Tag Archives: paddling

Clearwater Lake Loop

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

One of the best paddling destinations we try to do every year is Clearwater Lake.   The boat launch is at the very end of the Wells Gray Corridor Road.   Beyond the launch is 22 km of  wilderness lake with treed shorelines and snow-capped mountains rising above.   Along the shoreline are a few wilderness marine campsites.   We have enjoyed going to the far end of Azure Lake and paddling back 45 km over several days.    For a day trip, though, we head up the lake past the curving eastern shoreline below Easter Bluffs.

Once we have gone up the lake a few kilometers, the views start to open up.   We can see Mt. Huntley at the end of the lake.    Azure Lake lies beneath the mountain and to the northeast.   It drains into Clearwater Lake by a short section of the Clearwater River.

If the winds cooperate, we go up the lake and then cross to the other side to Divers Bluff.   This is the deepest part of the lake.   Campers at the marine campsite there sometimes dive off the bluffs into the lake on a warm summer day.   There is a 1.5km trail to the top of the bluffs too.   We landed on the beach for lunch.   The bay there is sheltered from the winds coming down the lake.

We returned down the lake back along the western shoreline.   Thunder heads started to form over Chain Meadows and the Easter Bluffs in the boat launch area.

Paddling Clearwater Lake is best done in a seaworthy kayak or canoe.   Winds often come up in the afternoon and it can be more challenging.    We stay close to the shoreline when the winds come down the lake.

On this day we had tailwinds helping us back to the launch, but a thundershower burst over the last leg, bringing hail and rain.

The route up the shoreline to Divers Bluff and back is about 13km, taking about 3 hours.   There are two beaches at campsites along the route and we spotted two other small beaches for potential landing spots too.   Small waterfalls and streams enter the lake from both sides.   We paddled this loop in May when there were no power boats on the lake.   The only sounds were the calls of birds and a few rumblings of thunder.   We will be back for an extended paddle on Clearwater Lake.

 

Lac le Jeune Circuit

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

One of our best paddling lakes is Lac le Jeune.   The ice comes off in the spring and we can paddle there in April, but at 4200 feet, we usually go to the lower lakes and the river first.   Later in the season it is a busy place as boaters and fishermen fill the lake.   Early in the season it is a quieter destination for a 9.5 km paddle.

Lac le Jeune Lakes ImageWe enjoy paddling both lakes, going through the water tunnel under the road.   The smaller lake to the west has extensive marshes.   Yellow and red-winged blackbirds and marsh wrens filled the reeds and bullrushes with sound.   A hatch must have also been in progress because fish were jumping all over the west lake.

When the winds pick up, we usually avoid the larger lakes, but Lac le Jeune is higher on the Interior Plateau so the winds are not the gusting cross-valley east-west winds found at lower altitudes.   We followed the shoreline, ducking into the lee of bays when we could.   For local paddling Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, and Heffley Lake are our three best choices for the spring (for many return outings).

 

Paddling North of Two Rivers Junction

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

A good early-season paddle is to launch at Pioneer Park and paddle down to the Confluence of the two rivers, then take a sharp right turn right to go up the North Thompson River.   It is never an easy paddle upstream, but we look for the slowest water on the river, crossing back and forth, sometimes progressing quite slowly.   This is a good early-season workout.

Mt. Paul stands above the Kamloops Indian Reserve on the eastern shore.

Cottonwood-lined Schubert Drive and the Rivers Trail in North Kamloops follows the western shore to Halston.

It takes about an hour to paddle up to the Halston Bridge and beyond to the CN Bridge.   A train was crossing the bridge as I paddled underneath and around the pylons.

 

 

There are extensive sandbars and shallows along the North Thompson River.   Along the eastern banks are signs of beaver activity, including a lodge, several belly slides, and chewed off willows and red osier dogwood.  Great blue herons stood on the shoreline and bald eagles watched from the cottonwoods.

This is a hard workout paddling upstream on the North Thompson, but it is an easy paddle back down to the confluence.   The hard work starts again, paddling back upriver to the Black Bridge, then the Red Bridge on the way to Pioneer Park.

 

Early in the season there is no one else on the river.   It is a good workout to paddle the 10.6 km route, half of it upstream into the current, but it is part of developing a base of paddling endurance for the year, running this year from February to November.

