Across the Lake Swim Copper Island

Driving into Scotch Creek, the road narrows as the dense foliage of the Shuswap Highland gives way to the expansive, shimmering surface of Shuswap Lake. The anticipation builds as you approach the boat launch at the provincial campground, the same site where gold prospectors from Scotland once established their placer mining operations in the 1860s. Today, those historic banks serve as the staging area for a challenge that bridges the gap between deep-water endurance and ancient landscapes.

The water and the depths

Once you enter the water, you are swimming over a landscape shaped by the intense forces of the last ice age. The lake is formed by glacially-overdeepened basins, sharing structural characteristics with coastal fjords, and reaches a staggering 171 metres in depth in the Seymour Arm. As you navigate the loop course, you will pass over areas where the four arms of the lake converge at the Cinnemosun Narrows; here, the depth shifts abruptly to a shallow 5-metre passage. Local lore often speaks of a serpentine creature, the 'Shuswaggi', reported to reach eight metres in length, said to dwell in the darkness below these deeper stretches. The water is a reminder that this entire basin was once occupied by Glacial Lake Kamloops, which stood 1,000 metres above the current surface level between 14,000 and 10,000 BCE.

Race day logistics

This annual event, typically held in mid-September, offers 2.6km and 5km distances. The gear drop-off at the Scotch Creek campground is handled with precision; you simply place your belongings in a bag at the start, and the team monitors it until your return. Safety is integrated into the rhythm of the event: a mandatory personal swim float—or 'Swim Buddy'—is provided for every participant. Wetsuits are optional, though often chosen given the lake's thermal profile. For the 5km distance, you must have a support paddler, a requirement that reflects the scale of the open water here. The cutoff times are set at 2 hours for the shorter loop and 2.5 hours for the longer distance. Throughout the swim, keep an eye on the shoreline; the park sits on an ancient delta where the Secwepemc people once maintained 'Kekuli' pit houses, with remnants of these settlements still visible to those who know where to look.