'I was gutted': Swimmer in Sudbury, Ont., shares her concerns following a fatal boat crash

When she was younger, Jodie McConnell would swim a full kilometre across Sudbury's Lake Nepahwin to a beach on the Laurentian University campus. But now she sticks closer to shore, out of concern for her personal safety.

"When I've tried to swim this summer I have not made it out of this harbour because of motorboats at fast speed and also Jet Skis," she said.

On Friday, Aug. 1, a boat struck 52-year-old Sylvia Donato when she was out swimming in Lake Nepahwin. She died of her injuries the next day.

Donato was a science teacher at Sudbury's Lockerby Composite School.

"A talented science educator, Sylvia Donato's positive attitude inspired students to do their best each and every day, both in the classroom and beyond the classroom walls," the Rainbow District School Board said in a statement.

McConnell didn't personally know Donato, but said she was well-known in Sudbury's swimming community, and was training to compete in the Beaton Classic race, which includes a one-kilometre swim section.

She said she was "just gutted" when she heard Donato died in the hospital.

"It's all I have thought about since learning about it," McConnell said.

She said the beach has been unusually quiet since Donato's death.

"I believe in my heart they are honouring the loss of life of this accomplished swimmer," she said.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, McConnell said she's noticed many more motorboats and personal watercraft on the small urban lake.

She believes a lot of people with property on the lake saw boating as a fun family activity when many indoor activities weren't possible due to social distancing rules.

But that has meant swimmers are sharing the lake with watercraft that can travel at fast speeds.

"I just know that the boat is at the advantage," McConnell said.

A 'pecking order' for boats

Dawn Colquhoun, a manager with Transport Canada's Office of Boating Safety, said there's a "pecking order" when it comes to watercraft.

"Motorized boats must give way to boats that are not motorized. Of course, they must stay well away from swimmers," she said.

"And as a boater, you must be aware of what is going on around you. It is required by law. You are required to maintain a 360-degree lookout."

Colquhoun said motorized boats must also maintain speeds of 10 kilometres per hour or less when they are at least 30 metres from the shoreline.

McConnell said she now always has her Swim Buddy, a brand of inflatable buoy that swimmers tie around their waist, when she's swimming in Lake Nepahwin.

She said many open water swimmers use the colourful buoys to ensure they are visible to boaters.

Beyond personal safety equipment, she said more needs to be done to ensure the lake is safe for everyone.

Laurentian University's popular beach on the lake, for example, no longer has a lifeguard. McConnell said she would like to see that rectified.

She also said boats should not be travelling at high speeds on the relatively small lake.

"I know that boaters that enjoy this recreational activity with their families also are invested in safety for everyone," she said.

"So I think there's different groups that can come together and give perspectives that will really help to inform modern social planning for the shared use of our lakes."