We launched our kayaks at the McLure Ferry and paddled to Kamloops.   We had dropped off a a vehicle at the end of Harrington Drive in Westsyde and we were paddling 36 km downriver when the river is high.

The paddle is not very technical except when you have to be careful at side channels and in the Heffley Rapids, but the trip was rewarding and uneventful.   Just after launching into the river, we spotted an island and back channel at the south end of McLure, so we went under the footbridge.

A number of islands are only surrounded by water for two months so we took the time to explore back channels when we could.   We spotted deer on a number of occasions.    Most of the time, we got through these channels quickly.   They will be a slower diversion next month.

We were moving quickly.   Even with explorations, drifting, and playing in the back eddies, we averaged 9.6 km/h over the 36 km distance.

Down on the river, we see the shoreline which is below the line of sight from the roads.   We see the shape of the river, and most of all we see the movement of water – whirlpools, back eddies, standing waves, rebound chop, fast lines of water, rapids, calm bays, and sweeps.   Photography is awkward and hard to compose, but the sounds and swirls of the river are part of our visual memories, ones that need refueling each year.

We stopped at the mouth of the Jamieson River for lunch, to scout the rapids below, and to plan our on-water routines in the event of a spill.

In high water, the Heffley Rapids are a bumpy ride, but the drops are smaller and the standing waves less imposing.   We found a good line through the rapids.   No “Oh, God” moments.   A couple of “yahoos” were heard.   In a fast kilometer of paddling, we were in calm water heading to Rayleigh and chose to continue at a leisurely pace to Westsyde.   36 km in under 4 hours was a surprising result.   The goal was never to see how fast we could do this river run.   Paddling downstream in an active river has an ineffable quality that becomes part of who we will are or will become.   It is a logistical challenge and makes a long day, but the call for another adventure resonates in our hearts and calls for another outing.

As the rivers reach freshet, the floodland near the mouth of the Thompson River can be paddled.   A small launch spot next to the Y in the road provides parking and a hand launch spot for one boat at a time, suitable for kayaks and canoes only.   From this spot, paddlers can paddle through the Tranquille Wildlife Management Area (Tranquille Bay) or out towards Cooney Bay, across the river to the wetlands, or up river along the shoreline.

Paddling conditons inside the bay, in the wetlands and in Cooney Bay are protected.   Crossing the river is not too difficult, but has one kilometre of open water.   Paddling from Conney Bay to Battle Bluff can follow the shoreline for protection, but winds around Battle Bluff are probable.   On a calm day, paddlers can go beyond or across the lake.   Wide views are available from the middle of the valley.

On a day with no wind, the reflections in the water provide optical illusions which can only be seen from the water.

Mount Mara provides a scenic backdrop to the calm waters of the bay.

Ducks and geese use the wetland habitat from May to July.   Predators move in soon afterwards.   On this day, ospreys and eagles roamed the shorelines.   Painted turtles sunned themselves on logs.   Fish jumped with a fresh hatch on the water.   If you go to the wetlands, go quietly, bring your binoculars and your camera, glide unobtrusively among the "floating islands."   This is place of peace.   Paddle in synch with the rhythm of the wetlands.  

Paddlers in the Kamloops area are blessed to have many paddling destinations within an hour's drive.   There are more than 40 lakes within that radius, but the lakes must be big enough to get a good workout by going around the perimeter once or twice.  Some of the lakes are large enough that it will take several trips to do the whole shoreline.   If we paddle 50 times in a year, we can go onto sections of the river or one of the 40 lakes and paddle somewhere different every time.   There area still a small number of lakes we haven't yet paddled on, but by the end of 2013, we will have done the perimeter of most of them.   Shuswap Lake, Adams Lake, Nicola Lake and Okanagan Lake will take longer to complete.

The other challenge on some of the lakes is competition from other boats.   We want to avoid big power boats or lakes that are full of people fishing, but that is mostly just picking the right time of day.   Power boats rarely get out in the morning.    Fishing is not good in the middle of the afternoon, so we paddle on the larger lakes in the morning and on the smaller lakes in the afternoon.   We go to more remote spots in warmer weather.  

And we have our favorites that will require multiple visits – Tranquille Bay, the North Thompson, Adams Lake, Heffley Lake, Johnson Lake, Campbell Lake, Azure Lake, Clearwater Lake, Murtle Lake, and the Shuswap River.    We will feature some of these after paddling them.   This week, we paddled Paul Lake, Badger Lake, and Stake Lake.   If you don't have a kayak yet, it may be time.

