Category Archives: On the Water

Paddling routes…

Murtle Lake West Arm

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Once you have launched your canoe or kayak, you will pass through a lagoon for 1.5 km.   At this point, you will emerge into Murtle Lake.   There are two campsites (Murtle Lagoon) here if paddlers get a late start.  The large east bay makes good paddling if the winds are calm, but if not, you may have to stay inside the lee of the bay, making a longer paddle, but a route closer to shore will be less difficult if there is weather to battle.   On our last trip, we were able to angle straight for the point on a calm, sunny day.  

At the point is a sandy spit and just inside the spit is the next campground.    A sandy beach and a good location makes this campground (Sandy Point) a popular spot.   There are only 3 designated sites here, but we saw about 8 tents pitched.   All campsites have a food cache and pit toilets.

Continuing on, paddlers pass a marshy, forested shoreline.  At the indent of the bay, another larger campground (Auther) sits.    Turning around the point, paddlers will enjoy Fairy slipper Island.   There is no camping here, but it makes a nice spot for a rest or a swim.   The West Arm narrows here between Central Mountain and the south shoreline.   The hills beyond are rounded, leading on to the Murtle Plateau.  

There are 7 campgrounds in the arm.   some may already be full.   We stopped at each one just to see the site.   We talked to some of the campers.   Most were close to full except the ones at the far end, but all seemed very nice.  

Birch Beach Campground (the first one on the north shore) had 3 sites, but we saw 6 tents.   Beyond it, Cottonwood Campground had 2 sites and was full.   We paddled onto Leo Island and found that the campsite up on the hill was vacant.   Everyone who was already camped on the island wanted to be on the beach so we set up our tents and spent 3 nights here as our base camp.  

We paddled down the west arm and checked out the campground at Smoker Island (2 sites).   Campers told us that the fishing was best near the islands or in Diamond Lagoon.   Beyond the islands is a campground at File Creek (4 sites).   There is a 1.5km portage there up File Creek to where boats can be launched upstream.     the route is a little marshy but boardwalks help.  File Creek is fairly narrow and the area can be buggy, but the terrain opens up further upstream under the slopes of It is possible to hike from the top of navigation on File Creek up to McDougall Lake or beyond to Kostal Lake.   This area is very remote and only for the most experienced backcountry explorers.   Another 4km trail goes up to Anderson Lake, which will be on our itinerary for our next trip.   There is also a trail on the North Shore that goes up Central Mountain which will be a separate story to follow.

The Kostal Campground at the end of the arm was empty, but it had a 4 nice sites and a nice beach.   As you approach Diamond Lagoon, you may be alarmed by the current as it sweeps out of Murtle Lake.   It is an easy ride down into the lagoon.    Stay on the south shore and be sure to stop before the lagoon empties into a series of rapids.   A signed landing spot is the start of the 5km McDougall Falls Trail.   The secret to getting back up from the lagoon is to tuck in behind the island then paddle hard  up the narrow section.   Fishing is excellent at this outlet.

The west end of Murtle Lake from high on Central Mountain:

If you paddle the whole west arm and do the hikes, there are a few days of camping here.  

 

 

Murtle Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Paddlers from all over the world travel to North America's largest non-motorized lake.   In British Columbia, we sometimes take such special places for granted, but it's right in our backyard.   Murtle Lake is a destination for paddlers, hikers, and anyone loving to camp in remote mountains.    The water is crystal clear, the beaches are wonderful, wildlife is abundant, and the views are wonderful.   We hope to get back to Murtle Lake every 2-3 years.

Murtle Lake will require some preparation.   It would be very impractical to think of it as a day trip.   Traveling time, a portage, and overnight camping all need to be planned.   No campfires are allowed so you have to bring a camp stove and all of your own gear.   Campsites are primitive so your boat has to have all the gear you might need.  

To get to Murtle Lake, drive north to Blue River.   Turn left at a signed intersection and follow a twisting, rough gravel road for 27km up into the hills.   At the parking lot, you will start the process of loading your boat onto a cart.   If you don't have a cart, you can rent one at the campground at the turn-off in Blue River.   Load your supplies into your boat and pull your cart along a gravel path for 2.5 km to the lagoon launch site.   You can lock your cart there (a rack is provided).    You will then reload your canoe or kayak to launch.   A fee is charged for staying overnight at one of the campgrounds at $5/person/night.   The first 1.5 km is through a lagoon where you emerge into the lake.   There is a wide beach at this point and a campground there if you have made a late launch.   As you paddle out into the east bay, you will have to decide to head west or north.   There are 19 camping spots on the lake.   Your first paddle will likely be to your first campground.   it is a long paddle to the end of either arm, so the conditions, the time, and your fitness will limit your choices.   Each arm is different and a subsequent post will explain a bit about what to expect. 

