No One Crosses the Tickle Alone: Miki Lee and Michael Samson’s Annual Journey

For Miki Lee and Michael Samson, the Tickle Swim for Mental Health has become more than an annual event. It is a family tradition, a shared challenge, and a deeply personal way to support mental health in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Miki first heard about the Tickle Swim in the winter of 2017–18, shortly after completing her first triathlon, where she realized the hard way that she needed to strengthen her swimming! When someone mentioned the 5-kilometre open-ocean crossing between Portugal Cove–St. Philip’s and Bell Island, her interest was immediately piqued.

“At first, it was the physical challenge,” she recalls. “But it was the cause — to advocate and raise funds for mental health — that resonated with me.”

Miki completed her first Tickle Swim in 2018 and has returned every year since. Her first crossing was dedicated privately to her brother, who has continued to manage a mental health disorder with strength and resilience. In the years that followed, Miki saw more people close to her experience postpartum depression, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health challenges. She began dedicating each swim to a particular person, experience, or aspect of mental health.

A Challenge Rooted in the Ocean

Growing up on the coast of Nova Scotia, Miki always felt at home near the ocean, although she did not learn technical or endurance swimming until adulthood. Triathlon training eventually brought her to the sport in a more serious way, and ultimately to the Tickle.

Even after years of experience, the moments before entering the water still require a little mental preparation.

“I usually tell myself, ‘Okay, Miki, it’s just another swim,’” she says. “Because if I think too much, I’ll go down the rabbit hole of wondering what could be in the water.”

Once she is a few strokes in, however, something shifts.

“I start to laugh, and then I settle in.”

Each crossing brings its own unforgettable moments. Miki looks forward to the point when the sun emerges, often a kilometre or two into the swim. Midway across, she tries to stop, look around, and take in where she is, sometimes sharing a few words with a nearby swimmer or with Michael.

Over the years, she has swum near a whale, crossed above a vast expanse of moon jellies, and faced unexpected challenges that have made every crossing distinct.

The Steady Presence Beside Her

While Miki is in the water, Michael is alongside her in a kayak.

His role is to provide a steady visual reference, helping her maintain the most direct course possible while remaining close enough to offer immediate support. If she needs to rest, experiences cramps, has to adjust her equipment, or simply needs a moment to reset, he is there.

“In my experience, even a few simple words of encouragement can be incredibly meaningful, both during the swim and afterward,” Michael says.

For Michael, supporting Miki through the crossing is especially meaningful. They have been partners for nearly 20 years and are raising two children together. He has seen the challenges she has faced and the goals she has accomplished. Michael describes being present for the Tickle Swim as deeply rewarding.

“The mental and physical fortitude required to complete this swim is nothing short of remarkable,” he says.

Miki feels that support throughout the crossing.

“The Tickle committee does an incredible job of keeping every swimmer and kayaker safe, but I really feel that I wouldn’t feel as safe or calm without him there,” she says. “Just his presence makes me feel that I can get through any swim across the channel.”

Their two sons also get to see their parents work together each year. A family friend takes the boys for an annual sleepover before the early morning ferry and accompanies them to Bell Island; another reminder, Miki says, that “it truly takes a village.”

More Mental Than Physical

The Tickle Swim is unquestionably a physical test, but Miki believes the mental challenge is even greater.

For her, one of the hardest moments comes when the water changes from green-blue to absolute darkness. That is when she must manage her anxiety about the unknown beneath her.

“If you can get over the fear of that unknown, I feel you’re well over halfway there,” she says.

That experience carries particular meaning for Miki because of her own mental-health journey. Growing up, she saw mental illness within her family accompanied by a sense of shame and pressure to remain quiet. Later, after experiencing postpartum depression following the birth of her second son, she found support by speaking openly with friends and family.

“If I can help get the conversation going and help dissolve that awful stigma through this one swim, I believe the ripple effect is exponential.”

A Community Achievement

Unlike many races, the Tickle Swim is not about placing or achieving a personal best. While completing the crossing can be an intensely personal goal, Miki says the event ultimately belongs to the wider community.

“The Tickle Swim is not for the one individual,” she explains, “because it’s the whole community of Newfoundland and Labrador who benefits.”

Funds raised through the Tickle Swim support the work of the Canadian Mental Health Association – NL, helping advance mental health education, advocacy, awareness, programs, and resources throughout our province.

The kayakers are an essential part of that community. Michael encourages experienced paddlers to consider taking part, describing it as an opportunity to connect with people who care about both their own well-being and the health of their communities.

The event also benefits him personally.

“I don’t have the opportunity to paddle as much as I’d like anymore, so this event each August is something I always look forward to,” he says. “It gives me a reason to get back on the water, and by extension, it inevitably has a positive influence on my own mental wellness as well.”

Could This Be Your Year?

For experienced swimmers considering the Tickle, Miki recommends looking closely at what is making them hesitate. Endurance can be built through regular practice, she says, and speed is less important than consistency, preparation, and comfort in open water.

She also points to the event’s strong safety culture, which has continued to evolve through years of experience, careful planning, and attention to tides, currents, equipment, communication, and kayak readiness.

Asked to describe the Tickle Swim in three words, Miki chooses:

Impactful. Empowering. Transformative.

And what do people not understand until they experience it themselves?

“That it is equally (or more) a mental challenge than a physical one, and that it is entirely achievable,” she says. “It isn’t as scary as they make it out to be initially in their heads.”

On August 22, 2026, Miki and Michael will once again take their places in the water and in the kayak, continuing a tradition built on courage, connection, and community.

Experienced open-water swimmers and qualified kayakers are invited to be part of this year’s crossing. Those who cannot participate can still make a meaningful difference by donating to a swimmer, sharing a fundraising page, or giving directly in support of the Tickle Swim for Mental Health.

Because whether we swim, paddle, donate, volunteer, or cheer from shore, we all have a role to play, and no one should have to navigate a mental health challenge alone.

Register, donate, or learn more at tickleswim.ca.