Paddling on Birkenhead Lake

Parking: day use lot
Launch: a concrete boat ramp or sandy beach
Difficulty: easy and beginner friendly near shore, but caution should be taken for the cold water. The distance to circumnavigate the lake is about 12km.
Boat traffic: motor boats are allowed and I encountered just a couple of them
Facility: pit toilet, picnic tables
Overall score: 8/10

Birkenhead Lake is a long and narrow lake of about 6km x 0.8km. The campground and public day use area is on the northern end. It’s situated 1 hour north of Pemberton, the last 15km of the drive being a well maintained dirt road.

The remote nature makes the lake very quiet and serene, especially early in the morning. The shoreline is 99% undeveloped wilderness, except for a few private houses and boats at the southern end, and the provincial park infrastructure at the northern end.

Our family came camping at the Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park. As per my usual strategy, I woke up bright and early at 5:30am to prep and launch at 6:30am. I gave myself a generous estimation of 3 hours to complete the circumnavigation.

The morning air was slightly smoky but acceptable. The air temperature was already getting warm, but the water was still cold. I dressed for immersion and wore my wetsuit.

The lake was completely still and empty, until a motor boat joined me. The boat ripped up and down the lake at speed, and the noisy motor can be heard in the whole valley, but thankfully they came to a stop after a while.

The paddle was otherwise uneventful. I enjoyed the peaceful silence and the rhythmic splashes of my paddle strokes. I thought about life, family, and how I missed these longer paddles. This year, my focus had been on more regular exercise and training for races. I felt noticeably stronger in my paddles and endurance. Maintaining a 6km/h speed barefully brought my heart rate to zone 2.

I was drawn by the sound of Sockeye Creek and paddled closer. I noticed a boat and a small tent on what seemed like the only flat spot to pitch at tent on the entire lake. A guy sat up in the tent and we waved at each other. He must have had a fantastic night of solitute.