All paddling dates are subject to wind conditions. When conditions are greater than 15 km, I will hike instead. Most hiking will be done on Mondays, some Wednesdays, Fridays, or Saturdays.
While paddling on Lac le Jeune I approached a mama loon with two chicks. They usually swim off, but in this case I paddled around a long right by them. A short video captures this moment:
While paddling the area lakes I encounter loons on almost every outing. It is sometimes an entertaining experience.
Most of the posts in this group are from kayakers who go out on their own. The group can be used for organizing small groups too. Some information is provided here: There are two organized clubs – Kamloops Canoe and Kayak Club is based at Shumway Lake. The Club’s primary focus is competitive youth paddling, but adults can also join and use the facilities at Shumway Lake. Thompson Rivers Interior Paddle Sports Club – TRIPS also has training, but also offers coaching and group paddling from Riverside Park.Both Clubs have websites with information available to interested paddlers.
Many of us paddle on our own or in small groups. One of the challenges with kayaking is that successful outings depend on conditions and conditions tell us what boats and preparations are needed. The wind arises late morning so the best time to paddle is early before the winds. Not everyone likes an early start. When winds arise, small lakes are a better choice than big lakes so the venue may have to change in the last 24 hours since wind forecasts are only accurate about 24 hours out. Boats range from small open shell boats to seaworthy 18 foot kayaks. The longer and narrower boats are faster and more stable so paddling in a group is harder for the rudderless wide boats. Skill levels vary too so any group paddle requires a group effort to adjust speeds and routes. Anyone who organizes a group has a duty of care for the paddlers so everyone needs to wear PFDs and have the required safety equipment. Without these measures, the organizer has some liability.
So, anyone can organize a group paddle and this Facebook group be used to do that.
Snow showers mantled the hills of Kamloops and the snow fell in the valley, but melted in the relatively warmer air. It was a day for a river paddling, starting out at the end of the weather as foggy mists shrouded the hills.
A 10 km cool wind out of the east made the paddle upriver a bit more work, but over about an hour, the sun started to shine through the cloudy skies.
Downriver was shorter. The ducks and geese on the river ignored me as I floated by, enjoying the warmth of the sun on the river.
When the weather is marginal I got to one of 4 lakes – Jacko, Edith, Paul, or Edith Lake. On a day that was forecast for wind and rain, I got an early start.
On the open part of the lake, it was a bit windy and cool, but I did a counter-clockwise loop and entered the back channels, protected from the wind.
There are two out-and-back bays on that end of the lake, both protected from the wind, but also with no other boats in sight.
The end of the back channel is surrounded by grazing lands. I usually round the deadhead and return by the other shore.
A circuit around the lake takes about 50 minutes so I go around twice, once in each direction on some days. On this day it was under an hour of paddling, a shorter outing for a busy day.
I will be back to paddle the lake again, then in winter to snowshoe around the lake.
I have started to develop a separate page for each paddling lake. Each page has driving directions, boat launch information, lake features, pros and cons, maps, and images. This will take months to finish, but are few are ready now:
Access to Kamloops Lake is difficult, with only three points to launch a boat. Some notes are provided here:
Cooney Bay
There is a road that goes past Tranquille to the Cooney Bay parking lot. It is quite potholed, but slow driving allows us to get to the parking area.
Bringing a boat down to the rivershore means hauling it down about 150m. Wheels are a good idea. In freshet, logs jam the access route, but it is okay in spring and later summer.
It is my first choice, but not an easy haul.
Tobiano
In theory, we can launch a boat from Bruker Marina when it is open, paying a launch fee ($10).
It is a busy spot in summer when out-of-town power boat users are active on the lake, a more difficult time for paddlers to use the facility.
I have used the Marina, but I have found staff to be unwelcoming and sometimes rude, so I don’t go there anymore.
Savona
The best launch spot is at Savona Lakeshore Park at the end of Tingley Street.
When the lake drops down, it may be a longer haul to the water.
There are some other possible launch spots in Savona, all requiring some hauling.
Windy days can be a problem for paddlers. Some insights are offered.
Wind Forecasts
Environment Canada issues wind forecasts the day before. The app allows hourly forecasts.
Forecasts are for the City so if you are heading into the hills, it may be different. For example if you are paddling at Badger Lake, check the Barriere forecast too. If you are paddling Lac le Jeune, you can get a forecast for that specific spot too.
There are also wind-specific forecasts available like Windfinder
Winds of 20 km or greater mean that paddling will be difficult.
Wind Speed
Calm – 5 km/h – good paddling
10 km/h – some chop – better on smaller lakes
20km/h+ – difficult conditions and large lakes are a poor choice
The Day’s Cycle
Kamloops sits at the bottom of a valley, much lower than the Interior Plateau so there will be difference between the valley bottom and the hills
Generally speaking winds are light in the morning then it becomes windier after 11:00 am.
This is mostly because the valley will heat up and updrafts start, then colder air descends to replace it, starting a valley wind.
Winds may abate in the late afternoon.
Higher elevation lakes may not see the same cycle if it is a cloudy day.
Places to Avoid on a Windy Day
Any large lake, but especially Kamloops Lake, Shuswap Lake, Little Shuswap Lake, Adams Lake, Nicola Lake, and Okanagan Lake.
Any open lake, that is, without any hills or trees around the lake. Open lakes tend to have no leeward zones.
Smaller lakes surrounded with trees will have pockets of protection, but at 20 km/h, not enough.
Paddling in the Wind
If the lake has whitecaps, don’t paddle.
If the lake has a series of waves, then try to paddle the nose into the waves, where possible.
Paddling downwind can be unsafe if the waves are moving faster than the boat. There is a tendency to slide off the wave and then get turned and face oncoming waves. This is when a rudder makes a big difference.
If you have to paddle across a lake with the waves coming at a 90 degree angle, adjust your direction direction to paddle at 45 degrees, which may mean a longer route, but it will be a safer one.
When crossing a large wave loop upwind and watch the waves. they will come in 3’s or 4’s and two of them will be steeper and larger. Anticipate their arrival and paddle into the wave, timing your stroke to coincide with the wave. You may have to paddle on the same side for a few strokes in a row.
When you are paddling in the wind, use good technique. Sit up straight, reach forward, and paddle efficiently.
Safety
If you have no rudder on your boat, avoid windy conditions.
If you choose to paddle in the wind, you need to know self-rescue and have all the right equipment – a paddle float, a whistle, and a bailer or pump. If the water is cold, hypothermia could be life threatening.
On a windy day, paddle near the shoreline, but not too close since rebound waves may make paddling difficult.
Don’t paddle alone on a windy day. If conditions are unsafe, land your boat and either wait it out or line your boat from the shoreline.
The best possible choice is to know the wind forecast in advance and plan accordingly.