Ahmic Lake

Ahmic Lake
A very calm lake at sunset, showing trees on the far shore
Location of lake in Ontario, Canada
Location of lake in Ontario, Canada
Ahmic Lake
LocationParry Sound District, Ontario
Coordinates45°37′45″N 79°41′00″W / 45.62917°N 79.68333°W / 45.62917; -79.68333
Primary inflowsMagnetawan River
Primary outflowsMagnetawan River
Basin countriesCanada
Max. length19 km (12 mi)
Surface area8.7 km2 (3.4 sq mi)
Average depth8.2 m (27 ft)
Max. depth27 m (89 ft)
Shore length172 km (45 mi)
Surface elevation279 m (915 ft)
Islands19
References[1][2]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Ahmic Lake is a lake in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, part of the Magnetawan River waterway in the Almaguin Highlands region. Ahmic Lake is approximately 19 km long and connects to two smaller lakes, Neighick (nicknamed Beaver Lake) and Crawford Lake.[3]

Wealthy American tourists have been visiting the area since the 1860s and bought large tracts of land around the lake. With most cottages staying in family hands, the lake's shores have been kept intact over the years, making Ahmic a lake with only moderate shoreline disturbance or alteration.[2] Around the beginning of the 20th century, a number of fishing camps were built on Ahmic Lake, including Cedar Croft which stayed in business until the late 1950s.

Dam near Ahmic Lake Resort

The lake is known for the presence of two swimming camps, Camp Chikopi, the boys camp, and Camp Ak-O-Mak, the girls camp. Chikopi was the world's first competitive swim camp.[4] The two camps are directly across the lake from each other and to get from one to the other by water one paddles past Rocky Reef,[5] which is a very exclusive tourist peninsula owned by a few American families. The tourist industry and the two swim camps are what kept the young people and adult residents in the small town of Ahmic Harbour employed for many decades and still contributes to the economic well-being of the area. Ahmic Harbour is located at the tip of the small bay of Ahmic Lake along Highway 124.

Ahmic Lake was an ideal lake for the two swim camps due to the clear water and a size that allowed for training of marathon swimmers such as Marty Sinn.[6]

The community of Ahmic Harbour at the north-western end of Ahmic Lake
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ahmiclake was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Hopkins, Grant. "Ahmic Lake The Magnetawan Connection". Ontario Out of Doors (February). Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Toporama - Topographic Map Sheet 31E12". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
  4. ^ Linda Hass. "Rose Mary Dawson Profile" (PDF). Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  5. ^ http://www.downloads.ene.gov.on.ca/en/publications/dataproducts/2Water/Lake_Partners1.csv[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Video". CNN. 1964-08-24. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.