Some campsites are special spots:

More posts to follow in succession.

Your Personal Trip Computer

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Bring your GPS with you when you go for a hike/bike/paddle and it can record how far you have traveled, how much actvity time you had, your average speed or much more.   The Trip Computer (or whatever it is called in each type of GPS) can record any of the following that you choose:

Field Description
Accuracy of GPS Your estimated position error (EPE)
Battery Level Battery charge, in 20% increments
Bearing Direction, in degrees, to the next waypoint
Cadence Revolutions of the crank arm per minute (for bicyclists using the cadence accessory)
Course Direction from the last waypoint to the next waypoint
Depth Depth of water (requires NMEA input from a sonar device)
Distance to Destination Distance to final destination
Distance to Next Distance to the next waypoint or turn
Elevation Elevation above sea level
ETA at Destination Estimated time of arrival at final destination
ETA at Next Estimated time of arrival at next waypoint or turn
Glide Ratio Ratio of horizontal distance traveled to vertical distance traveled
Glide Ratio to Dest Glide ratio required to descend from your current position and elevation to the position and elevation of your final destination
GPS Signal Strength Strength of satellite lock, in 20% increments
Heading Direction you are currently heading
Heart Rate Heart rate in beats per minute (using the heart rate monitor accessory)
Location (lat/lon) Location in ddd mm.mmm format
Location (selected) Location in format set in Setup > Position Format
Odometer Total distance traveled for all trips
Off Course Distance to your desired course (use To Course for direction)
Pointer Arrow indicating direction to travel to the next waypoint or turn
Speed Current speed
Speed – Maximum Maximum speed traveled since last reset
Speed – Moving Avg. Average speed, not including time stopped, since last reset
Speed – Overall Avg. Average speed, including time stopped, since last reset
Sunrise Time of today's sunrise at your current position
Sunset Time of today's sunset at your current position
Temperature – Water Water temperature (requires external data acquisition device)
Time of Day Time at your current position
Time to Destination Estimated elapsed time until you reach your final destination
Time to Next Estimated elapsed time until you reach your next waypoint or turn  
To Course Direction to your planned course (use Off Course for distance)
Trip Odometer Distance since last reset
Trip Time – Moving Time in motion since last reset
Trip Time – Stopped Time stopped since last reset
Trip Time – Total Total time since last reset
Turn The difference in degrees between the bearing to your destination and your current heading. "L" means turn left; "R" means turn right.
Velocity Made Good Rate of closure to your destination, based on current speed and course
Vertical Speed Current rate of ascent or descent
Vertical Speed To Dest Rate of ascent or descent to your final destination
Waypoint at Dest Name of final destination waypoint
Waypoint at Next Name of next destination on the current route

You can configure your Trip Computer to record whatever information you wish.   These are the ones I prefer for hiking:

  • Trip Odometer (reset it at the start of your hike, bike, paddle)
  • Moving Time
  • Moving Average (speed)
  • Stopped time
  • Elevation
  • Location
  • Temperature
  • Battery level

 

 

Track Your Hikes

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

You can go out for a hike and bring your GPS and then come back home and download your track onto your computer.   You can create an elevation plot, show your route, show your speed, and much more.    Here is a plot from a recent off-trail exploration:

In the top image, the blue line represents the route I took.   The flags show waypoints that I took along the route (I placed geocaches there).  

At the bottom, the red line shows the elevation over time.   The blue line shows speed.   

How do you do this?    The detailed description will be outlined in a separate post, but in a nutshell, here are the steps:

  • Turn on your GPS at the start of the hike.   Enable tracking.
  • Hike.
  • At the end of the hike, either turn off Tracking or shut off your GPS.   Otherwise you will be tracking your trip home in the car.
  • Once home, connect your GPS to the computer via USB
  • Open Google Earth.
  • Click Tools, then GPS.
  • In the Import section, pick Tracks and click import.
  • You should see your route projected onto the Google Earth view.  
  • To get an elevation plot, you need to see the Sidebar.    Your track will be Saved in Temporary Places.   Right click there and pick Show Elevation Profile.
  • You can save this view, save as a jpg, email the view, etc. from the same place!