 

 

Shuswap River Run

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Paddling down the Shuswap River is a delight at any time, but it is a special experience during the peak of the salmon run.   The sockeye spawn in the gravel shallows in the upper river.   The river is full of red-colored sockeye and black-headed spring salmon, most moving upstream, but some in redds near the shore, some leaping out of the water, and some dead ones along the shore.   Eagles, seagulls, and crows line the shores scavenging.   The Department of Fisheries and Oceans was there in river boats and on the shoreline counting fish and monitoring.   As we paddled over the fish, we had to be careful not to collide with the salmon in numerous shallows.

It would be nice to launch at Mabel Lake, but the rapids in Skookumchuk Rapids Provincial Park have Class 111 – Class 1V whitewater for 3 km.    The Shuswap River has 10 hand launch sites from Mabel Lake to Mara Lake.   Most have a sign at the turn-off, parking areas, and a good spot to launch and many also have outhouses and picnic tables.   We launched at a designated hand launch site at Hupel, 29.5km by road from Enderby.

Shuswap River Route 1The route from Hupel to halfway between Cooke Creek and Dale’s Hand Launch is mostly Class 11 water, but has some short sections of Class 111 too, all very doable, although there are some narrow spots and some obstacles too, so this section is for experienced paddlers.   The river becomes slower as it continues to Enderby.   For this last venture, we chose to exit at Riverside Hall, just past the Trinity Valley Bridge, a total of 26 km.

Shuswap River Route 2The river below Ashton Creek is slower and runs through farmlands.   On a previous day of paddling, we went all the way to Enderby, taking out at the bridge (link to story).

Paddling with salmon at the height of the migration on their four year cycle is a unique experience.   We watched the fish and their predators with fascination as we quietly paddled downriver.   This is a good time to carry an underwater camera, but it is not easy to get a good photo of the fish while moving downstream in a kayak or canoe.   It is probably easier to do this from the shoreline with a bit of wading (Cooke Creek is a good place to do this).   Along the way, we stopped for lunch in Shuswap River Islands Provincial Park,  a section of oxbows, channels, islands, and sandbars.   Cottonwoods line the riparian zone in this protected area.    The upper river has an unspoiled feel to it and the huge sockeye run is indicative of a healthy river, even in rising temperatures.

We have penciled in a return paddle in October of 2018 to meet the next generation of salmon as they return to the Shuswap River.

 

 

 

 

Peregrine Bluffs to Painted Bluffs

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

From Tobiano we can launch our kayaks and canoes into Kamloops Lake and then paddle across the lake for 2.2km to Peregrine Bluffs.   This rocky rib is called Peregrine Bluffs because peregrine falcons nest on the cliffs.   Look for the guano on the rocks for their nests.  The north side of Kamloops Lake is rocky and there are no homes between Frederick and Copper Creek, but the whole route is scenic.

As we paddle west, we pass by the impressive cliffs of Rousseau Hill, then Rousseau Creek Valley.   Continuing along this 7 km route, we pass the remnants of the 18 Mile Ranch (sometimes called 12 Mile) near Jaleslie (a railway name) on an outwash plain.   The hills resume as we travel west to Painted Bluffs.   There will be no one on the shoreline or in the hills above, but we spotted bighorn sheep on a ridge.  Painted Bluffs is a good spot to stop for a break, lunch, and some exploration.   There is a large beach here at low water, but even at high water, it is still a good landing area.

Peregrine to PB

The paddle from Tobiano to Painted Bluffs is 9 km each way.   It is a rewarding route, but care must be taken to go in calm conditions.   Kamloops Lake can have strong afternoon winds.  Kamloops Lake gets little fanfare, but it is a superb paddling lake in good conditions.

 

 

 

McLure to Kamloops River Run

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

We have paddled the 36 km route down the North Thompson River from the McLure Ferry to Westsyde Road a few times..   It is different experience each time, depending on the volume of water in the river.   Before the spring melt, the river has extensive sand and gravel bars and the water moves more slowly.   During freshet, the river is wide and moves quickly.   Side channels are also full of water and there is a lot of movement in the river – eddies, rapids, whirlpools, and waves.   The Heffley Rapids are imposing, making for an exciting ride.

