So far, I haven’t seen one lake in the Laurentians that goes deeper than waist-level. I thought all water beds had dried out due to lack of rain, but it is not the case of the Saint-Lawrence River. This river is really deep, it moves, it is surfable at spots, and it is really really dangerous overall (unlike those lakes up there). People do drown every week, especially immigrants. That’s why there is a free swimming pool not far.
Also, please be respectful of the homeless settlements by the river. It is a huge coastline. There is plenty of room for everyone. For anyone out there in a tent, I consider that they have privacy rights that arise out of taking possession to the land and establishing a clear dwelling with the knowledge of the city, which means that they can exclude others for their personal safety.
ONe important nuance, the mood in the city is highly irritable. I myself am a different person after bathing in a lake. No amount of bathing in the city can bring back that state of mind. Being irritable, high stress, and rude around here makes interactions easier, because it is what everyone is working with. If you’re in a lighter mood, you will be treated like a tourist (not great).
these mini-jungles are largely dominated by red sumac trees, a very beautiful but invasive species, it needs to be managed. There were fallen sumac trees all throughout the overgrown trails. Some of the spots close to the Rapids are total chaos and difficult to access, but also less desirable for unhoused individuals.
his lake is almost gone and it happened in a month. When I have time, I’ll post some videos from last June to contrast with the drought situation. You wouldn’t believe it is the same lake. I noticed that it is not the only lake that has been losingsignificant water. 
