-
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…
-
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,…
-
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…
-
Nicomekl River Paddle
Nicomekl is a calm, historic river in Surrey. The popular paddle section flows from the Elgin Road Dam to Blackie Spit, where the river drains into Boundary Bay. Due to the dam, which intentionally cuts off the river almost completely so that sea water doesn’t flow into the farmlands upstream, the river doesn’t actually flow…
-
Camping at Moran State Park on Orcas Island
Quick Facts: Moran State Park is located on the Orcas Island, the largest of the San Juan Islands (basically Washington State’s continuation of our Southern Gulf Islands). It is consistently described as one of the best state parks in Washington, so it naturally became a prime target for our southern expeditions this year. Visiting Orcas…
-
Porteau Cove Paddle
During our recent camping trip at Porteau Cove Provincial Park, I got up bright and early at 5am and treated myself to an incredible view. I launched at 5:30am and paddled north towards the best views I’ve seen in a while. The water was very calm but not glassy, as there’s a slight northerly wind…
-
Best Frontcountry Campgrounds near Vancouver for Paddlers
Camping and paddling are two of our family’s main warm-weather hobbies. Some of the best paddling in our region can be had early in the morning before the crowds and winds pick up. The easiest way to get onto the water at daybreak is to sleep right next to it the night before, so here…
-
Hicks Lake Paddle – Sasquatch Provincial Park
Hicks Lake in Sasquatch Provincial Park is a small but beautiful lake, about 6km to circumnavigate. It’s conveniently attached to Hicks Lake Campground but also has a sizable day use area and boat ramp. Campers in the other campgrounds in the provincial park are known to drive to Hicks Lake to enjoy the cleaner water…
-
Camping at Sasquatch Provincial Park – Hicks Lake Campground
Quick Facts: As a provincial park near Metro Vancouver, it’s always surprising to me that Sasquatch Park tends to be one of the last ones to be filled up. It’s likely due to the rustic amenities: it only has pit toilets, no showers, and even the water taps are contaminated with E. coli and therefore…
-
Chilliwack Lake Paddle
One of our primary targets of camping at Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is paddling the beautiful Chilliwack Lake. I booked campsite P26 in the busy Paleface Loop precisely so that I can get to the lake as easily as possible. On the first morning of our trip, I got up bright and early at 5am.…