Okanagan Lake Dip Challenge Week IV

November 1, 2014, Tug Boat Beach, Lake Okanagan, BC

My daughter (Tabitha), niece (Anemone), sister (Miranda) and I began our 12 week challenge on Thanksgiving Day 2014. Our challenge is to take a dip in the lake, once a week, until the New Year 2015.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Nov 1, 2014, Lake Okanagan L-R Artemis, Pippi, Me, Tabs, Nem, Miranda

I can’t believe we’re 1/3 of the way through our challenge already! I am a little concerned that each challenge gets more difficult as winter approaches….Our fourth week of the challenge was beautifully sunny and we were fooled into dreaming that perhaps the lake water was warm too. No luck, the lake water was November cool.

My youngest daughter Pippi and my niece Artemis joined us for the 4th challenge. It was much fun to have them along as they’re full of mischief and wonder. We dipped at a new beach this time; the water drops off fast at Tug Boat beach and the shore is sandy so we thought it would be easier to get in and out quickly—it was. Although other locals strolled by the beach in parkas and jeans, we decided it was just warm enough to sun ourselves on our towels for a few minutes after the dip.

The thing I am loving about the challenge, is that no matter how much I don’t feel like doing the challenge each week (tired, scratchy throat etc.), once I am at the beach, the day is so much more beautiful and interesting than I could ever have imagined. It’s always inspiring to experience fall/winter weekends in a way that forces me to interact fully with the natural elements each week. Stepping outside the box is unpredictable but rewarding.

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I hope you follow along on our quest to raise awareness of the precious Canadian water systems. I’ve included an invitation to the Blue Dot movement, for those who want to contribute by ensuring clean Canadian water now and in the future.

Feel free to check out Week I or Week II or Week III of our Okanagan Lake Challenge.

We’re Okanagan Lake Dipping for two reasons:

1. Raise awareness of how valuable Canadian water is to us. We want our fellow Canadians to write their government leaders to make sure Canadian waters remain protected from human pollution and greed. 50% of the oxygen we breath comes from the ocean yet only 3% of Canadian Pacific waters are protected. Furthermore, Canadian freshwater lakes are at risk of turning into mine tailing dumping grounds. Every Canadian citizen has a voice. Let the Canadian government hear our voices on issues regarding our water. Our quest requires no money, simply action.

2. A personal challenge to keep life edgy and interesting.