This time, we paddled the river on September 1st and the sandbars and gravel bars were emerging.   The river was still moving along at a good speed and we were able to maintain about 9km/hour with steady paddling.   We found that the river travels about 2km/hour faster on the outside of curves (using a deck-mounted GPS) and that river always had one side that ran faster.   We launched from the Ferry on Westsyde Road and stayed in the faster water as much as could.

Most of the river is just steady paddling, but there are a few obstacles to go around and some minor rapids.   We always stop and land at a small beach just past Jamieson Creek and jus before the Heffley Rapids.   We hiked over to the edge of the rapids this last time and planned a route, which worked very well.   We went through only 3 sections of rapids by going down a side channel to the right.   The left side has a long series of rapids and in higher water, there will be about 8 sections to get through.   This is not a route for novices.   Good boat-management and a variety of paddle strokes are needed.

Heffley Rapids 2The last section past Rayleigh to Westsyde seems slower, but the river is wider and flows about the same speed.   Most kayaks will be fine for running the river, but the longer boats go faster, are more seaworthy in rougher water, and a rudder helps to avoid obstacles with both paddling and steering.

We divide the river into 4 sections for a day trip:

  • Clearwater to Little Fort Ferry (use the Search Bar for this story)
  • Little Fort to McLure (Search)
  • McLure to Westsyde articles – July 2013, June 2013, June 2010 and more
  • Westsyde to Pioneer Park (Search bar)

 

 

Paddling Eagle River

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

The Eagle River runs west from Eagle Pass in the Monashees down to Sicamous and into Shuswap Lake.   There is really not enough water in the upper end of the river to paddle, but when the Perry River joins the river, there is enough water to paddle from Craigellachie or Malakwa.   On the upper river there are fallen trees, sweepers, deadheads, and logjams to contend with so it is only suitable for experienced paddlers.   Eagle River meanders all the way making the distance much longer in a boat.   We launched at the Malakwa Suspension Bridge which is only 21 km from the lake, but it took us 39.6 km to paddle the river.   At times we were paddling east on our way downriver.

The upper section had some faster water, but many hazards too.   At one point 6 km downstream, the entire river was blocked by a logjam with only a 4 foot opening, followed by an obstacle-slalom course.   I was able to get through, but another person capsized and the third person portaged around the section.   For the first two hours, we had to slow down the kayaks in the river, scout the best line, and paddle adeptly around various hazards.

At a good landing/launch spot downstream the river became slower, more clear of hazards, and it started to meander even more.   This would be a better/safer spot for most kayakers to launch (see the locations coordinates below).

From this point, it is just a long paddle to the lake.   We took 7 hours in all.   Next time, we will start about 6 km downstream and we will pull out at the dog park just past the Cambie-Solsqua Bridge, shortening the route by about 13km.   We ended up paddling out into the lake where there were powerboats, windy conditions, and nowhere to land near parking.   We landed near the bridge, but this is a busy area with limited parking opportunities.

In the lower river, there is also a set of rapids, then a fish weir to negotiate.

We enjoyed the wildlife corridor, especially with the early run of the sockeye salmon.   The fish jumped out of the water and predators patrolled the shoreline.   We spotted a bear, many eagles, herons, and turkey vultures.

For recreational paddlers, the lower river would be a good choice, avoiding the upper river obstacles.    Paddling this river in high water conditions would be for experienced paddlers only.   The Eagle River is scenic and interesting, worth a day of paddling and exploration.

Coordinates (east to west):

  • Malakwa Suspension Bridge launch area (on the north side) – N50 46.448 W118 47.677
  • Danger area – logjams, sweepers, deadheads – N50 55.298 W118 48.329
  • A good launch area below the danger area – N50 54.776 W118 48.401
  • Cambie Bridge – N50 53.546 W118 52.112
  • Launch/landing spot (steep bank) at the end of a dirt road – N50 52.447 W118 55.811
  • Golf course (steep bank), but a possible landing/lunch spot – N50 50.844 W118 57.132
  • Lower Rapids – N50 50.987 W118 57.526
  • Cambie – Solsqua Bridge – N50 50.354 W118 58.425
  • Dog Park – N50 50.332 W118 58.592 (180m past the bridge on the north side)
  • Paddlers can also choose to follow the river to the lake and back to the bridge area

Revised – Dec. 2024

On Azure Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Azure Lake has been the subject of several stories on this website (links below), but we continue to return to paddle the lake and explore the northern areas of Wells Gray Park.   To get to Azure Lake, we would have to paddle the length of Clearwater Lake (24km), then go up the Clearwater River and portage to Indian Point.  Or, we can take the water taxi (link below) to the end of Azure Lake and paddle back.   The entire paddle one way is about 46km, but there are a number of campsites along the way (see the links below).

