Fall is an ideal time to explore Kelowna's waterfront

Photo: J.P. Squire

On May 19, 2018, more than 100 kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, outrigger canoes, dragon boats and even a wheelchair mounted on a paddleboard pontoon boat participated in an official grand opening for the Kelowna Paddle Trail and a flotilla from City Park to Waterfront Park and return.

Okanagan Lake is beautiful at any time of the year but spring and fall are the best times to kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboard. There is little or no powerboat traffic and the extreme heat of summer has passed.

One of the best introductory routes is right on Kelowna's doorstep.

Six years ago, Brad Dahl spearheaded the creation of the Kelowna Paddle Trail via 22 information buoys anchored along the 27-kilometre shoreline between Bertram Creek Regional Park and McKinley Beach. At the time, the funniest part was that this community volunteer wasn't a paddler. No kayak. No canoe. No paddleboard.

"I was inspired by a volunteer fire chief coming in from a paddle," explained Dahl in an interview this week.

"I asked: 'Where have you been? How long have you been out there?' and he said: 'I don't know. Three or four hours.' I said: 'Did you stop at all? It's crazy you didn't even know where.' I just had this epiphany in the moment: you need to know where these beach accesses are so you can use them for a rest or whatever."

Dahl had worked with parks department staff and city planners, and approached them with the idea of the Okanagan Valley's first trail on Okanagan Lake. However, their response was: "We don't have any money (for a paddle trail)."

So he sought support from local paddling organizations with the idea of getting donations, corporate sponsors and government funds to pay for it.

In 2017, the City of Kelowna had established a $60,000 Sesquicentennial Fund grant program to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, so the Kelowna Dragon Boat Club applied for and received the maximum $15,000 grant on the basis it would match those funds. It did through a financial commitment as well as volunteer work.

Photo: City of Kelowna

The Kelowna Paddle Trail, officially opened in 2018 as first trail on Okanagan Lake, has 22 information buoys anchored along the 27-kilometre shoreline between Bertram Creek Regional Park and McKinley Beach.

This initial funding would have started buoy manufacturing and placement of six to eight of the distinctive red-and-white buoys, not all 22. As the process unfolded, city officials liked what they saw so much that they successfully asked city council in May 2017 to approve $50,000 in additional funding.

On May 19, 2018, the Sheriff joined more than 100 kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, outrigger canoes, dragon boats and even a wheelchair mounted on a paddleboard pontoon boat for an official grand opening and exhilarating flotilla from City Park to Waterfront Park and return.

“The paddle trail is an amazing legacy for our community and it aligns with our Active by Nature theme, our brand,” said Mariko Siggers, then the city's community and neighbourhood services manager. “It encourages exploration and adventure. It encourages non-motorized use of the lake. It celebrates the lake. So we were excited to add it into our extensive network of Active by Nature trails to be enjoyed by residents and visitors.

"I love the idea of people choosing something other than taking their cars places. And also just seeing the city from a different vantage point. It's surprising how accessible it is to get on the water, how many opportunities exist, how many passionate paddling groups are out there that people can connect with quite easily. There are so many reasons why I think it's really, really neat. I see there being opportunities and benefits for years and years."

Siggers, who was aware of a similar trail on Lake Tahoe, took her canoe along the trail that summer. She was hopeful that eventually the paddle trail could extend to West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland and Penticton as well as north to Vernon. The west side of Kalamalka Lake now has a similar paddle trail.

"I really think that the paddling communities are going to get behind it. The more it takes off, the better it'll be to keeping our shoreline just a bit quieter and safer for non-motorized water activities," she added.

Since then, the Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen have kayaked much of the Kelowna Paddle Trail which includes more than 20 beaches and parks, a number of waterfront resorts, two bird sanctuaries and downtown Kelowna.

One of the their favourite routes is launching at Sutherland Park's boat ramp and paddling past waterfront homes, Poplar Point pump station and then along quiet, forested Paul's Tomb Trail to Paul's Tomb Bay for a swim.

Another alternative to paddling past urban development is launching at the buoy in Bertram Creek Regional Park and heading south along the shoreline of Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park. More than 20 years after the 2003 Okanagan Mountain wildfire, some grass hillsides still have the black matchsticks that stand as monuments to the power of Mother Nature.

While stopping for lunch on the beach downhill from the provincial park's first parking lot, they were surprised to find someone sun bathing nude in the opening, just up the hill from them.

"I wish I would have paid more attention because we just passed the five-year mark," Dahl said this week, “and the trail's anniversary could have been commemorated.”

What he likes is when there’s a top 10 things to do in Kelowna list now, the paddle trail shows up quite often.

Dahl, who works as an advisor in the animation industry, laughed when asked if he now paddles.

"I have neighbours that kayak. We borrow (their kayaks) and go paddle with friends on the McKinley portion of the paddle trail, so we get out there,” he said.

"I've heard lots of people talk about the trail and I talk to everybody about it. I'm trying to get it used for some of the First Nations' paddle events, trying to work with the university, school districts and non-profits for truth-and-reconciliation opportunities to get everybody in the same boat, paddling in the same direction."

Photo: J.P.. Squire

From the last buoy of the Kelowna Paddle Trail at Bertram Creek Regional Park, you can paddle south along the shoreline of Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park. Some of the hillsides still have the blacked trees from the 2003 Okanagan Mountain wildfire.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.