This technology is new, but accessible to everyone.   

 

Cortes Island Paddling

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Desolation Sound is not far from Cortes, but if you don't want an expedition, you can day paddle out and back at various spots with safe conditions and interesting locations.

The campground at Smelt Bay is a bit of a minimalist experience, but we liked the beach and the quiet forest.    Kayakers can easily launch and land at the beach.   We paddled south to Sutil Point (sometimes called Reef Point) and we enjoyed seeing seals and many birds around the shoals, but paddlers have to watch for many submerged rocks.   Explore this area in good weather only.  If you try to round the point, you will have to deal with currents so consult your tide tables.  

We preferred the paddle north to Mansons Landing.   Mansons Bay is a popular anchorage.   Aside from viewing the yachts, there is a beach, a public dock, a spit, and an adjoining lagoon (at high tide).   It is also possible to paddle out to Marina Island (it is on our tbd list).

We found the paddling in Cortes Bay a good choice offer shelter from the winds on a stormy day.    There is a good launch by the dock, a yacht club, a seaport, many cliffside homes, sandstone cliffs and a series of islets to explore.   We were able to land on one of the Cod Islets and explore.   On a calmer day, we would paddle out to the Twin Islands.  We enjoyed paddling over toward Mary Point, paddling in and out of the bays along the way.   There is a half day of paddling out of Cortes Bay. 

At Gorge Harbor, we were able to launch near a public dock.   There is a full-service campground there, a restaurant, a marina, boom logging, shellfish farming, oyster beaches, and some large vessels in anchorage.   A full tour of the Gorge is a good paddle.   We chose not to exit through the surge channel.   The currents in the narrow channel travel at 4 knots, except at slack tide.  We paddled to the mouth and it looked to be reasonable challenge, but we would make sure no boats were entering or exiting before starting.     We instead landed on Ring Island and hiked around the edge and back.  

We drove across the island and launched our kayaks at Squirrel Cove.   A sand and pebble beach makes a good staging spot for any adventures beyond, although parking is at a premium in this area.   This is a major anchorage for all the boats traveling to and from Desolation Sound, We rounded the point and then toured the long protected harbor to see all the anchored boats.   We aimed for an adjoing lagoon that only a kayak could enter.   The entrance channel is only about 2 meters wide and when we arrived, it was draining down so we had to paddle very hard up a very shallow "waterfall" to get into the entrance.    The saltwater lagoon had seals, herons,  and various birds, rocky shorelines and coves, one small beach, and several islets.   We returned back down the channel in slack tide.   The channel was now twice as wide and twice as deep, so it was much less exciting.  We then paddled past Protection Ilsland and over towards Boulder Point, but didn't venture farther.  

We left Cortes without doing Carrington Bay, Van Donop Inlet, and all the north side trails.   This is on our "bucket list", but Desolation Sound is higher on the list. 

The kayaks are ready to launch from Squirrel Cove for our week in Desolation Sound.   Watch for us.

Salt Spring Hiking

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Salt Spring is the biggest of the Gulf Islands and we have not yet made the time to explore it fully enough.   We enjoyed our paddling in Ganges Harbor and Long Harbor.   We were impressed by the hiking and camping at Ruckle Park and we enjoyed the hikes on Mount Maxwell, but we have yet to do a dozen or more other spots on this island.   We want to return in good weather because our hiking and paddling on Salt spring has been in marginal (rainy and windy) weather.

The hike up Mount Maxwell was fairly steep and in the forest, but the views from the top were very good.

There are several trail options, with the shortest trail distance of 6km and the longest up to 15km.

We found Ruckle Provincial Park to be a special place.   Whether your choose to hike, paddle, camp, or walk, there is a wide variety of views:

Leave a whole day to explore this area, if you can.

There are 15km of trail here, including 7km of shoreline.

Galiano Explorations

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Paddlers can base out of Montague Harbor or can launch from many sites on the island.    Routes down to shoreline offer explorations.   Two are featured here:

Bellhouse Provincial Park is a small park near Sturdies Bay with a short trail but with interesting sandstone formations:

 

Dionisio Provincial Park is accessible by boat only and paddlers will have to pay attention to tidal charts to enter any part of Porlier Pass.    Beaches, headlands, trails, camping, and exploration makes this a destination spot.

