Strong wind and high waves prevented a Yellowknife woman from swimming across the North Arm of Great Slave Lake this weekend, but she came very close.

Chrissy Taylor started from the west end of the North Arm late on Friday night and had planned to swim straight across in about 15 hours.

She was still swimming 20 hours later, as strong winds and big swells pushed her off course. She was only a few kilometres from her goal, but she had to stop on Saturday.

Chrissy Taylor was pulled out of the water after swimming for 20 hours. (CBC)

"At that point I couldn't really feel my legs, so it felt like it was just dead weight behind me and I was just pulling myself with my arms. And I was so cold, I felt like - I don't know if it has to do with the cold, but I felt like someone was pushing in on my chest. If we were making progress there's no way I would have gotten out, but like I could see we were going nowhere," she said.

Taylor was struggling in six-foot waves without moving forward for about an hour before her support crew pulled her out of the water.

"It was heartbreaking, a bit. But you know, it was alright. I knew it was time to get out," she said.

She spent Sunday eating, sleeping and resting her muscles.

Taylor said she plans to try again next summer when the weather is on her side.