70 by 70 Water Immersion

Swiftcurrent Lake is in the Many Glacier area of Glacier NP. H had booked a boat tour that took us along the shores of Swiftcurrent, and then we hiked a bit over to Lake Josephine. On Swiftcurrent, we spied a juvenile moose munching at water’s edge. Our young Captain pointed out a few moose factoids which I found fascinating.

Moose eat aquatic plants, thus the munching at water’s edge. But, did you know, they can dive up to 20 feet? That’s astounding! It would be more astounding to actually see one do that!! When I want to see underwater I wear goggles, yes? Moose…..wait for it….have transparent eyelids. OMG. Why have I lived this long without knowing this?

From https://maineboats.com/print/issue-147/wild-about-moose Moose are well adapted to aquatic life. Nostril valves, which tighten as water pressure increases, allow the animals to remain underwater for up to a minute at depths of 20 feet. Easily digestible pondweed, yellow water lilies, and water shield are high in sodium and other nutrients essential to proper cell functioning. An aquatic diet rich in protein is critically important in summer when moose undergo rapid physical change, including replacement of a winter pelage with a summer one. For a 1,200-pound bull, the micronutrients in the daily consumption of 50 pounds of aquatic plants powers the two-month growth of five-foot-wide bony antlers that can weigh 25 pounds apiece…Unlike humans, moose have a third, translucent eyelid, called a nictitating membrane. These act like goggles underwater and as an eye cleanser in the forest. 

Oh, I also rowed on Swiftcurrent Lake, with Many Glacier Lodge and amazing mountains as a backdrop. I was looking for that moose along the shoreline, but maybe she was right under me diving for dinner!

Left an oar behind at the ranger station boat inspection this morning (7/29/22) in Many Glacier, but luckily we aren’t leaving until tomorrow so were able to retrieve it without any backtracking. Otherwise I might be posting a video of me rowing around in circles. 🙂

New rule: I’m not going to post chronologically necessarily. So here goes.

Highest priority row was Lake McDonald in the west part of Glacier National Park. Last time I was in Glacier, standing on the gorgeous red and green rocks of its waters, I fantasized rowing here. But a trip to Glacier is days away from home, traveling with my Maas Aero sticking out in both directions on top of the car. Would H be game?

Of course, cuz that’s the kind of guy he is. My very patient partner and trip photographer made it happen for me with a well planned trip to Montana and Idaho weaving in a myriad of other lakes, creeks, hikes and a bike. More on those later.

Though we’d had the boat inspected in Idaho and then Montana, we needed to have it inspected in the NP. So that was our first order of business. Glad they are keeping their waterways as pristine as possible! We found a place to launch by Lake McDonald Lodge, and voila! The most awesome, delicious row of my life. The lake was glassy, not a wave to be found. No boats nor people in the water that I could see. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

I got a sudden urge to know the indigenous name for this sacred body, Lake McDonald did not seem right at all. This is a very feminine presence. She who dances with the waters flowed into my consciousness. I asked later at the St. Mary Visitor Center; the person referred me to the Place Names of Glacier National Park book. According to this source, the Kootenai name is Yakil Haqwilnamki, “a good place to dance” or “where people dance”. It is believed to refer to ceremonial dances old timers say that were performed at the foot of the lake. These waters evoke a heart for dancing with them, I so get that!

In three years, I’ll be seventy years old, God willing! If She allows, I am inspired to spend the next three years immersing and offering ceremony, blessing and being blessed by the magical, mystical, amazing waters of this planet.

My goal: 70 bodies of water by the time I turn 70.

I get to make up all my own rules (which is a huge deal having grown up in Catholic schools K-12), so I’m excited about that aspect of this adventure. For example, I can swim in the Dana Fork and the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River and count that as two! Can I swim in different swimming holes in the same fork? Hmmm…maybe! I’ve rowed at Ellery Lake on the Tioga Pass Road twice in the last few days. Really not sure about that rule yet. 🙂 Oh, just thought of something. I should swim where I row. That will definitely count as two. Fun!

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Water Tracking–beginning June 18, 2022 (age 67)

June 2022–Tenaya Bowls (swim), Keoughs Hot Springs (swim), Tuolumne River (dunk)
July 2022–Elizabeth Lake (swim), Ellery Lake (Row x 2), Tuolumne River Lyell Fork swim (2 pools)

Strict total: 6. Count ’em all: 7