A local swimmer recently took part in a 90-kilometer relay at Last Mountain Lake.

Meghan Chisholm who swam with three other swimmers, says the swim was both a personal challenge and for a worthy cause.

"There was kind of multiple purposes behind it. One, we wanted to fundraise money towards our charity of the YWCA and we also wanted to challenge ourselves as swimmers because we have quite a diverse and advanced swimming background that we thought that a swim as far and long as it is could be one that could challenge all of us."

In regards to their choice of charity, Chisholm says they wanted to choose a cause that could really benefit from the swim and they thought that the YWCA was a fantastic cause that might need a bit more help during the pandemic then some other charities.

Last Mountain Lake was chosen because of its locality and its challenging length. It also holds a personal aspect for Chisholm who says she has family on both sides of the lake and is up there every summer.

Chisholm and her fellow swimmers Adrien van Dyke, Dionne Tatlow and Kelsey van Dyke. Photo courtesy of Meghan Chisholm

 

Photo courtesy of Meghan Chisholm

 

Nature played the greatest factor in regard to challenges as Chisholm explains.

"At the start, it was really quite windy, so just trying to adapt to the current. Swimming in it was ok but being on the boat when it was so windy and so wavey and the water was coming in the boat was kind of a challenge to keep yourself and your stuff dry."

In addition, Chisholm says that temperatures were also a challenge, particularly during her 12 am-1 am swim and she remained cold for the three hours waiting to return to swimming at 4 am. Having the mental positivity to keep going when you are cold and then have to return to cold water was a challenge.

To prepare for the relay, Chisholm said the swimmers would meet once or twice a week and swim together as a team at Buffalo Pound and Chisholm would also visit the Landing and swim there.

The group swam in one-hour rotations and accomplished the estimated 30-40 hour relay in only 27 hours.

With an initial fundraising goal of $5000, Chisholm says she is ecstatic as they have now raised well over $7000