Bathing in Blue Mindfulness: An Otter Lake Journey in Frontenac Park

Kelli McRobert | Jul 31, 2025

Nestled just off the winding stretch of Desert Lake Road on Salmon Lake Road, a group of paddlers embarked on a tranquil experience called Bathing in Blue Mindfulness on North Otter Lake. With stand-up paddleboards provided by Frontenac Outfitters for just $30, they gathered at a shallow launch beside a wide culvert — the quiet threshold where stillness began. As each board slipped gently under its cool shadow, the water whispered, release what you carry, as darkness gave way to an expansive lake — like stepping into a secret wardrobe where worries dissolved and a new world emerged.

Morning had arrived cloaked in soft overcast light, with shy hints of rain dappling the lake’s surface. Birds, quieted by a recent storm, lent the moment a meditative stillness. Their guide, the grounded and kind-hearted Claire Beach — founder of The Wild Edge — welcomed each paddler with a presence that soothed every ripple.

Claire, certified in Nature Therapy, came to this area just over a year and a half ago, drawn by its untamed beauty and the quiet promise in its waters and forests. Since then, she’s built The Wild Edge Nature Immersion, a nature-based wellness business that offers immersive outdoor experiences blending somatic mindfulness, gentle movement, and spiritual and ecological connection. Her guided excursions and workshops are designed to reawaken the senses and cultivate deeper relationships — with self, with others, and with the land.

As the journey unfolded, residents watched from the lakeside docks as the paddlers drifted past, their boards tapping gently against the small waves. At one peaceful inlet, the group attached to buoys and breathed, absorbing the sounds, scents, and sights that surrounded them. Thoughts once cluttered in the mind spilled through fingertips into the cool water, returned to Mother Earth to cleanse and carry elsewhere.

 Narrow channels led them onward, flanked by floating white blossoms and the purple scent of pickerel weed. Boards skimmed across blooming lily pads, their petals folding and blooming again in a silent, graceful welcome. A red dragonfly danced overhead while sunlight scattered prisms across the dark glass of the lake.

A large snake sliced through the water between them, head held high, unaware and undisturbed — a quiet symbol of instinct, transformation, and purpose. Some paddlers moved with practiced ease, others more tentatively, but nature’s rhythm embraced them all.

 Pockets of cool shade offered respite from the heat as they passed skeletal trees that had fallen into the water, now softening into the earth. Their remaining branches reached above the surface like quiet sculptures being reclaimed — nature’s artwork in motion, not decay but renewal.

Nearing the end of their journey, the group paused at the dockside to enjoy home made hibiscus and lemon balm iced tea, while nibbling on fresh dates and crunchy gluten-free snacks. Stories and laughter drifted as lightly as the breeze that cooled damp brows, mingling with the scent of lake reeds. Nearby, a couple swam among jagged rocky edges, their bobbing heads a gentle punctuation in the peaceful depths.

 In every glide, pause, and breath, the group discovered more than just scenery — they touched a sacred stillness. It was a day of presence, reflection, and deep listening. As they returned through the ‘magic’ portal beneath the culvert, boards tucked away and hearts full, they carried with them not just memories, but a subtle shift. A moment of healing. Of growth. Of reunion with nature — cool, wet, and wondrous. A perfect outing.

For more information, contact The Wild Edge at 613-327-7721 or www.thewildedge.ca

Caption: Ashley, Joanne, and Claire…