 

On our most recent trip, we took the water taxi to Rainbow Falls, then paddled 15km to Four and a Half Mile Campground where we stayed for two nights.  On the second day, we hiked up to Mount Huntley.   On the third day, we paddled 5.5 km to the Clearwater River, then continued on to the Osprey Falls landing, a total of 31km for that day.   An easier paddling and camping would be to stay two nights on Azure Lake and two nights on Clearwater Lake.

Although power boats can reach Rainbow Falls if the boats can get up the river, most of the boats on the lake are canoes and kayaks.   One campsite on each lake is reserved for paddlers only, but this is only a concern on busy weekends.   While we were there, campsites were empty to half-full and all were quiet.   The water was azure blue, clean, and warmer than expected.

 

We will return to Azure again soon.   It is right in our backyard, a world-class paddle-camping destination.

 Revised 12/24

 

A Tour of East End of Kamloops Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a windy day, Kamloops Lake is not the best choice for paddlers, but on a nice day, a tour of the east end of the lake is a rewarding outing.   Launch from the parking area at the end of Tranquille Road.   The road to Tranquille on the Lake goes past the entrance and continues on to the edge of Cooney Bay.   Padders will have to carry their boats down to the beach and launch near the river’s mouth.   Once in the water, turn the corner to Cooney Bay, then follow the shoreline.

Kamloops Lake West End

There are some gravelly beaches on the way to Battle Bluff.   If you land, be careful of poison ivy above the high water mark.    The sheer face of the bluff rises above as you round the point.   Look for a smaller tunnel next to the train tunnel.   This is an escape tunnel that goes from deep within the main tunnel out to the east end of the tunnel.   It has recently been partly stopped up with rocks.   Watch for swallows nests high in the rocky bluffs as you round the point.   There are no landing spots at Battle Bluff or on the far side, but there is a pictograph on the west side in an alcove now covered with shrubs.   The shoreline past Battle Bluff is mostly rocky shoreline all the way to Frederick.

Frederick is a small community on the shoreline that is linked by the Dewdrop Road.  The whole lake here is surrounded by rocky bluffs with a few trees found in gullies.   The Cherry Bluffs run from Cherry Creek east to the head of the lake.   Along the shoreline is the Salmon Beach, the location where some salmon fossils have been found.   We were on this beach twice this year searching for the oval mudstones that can be broken open, but found no fossils.   Read this article for more information – link.

On the way back on the south shore are some stoneworks built for the CPR line in 1885 and reinforced several times in the last 129 years.  The large arch is made from quarried blocks transported by rail.

Where the river meets the lake, there are extensive sandbars running from south to north, leaving only a narrow channel in late fall and winter.   In summer, we can paddle across the shallows.   They are a feeding ground for visiting pelicans, returning seagulls, ospreys, loons, and ducks in late summer.   We can paddle across the submerged sandbars in summer back to our starting point,  a total of about 16 km of paddling (about 3 hours at a steady pace).   Pick some good weather enjoy Kamloops Lake.

Hyas Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

There are hundreds of lakes to explore in our area and anything with a shoreline perimeter of 4 km was on our list to paddle.   We have hiked the trails around Hyas Lake before, but we had not paddled the lake.   We were delighted with this quiet lake, high in the hills.

It is about 45 km from Kamloops.   Take the road to Pinantan and turn left onto the Hyas Lake Road.   Continue up the road for 8 km, watching for the signs (placed by the Hyas Lake Resort).   There are several side roads so having a mapping app may be a good idea.   A short, bumpy road leads to the Hyas Lake Rec site.   Park at the Site and use the hand launch to get onto the water.   The perimeter loop is about 4.1 km.

Hyas Lake

Loons were on the lake and we must have paddled too close to their babies.   The male loon used the broken wing dance and cried, trying to lure us away from the shoreline.   At the north end of the lake was a great blue heron fishing in the shallows.   The slopes of Mount Shaw and Lolo Ridge stand above the wooded shores of the lake.   The water was clear and no one was active from the few cabins at the south end, so it was also quiet and peaceful.

