Cold Water Swims in The Canadian Rockies

Fog and nearly freezing temperatures on this fine autumn morning seemed to discourage all living creatures except one loon and me. That’s right, we were both here for a different reason than all the others; we were here to swim.

The calm and misty waters of Bow Lake with eerie silence and the presence of invisible mountain vistas all around seemed absolutely magical to me. I put my thermometer in the water and went for a swim. My feathered friend kept an eye on me and occasionally gave a beautiful call of encouragement. I swam for 7 minutes in 9.7C (49F) water and it felt incredible. What a memorable way to start my day. By the time I bundled up again in my warm clothes, the fog had started to burn off. I said goodbye to the loon, snapped a few shots with my iPhone, and walked back to my car.

I am writing this while warming up in my car, and watching the first busload of tourists arrive. The moment of solitude is gone, another day in Banff has just started. Snap, snap, and go – no time to look around. Crazy world.

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Here is my report card from my three-day frolic through the mountains:

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