An overview of this area can be found at the Parks BC site:

 

Montague Park on Galiano Island

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

We will continue to return to Galiano Island for a late winter retreat to hike and explore, and in summer to camp and paddle.  Galiano is the first stop on the Southern Gulf Islands Ferry from Tswassen.   Once the ferry is launched, you can be offloading at Sturdies Bay in an hour.  We prefer to head inland down the long narrow island to Montague Harbor.   We find this area to be central for our explorations, hikes and paddles.   

 

Montague Provincial Park

Montague Provincial Park Campground is usually rated in the top 3 in the province.   The camping is in a beautiful oceanside setting with several beaches, hiking trails, and easy access to Trincomali Channel.   If you want to camp here, you will need to book this very early to get a site.   One part of the campground, though,  is for cyclists and paddlers only and it never seems to fill up.   In later winter, the 3km of hiking has a number of options include a beach walk, a reef to explore at low tide, 6 middens, a salt water marsh, and a boat harbour.   There are many fine views, so bring your camera.

 

Take the time to explore the shoreline around Gray Point.

In summer, it is easy to get the kayak right to the water and lauch from the beach.   We found that a morning paddle worked best because the winds come up by noon each day.   From Montague beaches and launches, you can paddle out to numerous islands.   Most are privately owned, but we found some oyster-covered coves to land on the islets (not at high tide).   We enjoyed paddling around the Ballingel Islets which is an Ecological Reserve for cormorants.   It is possible to paddle all the way to Wallace Island, but it would be easier to launch at Retreat Cove, north on the island road.  

The coastline has many sculpted features.   Taking a photo while kayaking is never easy, but in calm waters it can be done.

Montague is wonderful place to visit, but there a number of other areas that are rewarding – Bodega Ridge, Mount Galiano, Bluffs Park, Dionisio Point, and Bellhouse Park.    The next posts will feature some of these.

 

Saturna Hiking and Paddling

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

In two previous posts, Mount Warburton Pike and East Point Park were featured.    There are lots of opportunities to hike and paddle on Saturna and a few are noted here.

Winter Cove Park

This point of land is within the National Park Reserve.   There are about 1.5km of hiking and some shoreline viewpoints.    Winter Cove and the shores around Samuel Island make good paddling.

This narrow channel separates the island from Samuel Island.   You can paddle through this channel, but it is best to check the tide charts since the water surges through the narrow spot.     

Taylor Point

Did you know that there was a vineyard on Saturna Island?   We have tried the wine and we visited the vineyard (a steep hill so check your brakes) in winter, though it was closed.    A rough hike goes from the end of Trueworthy Road all the way to Taylor Point.   This hike should not be your first choice since it winds across bluffs on an 8km return hike.  Saturna Beach is along the west coast accessed from this same general area.

 

Narvaez Bay

We enjoyed riding our bikes down the length of the island then down to Narvaez Bay and back.    At Narvaez Bay, we hiked 2km around the points.

 

There are numerous short trails and routes down to small beaches, reefs, and viewpoints.   We enjoyed Fiddlers Cove, Saturna Beach, Boot Cove, and Monarch Head.   

Tumbo and Cabbage Island

Launching from East Point, Tumbo Island is only about 600m across the channel.   There is lots of paddling, hiking, and exploration around and on the islands.   There are a few camping spots on Cabbage Island and this is on our return trip "to-do" list

Painting the Bluffs

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

If you travel to Painted Bluffs Provincial Park on the north shore of Kamloops Lake, you can hike into the bluffs, and when you do, you will be stunned by the "other-wordly" feeling of the shapes and colors in front of you.   Eroded, sinuous multi-colored slopes drain the slopes above, channeling water into one stream gully above the alluvial fan.   You can hike up onto the narrow ridges on the slopes, finding various vantage spots for your explorations.  

What do we know about this area?

Very little geological information is available on this area. What we do know is that the bluffs have distinctive multi-colored rocks and soils on an intrusion of batholithic rocks.

  • A batholith is a large zone of molten rock under the surface of the earth that cools over time.
  • An intrusion is an arm of the batholith that has risen to the surface and cooled, forming minerals in the process.
  • Batholithic intrusions often stand out (are discordant) from the local geology.

The bluffs have been eroded into distinctively-shaped barren ridges and gullies, all leading down to a fluvial fan.

  • Fluvial fans are formed by the movement of water bringing materials down stream.
  • Alluvial fans are formed when a stream course suddently widens and flattens. Materials are deposited in a fan shape.

