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New Paddling Achievement at Buntzen Lake
The Preparation I had enthusiastically bought a kids’ paddleboard 2 years ago (Thurso Surf Prodigy Junior, 7 feet 6), thinking it would be awesome to paddle with the boys. But after a few attempts, Big Bro just couldn’t get the hang of it yet. The board was unceremoniously tucked away in storage most of the…
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Paddle Camping at Glacier Bay on Stave Lake
Returning to Stave Lake Since visiting Stave Lake in 2020 with a SUP group, I haven’t been back. The experience was rather underwhelming: a bumpy, dusty gravel forest service road, loud motor boats and party music, and the dirt bike and ATV crowds at the lower Stave Lake weren’t very conducive for the type of…
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Ruckle Provincial Park Group Camping: Oceanfront Fun for Large Groups
Sharing our love for the outdoors has been a passion of our family for a while. We have introduced camping to many of our friends, but we’ve always booked individual campsites for the group. It’s somewhat stressful because it relies on successfully booking multiple campsites near each other if it’s more than 2 families, otherwise…
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Biking Whistler Valley Trail
The Valley Trail in Whistler is a beautiful 46km network of multi-use trails that connect the major neighborhoods, parks, and lakes of the resort municipality. It’s mostly paved, car free, and all the intersections with roads are controlled by traffic light. It has gentle rolling sections, which is just the right amount of challenging to…
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Sumas River Paddle (and an attempt at the Floating Forest)
The fabled ‘Floating Forest’ has been mentioned numerous times in local paddling communities, but it’s never clear to me exactly where it is or how to get there. So when Howard called for a Sumas River Floating Forest paddle, I jumped on the chance. I had a great time paddling with Howard on Harrison River,…
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Paddling around Shady Island near Steveston, Richmond
Quick Facts Shady Island is a long, narrow island at the very end of the mighty Fraser River separating the Fraser South Arm and Steveston Channel. It is formed by sedimentation and it creates a barrier that protects the Steveston Harbour and all its fishing and commercial activities. During one of my previous paddles in…
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Winter camping baby step! in Porteau Cove
Winter camping is always a daunting but exciting prospect. It’s a frontier that we haven’t explored yet, and conquering it would mean unlocking the possibility for year-round camping. The risk of hypothermia in the winter is real though, when we’re separated from the elements with nothing but a few sheets of plastic. However, there is…
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Paddling Bedford Channel in Fort Langley
Bedford Channel is a small side channel of the Fraser River, sheltered by McMillan Island. It’s scenic, usually calm, and surrounded by historic Fort Langley and all the intrigue it offers. It’s also home to Fort Langley Canoe Club (FLCC), which operate a few private docks. For non-members, there are three public launch options to…
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Harrison River Paddle
I’ve wanted to paddle on the Harrison River for about a year, ever since I read about the epic salmon run in the fall. The logistics made it a little tricky to plan though: the drive from Vancouver takes about 1hr and 45mins; the one-way downstream paddle necessitates at least two cars for shuttling; and…
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White Rock Paddle
White Rock Beach is a popular tourist destination. It has a chill vibe of a seaside town, and the promenade houses many restaurants and shops. Due to the popularity, only paid parking is available here, for a hefty $4.50 per hour from March to October in the city lots. The Semiahmoo parking lot is on…