By October it is rare to see another boat on either the South or North Thompson Rivers.   The boat launches remain open but we are more likely to see dog walkers than power boats.  We continue to launch our kayak onto the river to paddle various routes on the river.   Downstream is always easier but requires vehicle support so most outings are to paddle upstream then back or vice versa.   One of the best routes is to launch at Pioneer Park and paddle upstream to Valleyview and back.
The river is low in fall but that leaves gravel bars to launch from and many places to land.   Although the water is cooler, it is not yet cold.   Neoprene boots are a good choice for wet launches and landings.   We also wear a spray skirt in the fall and early spring.

The shoreline has few visitors, but there are many ducks, geese, seagulls.   On this day we also spotted a young great blue heron and some migrating spring salmon.

On a windless day, the sky is reflected into the peaceful river.

Geese take up residence along the banks of the river for most of the winter.   They were spotted in groups of 25 – 30 in several places on the South Thompson River.

We paddle upstream for about 45 minutes before turning around, taking our time to paddle and drift downstream in the last days of paddling for the year.

In most years we can paddle into November, but we are cautious about temperature and wind so we choose the right times, days, and routes.   We have been able to get the boat into the water at the end of February some years so the kayaking season is sometimes 9 months.