The hillsides surrounding are covered in big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass. California bighorn sheep frequent the ridges. The colors off the bluffs are intriguing. Deposits of mercury, copper, and cinnabar have altered the hues of these materials.

  • Mercury was raised to the surface through the intrusions and cooled in cinnabar formations. Most mercury deposits around the world are found in cinnabar.
  • Cinnabar (mercuric sulphide) is the common ore of mercury.
  • Cinnabar is usually brick red to crimson in color. It is an ingredient used in red pigments.
  • Copper is an ore common to the area (ie Copper Creek).
  • Copper compounds are often found as salts of copper, and impart a green or blue color.

 

 

Climb the ridges to enjoy the sinuous shapes:

 

 

Watch for California bighorn sheep:

 

 

Most of all, bring your camera and put yourself amongst the bluffs:

 

 

Hike or paddle there, but plan on staying long enough to explore the park.

 

Finding Information on the Site

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

As of today, there are 156 posts on this site.   Over the next year, it will grow to over 300.   How do you find information on this site?

  • Use the Search function (on your right).    It works very well.
  • Go to the Site Map page (see Pages on the right) for a quick scan of content.
  • Search by Category.   Over time, I may have to add more categories if the number of posts in any one category gets too large (ie Hiking).

 

Resolutions and Musings

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

If you don't set goals and targets for your efforts, you won't set aside the time and effort to explore new areas.    A new area takes time to research, time to prepare, time to travel to and from, and will probably take longer than planned if you are exploring new territory.   For some areas, there is no information, so you have to commit to exploration in spite of many unanswered questions.    For other areas, conditions will limit your efforts – snow, rain, heat, cold, bugs, mud, road access, forest fires, deadfall, vehicle problems.   For these you have to match up the trip to the conditions, and cancelations could be the result.  A "Plan B" will be needed.    So many people are fair-weather hikers.    Should we brave the elements and just persevere?  

We make a plan and pick dates, then the conditions don't cooperate.   Since we need to get out, we have learned to have a backup plan.    Except in the coldest or wettest conditions, there can always be a Plan B.    In the Kamloops area, we don't lose many days.    If we are planning to go to the alpine, though, decent weather is needed, so hillside hikes or bikes, or a paddle are in our "alternates list."   When the winds howl, we put away our paddles, and find the forest.   When the bugs swarm the high country, we paddle on open water or hike on open ridges.    On a hot day, a mountain bike on a backroad is a good choice.  On an overcast day, a paddle around the shoreline of smaller lake is a good choice.    Since geocaches can be in any location, a caching journey can provide interesting outdoor experiences.    With so many alternatives, should we just stick to Plan B routes?

To explore new areas, to challenge ourselves, to widen our knowledge of our environment, and to be a part of the natural history of our world, we need to set out goals and plan for trips, journeys, tracks, and trails.   We can make our own private lists, or we can share them.   We can personally commit to our list or we can invite others to join us.   We can show leadership, or we can follow others.   We can keep our experiences private, we can share them, or we can celebrate them.  

It is impossible to do them all.   There are just too many trails, routes, ridges, backroads, rivers, meadows, scrambles, lakes, coastlines, caves, hills, and tracks.   And, of course many trails need to be visited many times.   Wells Gray, the Dewdrop Ranges, Lac du Bois Grasslands, Lac le Jeune, Rogers Pass, the Trans Canada Trail, Garibaldi Lake, the Great Divide, Cathedral Lake, and many more areas have to be experienced many times.   We can't imagine a year when we don't hike to Trophy Meadows or paddle the North Thompson River.   

So, each year we set goals and try to do as many as possible.   In the end, some carry over to a new year and we finish half of our list, but others get added.   Over many years, the total list of tracks and trails is a long one.   Many of them now are reflected in posts on this website, but there are also many that haven't reached publication yet.  

