track/rs.charlottetrack.rs/charlotte
Sometimes a swim calls to you. That’s what happened here. I was intrigued and drawn to this swim……
The island of Ile Ronde sits with Owls Head mountain, looking down on it. ( You can just make out the speck of the island on the port side of the boat, below the black mark in the clouds )
Owls Head, is a breathtaking mountain, that has long fascinated me, it is so regal and majestic. I was curious as to why it was named Owls Head. All the locals I asked said it was because it looked like an owls head, but I was not convinced.
After some research, here is what I learned.
It’s unusual name originated from an Indian tribe who inhabited the area, the Abenaki, they hunted and fished in the local region for their existence
After the death of their great chief named “ OWL:, they decided to commemorate his existence and allow his spirit to last forever by naming the mountain “ Owl’s Head”. They believed the mountains outline resembled the great chiefs profile as he lay in a state of repose.
Here’s more about the upcoming Swim
Location: Lake Memphremagog
Distance: 16.6 Miles
Start Location: Newport Public Dock, Newport, Vermont, USA
End Location: Newport Public Dock, Newport, Vermont, USA
Course: Swim North across the US- Canadian Border. Swim around Ile Ronde. Swim South across the Canadain- US Border, back to Newport, VT, USA.
Why Circumnavigate? Because the Island is named Ile Ronde, the only way to swim in honor of a round island, is around it!
I’m looking forward to the thrill of crossing the border from Vermont, USA, into Canada and back again
The border is marked by a slash in the trees and border buoys in the water.
Phil White of The North East Kingdom Swimming Association will be observing/ piloting and Cynthia Needham will be team BRYNNSWIM on the boat.
Will we make it across the border and back with a successful circumnavigation of Ile Ronde? Will Owls Head guide us through our adventure?
Follow my swim track here, approximate start time is 6:30am EST track.rs/charlotte
