Mara’s 125 km Algonquin Swim

We know you are going to be so inspired by reading Mara's incredible interview about swimming 125 km over 19 days through Algonquin park. Enjoy!

Hi Mara, you obviously love swimming and the outdoors, when and how did these interests develop in your life? 

You recently completed a remarkable journey through Algonquin park involving 29 lakes, 29 portages, multiple river sections over 19 days! What gave you the idea to take on this challenge?

I have always loved swimming in the lakes, but like I shared, there was also an intimidation factor.  In 2019 my family did a year exchange to Australia, a beautiful country!  I loved swimming in Australia; however, there are many real risks; rip currents, jellyfish, and sharks! When we returned to Canada and I dove into Canoe Lake, Algonquin for the first time I realized there was nothing that was going to hurt me.  It was like an instant flip of a switch; anxiety and fear transformed into appreciation and curiosity. And so, I started swimming in the lakes more, and found it was so much more enjoyable an interesting than the warm chlorinated water of the pool. Some days I felt I could swim forever (not true of course!).  This got me thinking, could I swim trip like I canoe trip? That got the wheels turning and in 2025, I completed my first overnight solo swim trip in Algonquin.  And of course, the next logical leap is to plan to swim across the Park!!

Tell us about the planning and logistics side of things. 

So much planning and preparation- the trip has sort of consumed my life for the last 6 months.  An important task in the winter was selecting the most suitable raft for my unique adventure.  Previously, I purchased a raft from the UK specifically designed for swim tripping; however, my solo trip determined it would not be sufficient for the weight required of longer trips.  I put a lot of research into selecting my raft. Perhaps you recall my call to Camping Hiking Adventures in the winter- I remember feeling sort of silly trying to describe what I was doing and looking for and whether the Minnow would meet my needs. You were so great at answering my questions and helped me make the final decision.  And I am so glad I did, because The Minnow has been awesome. After that, I scoured maps sorting the best possible route, put out the word to family and friends that I was looking for support boats, planning all the gear, nutrition, and tech required.  On the trip, my phone and digital maps were a huge help, as navigating from the surface of the water is very different from sitting in a boat. While planning logistics, I was also ramping up my training in the pool in the winter, using a swim parachute to mimic the drag of the raft loaded with my gear.  The planning is one of the things I am most proud of because I am not an overly organized person and the preparation challenged me in new ways.  

You broke the swim down into 3 sections. Which section was the most challenging? 

Each leg had its own challenges. The first leg was a challenge mentally, mostly me against my own thoughts and anxiety. That first day of swimming, I battled doubts about whether I could do this, do it with a heavy pack, do it with a headwind, do it upstream.  Each time I conquered a challenge my mind would counter with a new doubt.  The forest fire smoke was also an unanticipated challenge of Leg 1; thankfully it was only an issue for a couple of days.  Leg 2 was challenging because of the length and frequency of portages.  As well, I was swimming against the current of the Petawawa River in sections.  Leg 2 I definitely started to “feel it” and had to battle through some hard days. Leg 3 was probably the easiest; I felt so close to "home" and my confidence in overcoming challenges had grown so much. At that point, I knew I was capable of finishing the swim.

You had a lot of help and support of friends, family and mentors. In what ways did they contribute?

I am so grateful for all the support I received from so many; it was humbling.  Each leg was supported by a safety boat that paddled behind me: the first Leg was two good friends, the second leg was my marathon paddling coaches/mentors, and the last leg was my two daughters and a good friend.  It was important to me that I was self-sufficient and navigated on my own. It was a big ask for folks to give up a week of their time to paddle at a snail's pace rain or shine. Mostly they were there for safety, but they also provided a great deal of moral boosting; a lot of great memories were made. At home, I also had a lot of support from family and friends, who helped organize supplies and tasks during the swim.  I connected with a local Sports Doctor at the Sports Lab, who built a plan for nutrition and fueling- that was really helpful and I don’t think I would have been successful without his expertise.  I essentially doubled my calories each day. I was also supported by our local outfitters, Algonquin Outfitters, who helped me with lots of gear and nutrition options.  Friends contributed in many ways, some made dehydrated meals for me to take on the trip, which was a practical help but also a lovely reminder of support while on the trip. Honestly, it was helpful to talk through the planning with anyone who was willing to listen. 

Did you see any wildlife or have any remarkable memories? 

Yes! At the end of a portage, I fawn came bounding out of the bush and jumped in the water in front of me (wasn’t towing a raft though- so I let him win the race across the bay!).  We had a number of cool bird sightings- a bald eagle being attacked by a seagull, and a perigean falcon swooped into our sight and snatched up a mouse right in front of us. I think most memorable for me were the loons- each support boat noted how close they would get to me. It felt like they were curious about me; perhaps the raft looked by a giant black and white loon? 