We also went into Pemberton Lake nearby.   We found the road to be muddy and the site to be buggy and boggy.   It was too small for us to paddle, but fishermen were on the lake.   We were happy to hike in to the see the lake and then scoot back out to avoid the biting insects.

Hyas Lake, though, is recommended for a quiet paddle on a nice day (and bring your fishing line too).

Spillman Beaches Marine Park

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On the east side of Adams Lake, accessible only by boat is a strip of land designated as a provincial park.   It is user-maintained and usually in good shape.   Many of us do maintenance at the site when we arrive and try to leave it in better shape than we found it.   Spillman Beaches has a series of camping areas and streams coming into the lake.   Previous article – Spillman Beaches

We drove up Holdings Road and went down a little side road to a hand launch site, fine for kayaks, canoes, and cartop boats.   The paddle across the lake is about 1.7 km and the distance to the first camping areas at Spillman Beaches is about 5 km.   Crossing Adams Lake on a very windy day is not advised, but  with some wind chop only, pick the narrowest part of the lake to make the crossing.   Generally speaking, crossing Adams Lake is best done in longer kayaks or full canoes and with experienced paddlers.

Spillman Paddle

Early in the season the water is high and the beaches are small with cool water, but we swam in the clear waters of the lake.   The shoreline is cedar and fir forest right to the edge of the lake.  A few single track trails and some old skid tracks can be linked up to go up the lake, but paddling up lake and back is a good choice too.

Spillman 006c Spillman 031c
Spillman 025c Spillman 015c

 

The best way to paddle on Adams Lake is to go in good weather on a weekday or off-season up the lake and enjoy the quiet and unspoiled lake leaving nothing behind but the disappearing ripples of your boat.

Spillman 028c

More information (links):

Freshet Floodlands Reflections

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Every spring the snows melt from distant mountain ranges and the lands at the head of Kamloops Lake are flooded.   We can paddle in the bays and channels, and enjoy the views, especially on a calm day.

The Floodlands 084c

Reflections from the hills and the sky blend with tones of filtered light.

The Floodlands 025bc

Cloud shapes contrast with the colors of the hills, reflected on the lake.

The Floodlands 062bc

As the clouds change in the sky, the new effects are displayed on the waters.

The Floodlands 078bc

Double C’s are created with the reflections:

The Floodlands 088c

We paddle into the floodlands to immerse ourselves in Nature’s Art Gallery.

The Floodlands 034c

Kayaking the Floodlands

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

In June each year, we can launch our boats from the Tranquille Wildlife Management area and paddle out into the flooded lands at the head of Kamloops Lake.   We have a 10km circuit that we can do, but each time a different channel is taken.   At the peak of the freshet, all the channels are connected, but as the water recedes, many of them are dead ends, requiring some back-paddling.  The area is full of birds.   This year we have spotted bald eagles, golden eagles, great blue herons, ducks, geese, marsh wrens, yellow-headed blackbirds, and a number of smaller birds.   The cottonwoods, willows, and dogwoods stand in deep water for a few weeks, but still seem to thrive.  Groups of trees/shrubs look like floating islands in the bays.

 

The Floodlands 014c
The Floodlands 025bc
The Floodlands 034c

 

Past the last of these “islets” is the river, slow-moving as it runs into the lake.   The crossing is 1km to the far shore.   The channel mouth starts to the left of the gully ahead.   This image was probably taken in May before the area was fully flooded.

 

floodlands

 

Any series of channels can be taken, but we usually paddle the one closest to the far shore and return back through the middle.   Views extend down the lake past Battle Bluff and up the river toward Mt. Paul.   Mount Mara overlooks Tranquille Bay and the rocky hills along the south shore rise steeply above the floodlands.

 

The Floodlands 084c
The Floodlands 090c
The Floodlands 045c

 

This is one of the yearly great wonders of the region and just a few of us venture out in our kayaks to experience the sights of this wet wilderness each June.

 

Four Bridges

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Kamloops’ two rivers provide fine early season paddling.   The South Thompson flows more slowly, has fewer shallows/sandbars, and has less hazards.   Progress up or down is good, except when the power boats arrive.   The North Thompson has far less traffic and a little more caution is needed, and it is hard work to paddle upstream.

