Little Shuswap Lake clears of ice early and has good launches and parking spots so it makes a nice spring paddle. I launched from the boat launch ramp by the Chase Bridge where the lake empties into the South Thompson River. I was surprised to find a number of kayakers there, but I spoke to one of the instructors and … Continue reading →
Although the ice on Paul Lake started to disappear on April 6th, colder weather delayed the first paddle on the lake to April 19th. The main park gate stays closed until mid-May so I drove to the west end of the lake and used the hand launch there. I paddled up the lake to the campground, crossed to the south … Continue reading →
Inks Lake is a small, muddy lake close to town. I enjoy paddling on the lake in spring, usually doing 2 loops, a total of 4.9 km. There are two back channels, one of which is hidden behind a hill. It is rare to see another boat on the lake, but there are many ducks, geese, and shoreline birds to … Continue reading →
I paddled Jacko Lake on a sunny morning, taking some photos. On the lake were many ducks, many of them Barrow’s golden eyes. I paddled the 5 km shoreline. Yellow-headed blackbirds were perched on cattails. Overhead, sandhill cranes flew north. Coots dabbled near the bullrushes. I spotted two marmots on the shoreline. There were a number of fishermen on the … Continue reading →
I padded Trapp Lake on April 12th. It is a personal favorite with the only drawback of the highway traffic. It has good parking, a good hand launch and provides scenic paddling. It is best to go in the morning before the late morning winds start. Along the eastern shoreline there was some wildlife, like this coyote: Farther along was … Continue reading →
I drove backroads all the way to Ross Moore Lake, something I do every year. The date has to be after the roads dry out so we make the trip sometime between June and September. It takes about an hour to get to the lakeshore, making all the right turns on the many forested backroads in a remote area. The … Continue reading →
As winter approaches cold and windy conditions limit the number of times we can paddle on the lakes and rivers, so if an opportunity arises, I load up the kayak and head out. In late October, the day was still quite cool and my time was limited so I chose to paddle on Inks Lake. A paddle of the shoreline, … Continue reading →
At the end of the paddling season it becomes more difficult to paddle on the lakes at higher locations so I turn to a small selection of lower elevation lakes and the south Thompson River, mostly launching from Pioneer Park. By mid-October there are rarely any boats on the water, but the boat launch provides easy access to the river. … Continue reading →
Edith Lake is close to town, providing quick access, but it can be a busy place for fishermen and campers. For this reason we usually paddle the lake in the off-season. On a cool and windy October day, I launched my kayak into the headwinds for two loops around the lake. There is a long arm of the lake that … Continue reading →
On a mild early October day I paddled Tunkwa Lake, one of the best paddling day of 2020. Partly-sunny skies and light winds are always a blessing when kayaking in the high country. There are campgrounds and some private homes on the east and south sides of the lake, but the west side of the lake has pasture land, Parks … Continue reading →
In late summer the pelicans start their migration south, stopping for a few weeks in our area’s lakes or rivers. I expect to see them in Campbell Lake in August or September so I plan ahead to paddle with the pelicans. Unfortunately the wind forecast was wrong and I battled stronger winds out of the west as I paddled the … Continue reading →
On a smoky day I drove up into the hills to look for a smaller lake to paddle, then go for a short hike. I chose Pat (Six Mile) Lake. Access is on a rough road that turns off the Trans Canada Highway just west of Tobiano. the old double track was once the highway and a bit of the … Continue reading →
In mid-September we drove to Blue River, then followed the Murtle Lake Forest Service Road to the end of the road. We loaded our gear into portage packs and into the kayaks and fastened the boats to kayak carts, then portaged 2.5 km to the Murtle Lagoon. At the launch, we reloaded the hatches and paddled west. The original plan … Continue reading →
Nicola is a large, windy, and busy lake so we paddle it at strategic times. There are 3 launch areas on the east shore of the lake and of the three, we enjoy the north end of the lake the most. Another fine paddling area is along the west shoreline, south from Monck Park. There are several launch spots in … Continue reading →
I paddle the river early in the season, then as the ice comes off the lakes, I paddle the lower lakes like Jacko Lake, Paul Lake, Pat Lake, and Trapp Lake. As the weather warms I do a circuit of lakes which usually includes Stump Lake, Roche lake, Bleeker Lake, Scuitto Lake, Campbell Lake, Lac le Jeune, Stake Lake, Pass … Continue reading →
I took the water taxi from the campground area at the end of Clearwater Lake to the Rainbow Falls Marine Campsite on Azure Lake and paddled back to the start. In the first day, I paddled my kayak for 15.5 km to Four and a Half Mile Campground in stormy conditions. On the next morning I paddled for 5.7 km … Continue reading →