I think one of my favourite memories of the trip was swimming in a bog.  We had finished a portage and it was a place I would never have considered swimming; a small curvy passageway through labrador tea.  The water was so dark that as I put my hand in for a stroke it would disappear into complete darkness.  At first this freaked me out, but the longer I swam, the more comfortable I got and it became fascinating.  I realized the water did not feel "swampy", and in fact was quite clean, just tea-stained from the tannins in the bog.  For me it was a moment when my expectations didn't align with my experience, and it became one of my favourite moments of the trip. 

You had a MRS Minnow packraft tied to your waist for every stroke of your swim, how did that go? 

It worked so well!  Seriously, this raft could be marketed as a swim trip raft. I was so happy with it. It sits on the water nicely and the inflatable seat provides enough structure for my heavy pack to sit on without pushing into the water below which reduced any drag.  As well, the skeg was a great addition, as it meant the raft was able to maintain a line behind me in sidewinds.  It also inflated easily; when I first got the raft I was skeptical that it would inflate with 2-4 compressions- but it always did.  This meant it was easy to pack down and reinflate after longer portages. Initially, I was also worried about punctures (had a repair kit you provided in my supply bag), but as the trip continued, I no longer worried about this- the raft was pulled over rocks and dead heads and still looks in great condition. I also loved that it was white, so the air pressure didn’t fluctuate as much with hours of direct sunlight. I also had the additional MRS bow bag to clip to the front of the raft which worked so well for things I needed to keep accessible and dry.  Honestly, by the end of the trip, the raft felt like an extension of me- I think I am emotionally attached we’ve been through so much together! Ha ha.

You worked hard to raise awareness for several important issues with your swim: the Pack it Out Program, the health of the Algonquin's lakes and river and you had a goal of raising $8,000 for the charity Water First, which is committed to improving drinking water quality in First Nations communities.

What would you like our readers to know about these important issues? 

Thanks for asking. Yes, the swim had 3 important components. The protection of freshwater resources in Algonquin or anywhere in Canda. Secondly, I wanted to raise awareness regarding the importance of the Leave-No-Trace principals for the backcountry. As part of this, I vowed to pack out any garbage I encountered on route. The amount of garbage was eye opening (including a large bag of wet dirty camp clothes!). However, what was most surprising to me was the amount of microplastics. Each leg of the swim packed out a large ziplock bag bursting with microplastics; the corner of granola bar wrappers, bread tags, broken buckles, bits of rope, and so much more.  I have reflected a lot on the Leave-No-Trace principals since the trip, and I think the reality is as humans in the backcountry we do leave an unintentional trace.  This is inevitable, but what bothers me is that very few people are stopping to pick up the little bits. I would love to see the addition of an 8th Principal: Pick Up After One Another. 

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the swim was also a fundraiser for a really important charity in Canada called Water First. Water First’s mission is to work in partnership with Indigenous communities to address local water challenges through education, training and meaningful collaboration.  I think so many of us take for granted access to fresh drinking water because it is so readily available, we don’t think about it; however, this is not the case for everyone in Canada. The support for this cause has been growing, so much that I have extended the deadline for donations which can be made through Swim Algonquin- Water First - CanadaHelps .

How did it feel when you swam to the shore at Canoe Lake, cheered on by so many friends and supporters? 

Amazing! It was such a special event; my 17-year-old daughter finished the last 4.5k swim with me.  Other friends joined as well for the final swim, and when we turned a corner on Canoe Lake, I was greeted by a group of open water swimmers from my community.  It was very emotional to have started solo and to finish with a community; sort of felt like how waterways build from small streams to larger rivers.  Arriving to the beach near the Permit office felt surreal after so many days of swimming; it was amazing to hear people cheering me on.  It was hard to take it all in as I was of course, head in the water.  My Mom shared a photo that remains one of my favourites; it is of the Ontario Parks employees at the Permit office standing on the beach holding a handmade banner and cheering.  The excitement in their faces still makes me emotional; it was an amazing experience to join with other people in our appreciation for freshwater; it has provided me with a new sense of hope for the future.  There have been many ripple effects from the swim, many still coming in, some people have shared they are inspired to swim more outside, or for a further distance and it makes me so happy to hear that people are out and developing a passion for freshwater. 

What words of wisdom would you share with someone who might be considering a similar undertaking?

Dream! Get people involved who you can talk to and who believe in you. Plan, plan, plan, and then plan some more; and when the time comes, push your chips across the table and bet on yourself! People are capable of so many amazing things- so many adventures and stories to share with one another. 

How can people get in touch with you if they want to hear more about your story?

People can get in touch through my IG account swim-algonquin_2026.  I’m also excited that a local film company showed an interest in this adventure and so we have been busy capturing special moments from the swim to share in the future.