So, for 2011, our resolution is to hit as many of our goals as possible:

  • There are a few hikes that hikers travel to from all over the world.   We will complete one of these this year – The Kalalau Trail along the NaPali coast on Kauai.   There are also world-class hikes in Kokee State Park and Waimea Canyon State Park.    We have done some of them already, but we will be looking to do the Kukui Trail, the Awa'awaphui Trail, the Alakai Swamp-Pihea Trail, the Waimea Canyon Trail, and the Jungle hike under Mt. Waiaiele.   
  • We have paddled the North Thompson River many times and have even camped on islands on an overnight trip.   We think that a trip from Clearwater to Kamloops with one or two nights on the river will be in our 2011 plans.
  • We have also paddled the west arm of Murtle Lake, but we have not yet paddled the north arm.    This trip is high on our list.    A fall trip on Clearwater and Azure Lakes is an alternate (both would be better).   
  • We have biked or walked many sections of the Trans Canada Trail, but we want to add more sections.    The section from Hope to Chilliwack is in our sights.
  • Exploring new areas that have almost no information is always on our list, but sometimes it is a success, and sometimes just doesn't work out.   We keep a few on our list.    The ridge extension on Red Plateau from the end of the Dewdrop Trail to the end of Hardie Hill is on our list.   We can see that it can be followed on logging roads, but we are looking for hiking and biking alternatives along the rim of the ridge too.  
  • New rivers to paddle are on our list.   We are looking at other sections of the Shuswap River, the Eagle River, and the Fraser River (north).    Rivers can be safe or hazardous, depending on the time of the year.   The North and South Thompson Rivers are safe year round, but at high flood, attention must be paid to logjams, sweepers, sideslides, and rapids.    When rivers become Class 3, we have to make sure we are ready, well-equipped, and with the right group.   
  • Mountains to hike in 2011 include the ridges up to Dunn Peak, Trophy 3, Table Mountain, Needle Peak, Stoyama Mountain. Thar Peak,  Queest Mountain, Pukeashun Mountain, Tsuius Mountain, Mt. Bowman, Mt. Kerr, ….
  • Areas to explore and populate with geocaches include the Roche Lake area, Wells Gray trails, the Masters Subalpine Walk, Tranquille Canyon, and any mountain top that requires a hike or scramble to get to the top.  
  • We still haven't yet explored the right place for the Petrified Forest in the Monte Hills or the natural arch in the Dewdrop.   There are numerous lakes to explore and photos to take.   
  • The Rockies call to us every year and many are in our return list – Cauldron Lake, Bow Hut, Floe Lake, Skoki, Egypt Lake, Maccarib Pass, Upper Fish Lakes, Carthew Summit, …..Too many too far apart….
  • The sea calls to us and our ocean-going kayaks will see at least one journey on the waves.
  • Our bikes have many backroads to explore.   We also want to do at least one section of the Kettle Valley route each year.
  • And, we are open to invitations to join others who can share their favorite places with us.

In reflection, it appears we will need to retire to meet our goals for 2011.    laugh     Plan B is to do as many as possible and finish the list in 2012!      cool

Kamloops Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

We chose to paddle from Cooney Bay to Savona at the end of October.   The forecast looked good, but at the last minute there was a warning about winds from the east, a tailwind for the paddlers.

With an escape route (at Tobiano) in mind, we started early in the morning.   We had chosen to paddle the south shore of the lake.   I had paddled most of the north shore at one point or another, but the shore shore had always been across 1.6km of lake, so we were interested in what we would see.   We also kept Tobiano in mind if the winds became too strong.

We crossed the 1 km section from Cooney Bay over to the south shore without too much difficulty, although we knew right away that the wind was going to be a challenge.   The winds were blowing right down the lake and this made paddling easier and we were making good time.

Along the south shore, we were impressed by the train tunnels and the stone walls supporting the railbed.   The stones were clearly quarried.   We wondered how old they were?   One of the walls had been recently reinforced with concrete pillars.   Another featured a classic arch (see photos below).   Just about the whole route to Cherry Creek had a sheer rock slope rising right from the lake.

As we proceeded down the lake, the winds increased and we were surrounded by 1-2′ waves.   Our kayaks rose and fell as the waves overtook us.   I checked my GPsr and we were averaging 7km an hour assisted by the wind.   When the shoreline was parallel to the winds, the going was fast, and paddling was straightforward, similar to paddling in the ocean with the current.   When the shoreline angled out with rocky points, there was much more difficult paddling.   As the waves pounded the shoreline (with breakers), waves rebounded back and slowed down the waves coming in, and these waves mounded up into 2-3′ waves.   We found ourselves between whitecaps in the center of the lake and active breakers closer to the shore.   In between there was a comfort zone, where the waves ran straight, but we paddled farther out from the shore.   When we had to angle out into the lake, we had to cross the wave barrage at 45 degrees, which was manageable as long as we anticipated the waves over our right shoulders, paddling into and bracing into the oncoming wave.   We were breached a few times, but as long as we kept our focus, we made good time down the lake.

