In summer 2021, my family spent a few weeks at our cottage up north by Balsam Lake. Most of our time spent there was swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding around the lake and exploring some of the shores.

The area around Balsam Lake was beautiful, and I even caught my first fish there. The ecosystem and community were wonderful. The lake, with its near-perfect weather, tides, and temperature, was the centrepiece cherry on top of the splendid area.

The Lake lets off a calming aura, and when I was there, I felt at peace. Balsam Lake holds great significance to me, and my experiences there have been critical to my development as a person, and I feel I’d be a lot angrier of a person without it. With its soft sand, beautiful water, and amazing weather, Balsam Lake is, in my opinion, the best lake in Ontario.