Okanagan Lake Dip Challenge Week XI
December 20, 2014, Tug Boat Beach, Lake Okanagan, BC
My daughter (Tabitha, age 14), 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.
We only have 1 dip left until we complete our challenge! This challenge has taught me a few things. One is that I will never again hesitate to jump in the lake from spring to fall. The temperature of the water from April through October will always feel tropical to me now. Another thing is that the pain from cold water does not hurt any less, no matter how many times we get in the winter lake. However, what gets easier is that the fear associated with the pain vanishes the more dips we do; we accept that we will hurt momentarily and we no longer care. I guess the saying is true, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
You can view our eleventh dip on the video below.
httpv://youtu.be/hcc7v6R_PFg?list=UURbJ6OzAYhYb91or-oMr1uw
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. I sent a letter to the mayor of my city, Colin Basran, inviting him to join our challenge and to ask him to write a declaration that decrees all Kelowna citizens the right to clean water. I have not had a reply from his office as of yet, but I sent my letter and I hope that you’ll take a minute for planet earth and send one too.
Feel free to check out Week I or Week II or Week III or Week IV or Week V or Week VI or WeekVII or Week VIII or Week IX or Week X 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.
*Start with the mayor of your city. Write a letter to your mayor, ask your municipality to decree all it’s residents the right to clean water and clean air.
2. A personal challenge to keep life edgy and interesting.
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