We chose to make a beach landing at Tobiano on a nice sandy beach.   There is a road down to the beach, a boat launch ramp, and a gangway down to a floating dock there.   No one was around on a windy end-of-October Saturday morning, but we were glad to have a spot to have lunch and dry out.

From the Kamloops Airport to Six Mile Point is a straight line of unimpeded open water.  The winds pick up speed down this corridor.   We launched and found ourselves in 3′ waves.   Looking over at my friend Russ, I would lose sight of his kayak as he dipped into the troughs and then be carried aloft again.   As I paddled and a wave lifted me, the front 4′ of my kayak would be out of the water.   We could surf the waves if we paddled hard enough, but after a minute or so, the wave would steam ahead, leaving us in the trough again, looking over our right shoulders for the next wave.

The most difficult challenge was when the corner of a wave passed us and we slid off the edge.   This would tilt our boat at an angle.   We could brace for this (if we saw it in time) but at times it caught us unprepared and we fought to keep from being turned siideways in the shifting waters.   A combination of angled waves and a rudder out of the water (on the backside of the wave above the trough) might cause us to be spun about, and then the next wave swamped the boat.   With spray skirts on, most of the water swept away, but we got wet nonethless.

The angled sweep out around Six Mile Point was achieved by paddling hard and anticipating the waves.   A few rogue waves broke onto the kayaks in this section.   Who would be out paddling in such weather?

Kamloops Lake can be divided into two sections with the east end aiming northeast and then at Six Mile Point the lake angles southwest.   Rounding the point was like being on a  different lake.   Six Mile Point acted as a natural breakwater for the whole shoreline down to the west end of Savona.   We found the next section leisurely.   The shoreline near Savona has many shallow sections so we paddled out farther into the lake, but still only encountered smaller waves.   The landing at the boat launch was a welcome sight after 5 hours on the lake.

The scenery on the lake is outstanding.   The route is a long one, and best suited to a calm summer day.   But on those days, there will be other boaters and a lot of shore activity.   We saw eagles and shoreline birds, but no boaters, and no one else in sight.    We will return for a Savona to Kamloops paddle up the north shore, hopefully with no wind.

[nggallery id=13]

Reflections on Paddling Upriver

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

The North Thompson River rises in the glaciers of the Premiers Range west of Valemount, flows east to the Monashees, then is steered south and down the North Thompson Valley.   Many rivers flow into it – the Albreda, Mad River, Thunder River ,Blue River, Mud Creek, Raft River, the Clearwater River, the Barriere River, Jamieson Creek – and many other streams and creeks.    It flows steadily south to Kamloops at 3-4 km/hr.   It is joined by the South Thompson River in Kamloops, the outflow of Shuswap Lake and all its feeders.    Starting from Kamloops, the paddler can paddle either river upstream for days north or east, but few will choose to paddle upstream for more than an hour.   Its hard work above all.

But we do choose to paddle upstream every week:

  • We embrace the challenge as a strength and endurance workout.
  • While we are still fresh, we find a steady rhythm of strokes, without a break until our turn-around point.
  • We pick one side of the river for the way up, and the other side for the way down.
  • The first half is all concentration, a focus on precision, balance, and finding the aerobic threshold.
  • The second half, on the flow downstream propelled by the current, is easy, meditative, a reward for all the hard work upstream.

North Mabel Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

The best (paved) road into the north end of Mabel Lake heads east from Enderby, following the Shuswap River upstream.   Be sure to stop to at various points (Cooke Creek, Skookumchuk, etc.) to look at the river along the way.   As you approach the lake, the road really ends at the RV Park/Golf Course/Airstrip/Resort and there is some limited access to the lake there, but there is a good access at the marina which sits at the mouth of the river.

Mabel Lake is a large lake – 35 km long.      There is no road along the west shore and only a Forest Service Road along the east side north of Mabel Lake Provincial Park starting at the south end.

We enjoyed paddling out into north end of the lake.   For a short paddle, aim north towards Tsuius Narrows and cross the lake to the mouth of Tsuius Creek, then follow the shore south to Cottonwoods Beach.   There is a 20 site BC Forest Service Campsite there with a sandy beach.

For a longer paddle, the north end of the lake is about 14 km.   Noisy Creek campsite is on the west shore.