My Watermark is Lac Saint-Victor, Quebec.

We used to head up to a family friend's cottage on Lac Saint-Victor every summer! I was very young at the time (under 12 years old) and had somehow had a natural talent for swimming at the pool. I soon realized I could swim in open water too. I slowly gathered the courage to swim to an island in the middle of the lake, about 500 meters from the dock. I would swim to the uninhabited island and explore it.

My sister and a friend or two would join me by canoe, along with adult supervision. I remember feeling such a sense of accomplishment in achieving this, because the island looked so far away from the dock... and the best part was that I didn't have to worry about safety because motor powered watercraft were banned from the lake at the time. I took it for granted then, but I realize now how fortunate I was to be able to swim in this wonderful, clean lake as a child. I hope children and people of all ages are able to continue enjoying Canada's waters for a long time to come.