Ontario

Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes

Location North America

Group Great Lakes

Coordinates 43.7°N 77.9°W

Primary inflows Niagara River

Primary outflows St. Lawrence River

Catchment area 24,720 sq mi (64,000 km2)[1]

Basin countries United States

Canada

Max. length 193 mi (311 km)[2]

Max. width 53 mi (85 km)[2]

Surface area 7,340 sq mi (19,000 km2)[1]

Average depth 283 ft (86 m)[2][3]

Max. depth 802 ft (244 m)[2][3]

Water volume 393 cu mi (1,640 km3)[2]

Residence time 6 years

Shore length1 712 mi (1,146 km)[1]

Surface elevation 243 ft (74 m)[2]

Settlements Toronto, Hamilton, Ontario, Rochester, New York

References [3]

1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Ontario (French: Lac Ontario) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot (Huron) language, ontarío means “Lake of Shining Waters”. It is the last in the Great Lakes chain and serves as the outlet to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River. Lake Ontario is also the only one of the five Great Lakes not to share a shoreline with the state of Michigan.

As of 2012, nearly 50 people have successfully swum across the lake.[31] The first person who accomplished the feat was Marilyn Bell, who did it in 1954 at the age of 16. Toronto's Marilyn Bell Park is named in her honor. The park opened in 1984, and is located just to the east of the spot where Bell completed her swim.[32] In 1974, Diana Nyad became the first person who swam across the lake against the current (from north to south).[33] On August 19, 2012, 14-year-old Annaleise Carr became the youngest person to swim across the lake. She completed the 32-mile (52-km) crossing from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Marilyn Bell Park in just under 27 hours.[34]

      The above is all the technical information on Lake Ontario as you already have noticed. This was the swim goal that I set out to achieve albeit in pools rather then the lake itself. Still a noble goal I think. It has been an interesting journey to the goal. As always the journey is the goal and the goal is just a reminder of the journey. Make sense? Good cause what is to follow is some of the things I have learned on it, the journey that is, and a contemplation of what is next on this journey of life.

     First entry (October 14, 2014 - 5:30 A.M - 3400 yards. 5's and 200's. Total yards 3400. Felt great... First swim after rocky point 50K.) 

      There is so much I have learned from this swim goal I have no idea where to begin. I'll start with where I am at as a reward for the journey. I'm at millers ale house drinking an IPA with some chili (no cheese) and sweet potato fries. Interesting to note that this same location use to be a Hollihan's that I was going to go too after one of my other previous swim goals but never did. Maybe I'll have two beers in memory of that. 

       I guess one of the most important things I have learned is to love swimming, which I also call my meditation sessions. One of the books I was reading during this process was entitled Zen and the Art of Running, by Larry Shapiro. Interesting that before my long swims on Sundays usually, I would read this book dedicated to running. But the information contained inside really helped me get my mind focused and helped me to become more aware of my surroundings. In a way what I was doing after reading at my local Starbucks was meditation in the ultimate sense without even realizing it. Some of the key things in meditation involve focusing on your breathing and counting to focus our mind on something other than those evil, negative thoughts in your head. 

      In a normal swim session I would have specific laps where I would be thinking about random stuff and planning out the day. Other laps I would just try, emphasis on the try, to count my strokes. One, two, three, four or one, two, three. In a weird way the count strokes where I gave a little more effort were more enjoyable than the easy ones where I just let my mind wonder. The counting and increased effort I gave for those specific intervals were the most important thing in have learned. Focusing on a Montra or number blocked out all other worries. Whether it was girls, family, my own failing. They all disappeared and my mind was focused on the moment. 

      Stroke counting intervals were  of great benefit in clearing all the negativity and pain out of my body. The 'easy' yards were also beneficially in trying to reflect on all the positive things on my life. One such recent set of thoughts occurred on February 14, 2014. It was more of and image rather than a thought. The guy in the lane next to me. Yes, I looked in the next lane. When swimming your not suppose to look in the next lane only yours. Believe me, when you see a seventy one year old lady who must have been on P.E.Ds out lapping you it gets a little depressing. I digress, the guy in the lane next to me was wearing a pair of lava pants. Lava pants are kind of like a jammer wetsuit. So a mental image of a guy sitting at a bar (like now) eating and orange while drinking coffee and a beer writing at a bar. Three out of five isn't that bad. Those are just some of the things I love and love to do. Not really use to sitting at a bar but it's nice for a change. 

      That image would have been forgotten if I didn't write it out immediately after the swim. Truth be told I have solved all of life's problems while swimming but after I have showered and ate my habitual apple and peanut butter I usually forget it all. Which brings me to another important lesson I have learned, WRITE down your goals. I would not be sitting here right now having the occasional chit chat with the people next to me while typing without having that initial goal of swimming the length of Lake Ontario.

      What influenced me to swim this length and keep a record of it I will never know. But I'm glad I did. Slowly increasing in distance was also beneficial in not hurting myself physically and mentally. If I was to swim 12000 yards on the first day my brain would have stopped me from ever looking at a pool with a smile. As you increase in distance your will becomes stronger. Willpower is a muscle and becomes stronger with use. The more you tough things out the more your willpower increases. This is a huge help in dealing with the ups and downs of life. 

      Swimming produces the positive in me. When I'm swimming alls I want to do is good and help others. I want to eat healthy cause I feel healthy. When feel healthy I am happy and want others to be happy also. Spread the love. I wish others can fly like I do. That was one of the shouts I screamed underwater on my last twenty five yards before a nutrition break. I wonder what the people in the other lane thought. See I can't even stay in my own lane when I'm writing. Stupid ADHD. Sometimes it's a blessing other times a curse. When the lows hit me when I do endurance activities I soon forget or get distracted and keep going. I just keep swimming and I plan to keep swimming in this journey called life. What next as regards my swimming goals? Not sure but I'm sure I'll learn and relearn a lot along the way and keep you posted.

      Last entry (February 16,2014 - 8:00 A.M - 12000yards. 5's and 200s, 300s. Total yardage = 339950. Love swimming and meditation and reflection.)

"The you after doesn't exist. Keep changing."

Barton