In the Thomson – Nicola area there are many lakes and some of them are shallow, muddy, and alkaline, many not suitable for fishing. We can kayak them, but the best season is spring while the water is clearer, before the lake turns over, and before aquatic plant growth and algae multiplies. Some lakes turn a muddy-green and have a … Continue reading →
Stump Lake is a fine lake to paddle, but with two caveats. It is a windy lake so we need to check the wind forecasts in advance. Second, there has been limited access to the lake to launch a boat. The lake has risen, flooding some lakeside cabins and the main boat launch area on the west shore. Since it … Continue reading →
On a grey May morning I drove up the Lac le Jeune Road to the Walloper Lake Recreation Site and launched into the lake for a circuit of the shoreline. Conditions were calm at the start, but the forecast called for 20 km/h winds to start about 10:30, and after an hour of paddling, the first gusts arrived (about 10:00), … Continue reading →
On a greyish late May morning I drove out to Neskonlith Lake for a paddle, followed by a nature hike. Access to the lake is seasonally limited. We can drive through the gate from May through October. The road leads to camping sites and a boat launch on the north side of the lake. When I launched there were no … Continue reading →
On a greyish spring day I drove from the TransCanada Highway up the rough Six Mile backroad to Pat Lake. I kayaked around the lake twice (about one hour of paddling), then secured the boat and hiked up into the hills. Pat Lake is a popular fishing lakes, especially in the early season since it is one of the first … Continue reading →
I paddle Pinantan Lake every year, launching from the end of Cridge Road. I usually paddle around the lakeshore (4 km) and in some years I paddle and portage up to the upper lake (sometimes called Little Pinantan Lake). The route starts by paddling along the north shore of the lake to the northeast corner. From there a marsh channel … Continue reading →
On the May long weekend I drove through Cache Creek and down the Trans Canada Highway towards Spences Bridge. I then turned onto the (signed) South Venables Valley Road. It is paved for about half the distance to the valley. After that it is good gravel. I continued up the valley until I came to a hand launch spot about … Continue reading →
With wind and rain forecast for the day, starting about 9 am, I decided to head out to Edith Lake early. I was on the water by 7:15 and enjoyed cool, but calm conditions. At the time of the morning, there were no other boats yet on the lake. Along the way were loons, geese, ducks (mallards, goldeneyes, and grebes), … Continue reading →
On a grey and drizzly morning I drove up through the Lac du Bois Grasslands and continued to Pass Lake at 19km. I drove down the short access road to the Pass Lake Recreation Site. There are two boat launches and lots of parking. I launched into the lake and paddled twice around the shoreline, a 5 km outing. there … Continue reading →
When we go out to paddle, we are hoping for a quiet outing. Some lakes are noisy spots. The more homes on a lake, the more likely we will encounter noise, particularly power machinery. Some of the noise comes with power boats. Some comes with loud people, unnecessarily. One of the spots we are cautious of is Paul Lake. Because … Continue reading →
On a mild May morning I drove south on Highway 5A south past Stump Lake, then turned up the Peterhope Lake Road bearing east. The road is paved for about 6.5 km then a gravel road arrives at the lake. A BC Rec Site is just off the road with two boat launches. I launched at the first one and … Continue reading →
On a mild spring day in early May I drove gravel roads to the Roche Lake area, then turned onto the Bleeker Lake Forest Service Road to the BC Rec Site on the north side of the lake. On a Sunday morning the Rec Site was full and there were three other informal sites nearby also being used, but when … Continue reading →
While staying on Denman Island on the seacliffs above Repulse Bay, I hauled a sit-on-top kayak down the steep stairway down to the rocky beach and launched into the bay, paddling a circuit in the rocky bay. The advantage of a plastic sit-on-top kayak is that it can take the bumps on the haul down the slope, across the rocks, … Continue reading →
Louis Lake lies between Mt. Fleet and Louis Ridge, but also between the Paul Lake – Pinantan Road and Paul Lake Provincial Park. Much of the lake is shallow so any paddling on the lake is best done in the spring when the lake has been recharged. We can hand launch near the Waste Transfer Station. the shore is marshy, … Continue reading →
On a calm day with mild temperatures I drove out to Scotch Creek Provincial Park paddled from the boat launch area over to Copper Island I kayaked around the south side of the island and then landed on the east side landing area. I secured the boat and the gear, put on a pair of hiking shoes and then hiked … Continue reading →
By the second week of April. many of the lower lakes become ice-free and have good vehicle access. On a calm and mild morning I drove to the west end of Paul Lake on the Harper Mountain Road. I hand launched into the lake and paddled up the north shore of the lake toward Gibraltar Rock. I paddled about 3.1 … Continue reading →