At the end of the Wells Gray corridor, the road ends at Clearwater Lake.   Further progress is marine access only.   The lake runs for 24km north and has 7 campsites along its shores.   Beyond is an upriver paddle to Azure Lake or a rough portage.   Some people take the water taxi to the end of Azure and then paddle back.   Whichever choice you make, camping on Clearwater Lake is a prime destination for paddle camping.  Some things you need to know include:

• early season campers may find deadfall and facilities yet to be maintained.
• high water may flood out campsites in June; in 2012, all sites were closed for a while
• mosquitoes start mid June and continue through mid to late July
• the prime camping season is May, August, and September
• bear-proof food caches are found in every campsite
• outhouses are found at every site, but bring your own paper, just in case
• firepits can be found at every campground, but not at every tent site
• firewood is cut by the contractor, using deadfall from near the area
• you may have to haul firewood from the cache/woodpile to your firepit
• firewood may be wet; you may have to be patient to maintain a campfire
• the contractor goes up the lake each day and checks in at the marine campsites; pay your fees at the lauch and keep your receipts with you
• some of the campsites are more open to the winds blowing up and down the lake, especially those on a point
• most campgrounds are next to a creek flowing into the lake; treat your water just to be safe
• campsites with a sandy bach are more likely to be stop for a power boat or groups
• Ivor Creek is a canoe-kayak only campsite with 3 tent pads; we also saw room on the beach for a few more
• the busiest campsites are Bar View and Huckleberry
• east-side campsites get the afternoon sun after a day of paddling
• cross the lake only in calm winds which is usually in the morning or evening;
• the narrowest part of the lake is at the south end and is 2.5 km wide near the middle of the lake
• on a windy day, stay close to the shoreline
• Part Two of this series will feature images and information on specific campsites

A popular fishing lake, Campbell Lake is also a nice paddle.    Grasslands surround two sides of the lake and forest on the other sides.    The approach to the lake is to drive up the Campbell Range Road, then turn onto the Scuitto Lake Road.   Follow this good gravel road to Scuitto Lake.    Follow the road along the lake going east until it crosses the creek which connects the two lakes.    The new road winds through the forest to the newly developed Campbell Lake Recreation site.

There is a good boat launch and parking lot.   The campsite lies to the east of the boat launch.   It has 32 sites and  meets a fairly high standard for BC Rec sites.

Along the south shore there are some rocky shallow areas near the campground and byond along the southeast shore is an extended shallow area.  The three bays are also quite shallow.

On this day, the lake was full of waterfowl.   Ducks and geese swam in all the shallows and perched on rocks.    10 pelicans waded in the lake then took flight to spot fish.   On the other shore, I heard, then spotted 8 sandhill cranes in a bay out of sight of fishermen.  Two black bears foraged on the shoreline.

This is a quiet location when the campground is not full.   If you paddle the entire shoreline, it will cover 7.5km, but this will mean paddling long stretches of shallows.  The shoreline on the north side is dramatically different from the south shore, grasslands and ranching terrain.

On a migration route for birds, this plateau lake (3450 feet) is full of birds in the spring and fall, also times when the area is quieter.   Perfect for a paddle…

Edith Lake is small enough that it will take two loops around the lake to get a good paddle, but it has an interesting shoreline, with grasslands, a north-aspect bluff, a swampy area, and probably a few fishermen to dodge.   The shoreline is 3.5 km rorund.    There are 3 places to launch from off the Edith Lake Road.

A long narrow bay out of sight rarely has anyone in it, although some people do hike the shoreline to cast their lines in behind the hill. Edith Lake is a good spot for an after-work paddle, especially on a warm summer evening.

To get to Edith Lake, drive out Highway 5 A South to Knutsford, then take the turn onto Long Lake Road.    At about 3.5 km, turn onto the Edith Lake Road and follow it to the lake.   The road is a good gravel road.

Paddling on any large lake is a transit from one marine campsite to the next.   There are 4 backcountry campgrounds on Azure Lake.    Each has its own special quality.   They all have tent sites, a beach, a metal food cache, firepits, outhouses, firewood, and picnic tables.   The best of all the campsites is at Rainbow Falls, as noted in the previous post.   The next nearest campsites are 16km away,  Four and Half Mile and Osprey, on opposite shores, only 10 minutes of paddling apart.

Either site makes a good place to camp. Osprey is a canoe and kayak only site so it tends to be more vacant. On the north side of the hill, it is less sunny. The sites are in the forest and have not been properly graded so tents will not be on a flat surface. We chose to make flat spots on the beach.

Four and a Half Mile sits on the north side so is sunnier and more open. There were 3 nice sites in there, but a jet boat and two tents covered all 3 sites. The trail to Huntley Col starts behind this campsite. If the site had been vacant, we would have chosen it over Osprey. We paddled down the lake to Indian Point. It sits on the north shore directly opposite where the portage comes out onto Azure Lake. he sites were scattered along the shoreline, but there was one nice tent site right on the point. We would choose Indian Point if we had paddled up the Clearwater River or had portaged the forest route. If it was earlier in the day, we would paddle farther on to one of the other campsites. The river starts just past Indian Point. Our feeling was that there could be one more marine campsite between Rainbow Falls and Four and Half Mile and we saw a potential site on the north side about half way along. We were very pleased by the care taken to service all the sites. Blackwell Enterprises is a superior operator in the BC Parks system, servicing North Thompson, Pyramid, Clearwater Lake, Azure Lake, and Murtle Lake. We have used all these sites in the last two years and have seen a consistent high standard.

Our thanks.