Angela Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 12/02) - Despite what's generally agreed on as being cold water, a lot of kids are willing to tough it out to enjoy their day at the beach.

Averi Amyotte, 7, passed her time at the beach last Wednesday making a sand castle. - Angela Wilson/NNSL photo

When asked if the water was warm last Wednesday afternoon, Angela Melvin, 10, replied, "Umm...no."

But Melvin had an explanation to why the water was so chilly. It was a sunny day.

"Whenever (the water's) cold, the sun is out. But when the sun's behind the clouds, it's warm," she said.

Local kids weren't the only ones on the beach. Wesley Simmonds, 12, R-Jay Melinchuk, 12, and Larissa Melinchuk, 14, all of Winnipeg, were also out enjoying the sun and sand.

Simmonds said the water temperature at Long Lake Beach was definitely a change from the temperature of Winnipeg's Grand Beach.

"The water's a little cold," he said. "It's chilly when you first get in compared to Winnipeg."

Larissa Melinchuk said she also found the water a little chilly, saying she hadn't been swimming yet because it was too cold.

Patricia MacVicar, who has been a lifeguard at the beach since 1998, said the water is a little colder this year because summer came a little late. MacVicar estimates the water temperature at the beach is usually in the neighbourhood of 16 and 20 C.

Still, she said, that doesn't deter everyone from swimming.

"On Monday, we had just over 160 people in the water and about 400 on the beach. It was a crazy Monday. We have days like that every so often."

Before heading off to the beach, MacVicar recommends slapping on some sunblock, preferably SPF 30 or higher.

She also recommended bringing lots of drinking water to the beach.