The first paddle of 2017 waited for the snow and ice melt and landed on the first day of spring.    The river is low, but t is still easy to launch from Pioneer Park.    Since the water is still cold, we try for a dry launch, keeping feet out of the water.    Its not so easy to do that on the landing.    The river was calm for paddling slowly upstream to Valleyview.

There were ducks (mallards and mergansers) and geese on the water.   Sheltered spots still had some snow or ice.   Banks that are covered in water for much of the year were exposed.    Very little colour was on the trees and shrubs except for the faded reds of red ossier dogwood and some faded yellows of willows on the banks.  The reflections of Mt. Paul and Mt. Peter and Paul Ridge reflected on unrippled water.

The paddle up to the end of the Gregson Trail at Vicars Road and back is only 7 km, but a good start to the paddling season.

In most years we can easily get about 8 months of paddling.  We start on the river then go to the larger lakes once the ice disappears, then the high country lakes, then sections of the river again.   In the summer and early fall we travel to the ocean and some destination paddling-camping trips.    We return back to the river in late fall for final few paddles before it gets too cold.   One down and sixty more to go…..