Most river paddling outings follow this pattern of hard work upstream, followed by an easy return journey.   On this grey and windy day, the route was from Pioneer Park downstream to the confluence, then upstream on the North Thompson.   The Red Bridge stands at the west end of Pioneer Park.  It was first built in 1887, then rebuilt in 1912, then in 1936.   It is a wooden truss bridge, now an unusual situation for an active urban route.   The top rails are red, but we paddle under the dark pylons and timbers.

 

Bridges 001c

 

 Bridges 021c

 

 

The Black Bridge is on a spur line of the CNR.   On the northwest pylon is a long-standing beaver lodge.   On one sunny spring day my kayak silently glided down and surprised two beavers sunning themselves on the pile of debris.   Past the bridge, we come to Indian Point.   When the river is higher we can take a tight turn through the swirling water to the North Thompson.   In April, the gravel bars extend half-way to Riverside Park, so we paddle past all the geese, ducks, seagulls and turn sharp right into the faster flowing waters.   Both shores of the North Thompson have water-covered sandbars which kayaks can clear, but the water runs more quickly over the shallows, so we stay in the main channel, working hard upstream.   Sand dunes line the river on the east side in several places.

 

Bridges 003c Bridges 006c

 

From the confluence to above the Halston Bridge is 4 km.   The east side has many signs of wildlife.   Swallows nest in the bank, bears and eagles can be seen at the point where Paul Creek flows into the river, and we can see where beavers have a slide down the sand-clay banks.

 

Bridges 015c Bridges 007c

 

The North Thompson narrows at the Halston Bridge and the CN Trail Bridge and the river speeds up this this narrow corridor.   We have to be careful to stay away from the pylons and bases.

 

Bridges 009c Bridges 008c

 

The return paddle back down the river is much easier, then we turn upriver for the final leg back to Pioneer Park.  This is not an easy route, an 11.6 km paddle, a workout for the early season, building an endurance base for the season.

 

Bridges 017c 4 bridges

 

 

Upstream in March

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

In Kamloops, we can paddle on our rivers in 9 of the 12 months of the year.   With a cool spring, the first day of paddling on the river this year was the last day of March.   From Pioneer Park, the upstream paddle is easier when the flow rates are down.   With a reduced current, we can progress east on the South Thompson River more quickly, but it is still a good workout, especially early in the season as we build our paddling endurance levels.   The Valleyview Boat Launch is about 5.75 km.   The paddlewheeler Wanda Sue is berthed just east of that, a good place to turn around.

 

River Paddle Mar. 31

 

Many geese and some ducks were in pairs or small groups on the shoreline.   One great blue heron probed the shallows of the river off Shuswap Road.   The best part of paddling at this time of the year is the complete absence of power boats.   Although the river goes right through the middle of town, most sections are quiet, especially on a weekday morning.   There were 3 other kayaks on the river and one rower too.

We paddle on the river in the early season before the noisy power boats overwhelm the river.   They seem oblivious to the intrusiveness of the noise, the wake, and their speed in such a narrow space.   When they arrive on the river, we move to the upland lakes.

 

 

The Pelicans of Tranquille

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

White pelicans have been spotted in the Tranquille Wildlife Protected area and in Cooney Bay over the past 3 years.   These large birds migrate to the BC Interior over the spring-summer, then return to the southern U.S. for winter.  A full grown pelican can stand 5 feet high and have a wingspan of up to 9 feet, the second largest bird in North America.

They usually work together in small flocks, to drive fish toward waiting bills, consuming about 2 kg of fish each day.   They breed in March-April and nest a month later.   They nest in colonies and the chicks leave the nest after about 4 weeks.   The pelicans we see in our area are non-breeding birds.  They are here to feed on the fish coming up the Thompson River.   A popular spot is right where the river empties into Kamloops Lake.   In 2013, they could be seen from

In the fall, they can be spotted on migration routes from the Cariboo, on their way south.   A flock of 10 spent a few days in Campbell Lake at the end September.

A few shots taken by me from the shore and from kayak are also shared here.

On Campbell Lake at the end of September

Cooney Bay in September

On Kamloops Lake

In the flooded Tranquille Wildlife Management area

Near the mouth of the Tranquille River