoy the lakes to the best of my abilities as they have become a very important part of my life. I must swim in and spend some camping time on lake superior each year. It’s the largest and deepest of the great lakes and I grew up on it in Michipicoten Bay.”
Monica Susil of Lively enjoys getting time to spend on lakes. She holds them in high regard and hopes others feel and act the same.
“Many Northerners are lucky enough to literally have a lake in their back yard and not have to drive through four hours of gridlocked traffic to dip their toes,” she said. “We have to view them as precious resources to be protected so that our children will enjoy them as we have. I don’t feel that the summer is complete without a trip to Killarney Provincial Park and the big pink granite walls surrounding George Lake. The remarkable beauty surprises me every time.”
Cody Lanovaz, 29, of Greater Sudbury, sees nothing but good times ahead for those venturing out onto lakes. It doesn’t take much in his opinion to have a blast. Lanovaz enjoys times at Fairbank Lake and the rapids near Ramsey Lake along the Spanish River system.
“I think it's great to take friends and family out camping and try out new things without having to own a property or a boat,” he said. “Go for a short drive in any direction out of Sudbury and it's like you are in the wild.”
For the love of water