Growing up in Nakusp my love of the water grew as deep as the surrounding Selkirk and Monashee mountains are tall. I learned to swim in the Arrow Lakes and developed a “to the core” love of being on the water.

After graduating, and like many of my fellow grads, I moved to the city for further education. My journey brought me to Vancouver where I completed my first degree and then on to Victoria for my second. While I had the opportunity to study anywhere in Canada, I chose the west coast as I simply couldn't be far from the water.

My first ocean adventure was in the early ‘90’s in the Broken Group Islands off Bamfield on the wild Pacific Ocean. These islands are protected in Barkely Sound and as I paddled I could not help but notice the similarities between the island’s forested shores and those of my childhood. I did not know at the time that Nakusp was one of the few inland temperate rainforests in the world, similar to the beautiful rainforests of the west coast.

For the next 30+ years I paddled and sailed around the islands surrounding Vancouver Island: the Gulf and San Juan Islands to the east, the Discovery and Broughton’s to the north, and many trips back to Barkely and Clayoquot Sound to the west.

My family all reside in Nakusp, and each summer I returned with my daughter and friends to visit and to explore this beautiful area. The trips were always too short—although I did my best squeeze in a paddle on one of the local lakes.

In 2021 I spent a large part of the year in the Kootenays paddling, hiking and exploring the local mountains and lakes. In 2022, during Covid, when it seemed the world would never return to normal, I made the decision to sell my Victoria home and move back to Nakusp to be near my aging parents. And being on the calm Arrow Lakes, I am fortunate to paddle nearly every day, in all seasons, in sunshine and in rain, and even when it is snowing and the lake is freezing.

I feel incredibly blessed every time I am on this lake. We all know the Columbia river is large, but being in a kayak amplifies that reality. There are parts south of Nakusp, as it winds it way through Arrow Park and Carrol’s Landing, where crossing the lake takes minutes, but closer to Nakusp it rivals west coast paddling in terms of distance and effort. And when the afternoon wind picks up I am grateful for my sea kayak’s length and stability and my many years of experience on the ocean.

I have been blessed to paddle with orcas, humpbacks and minke whales on many west coast kayaking trips, and I do miss the adorable seals, the starfish and bull kelp forests. However, I am absolutely in love with paddling in the Kootenays. Here, in my mountain paradise and nearly every time I paddle, I see osprey, eagles, loons, and herons, and on occasion I am joined by a curious family of beavers or river otters.

And in my opinion, absolutely nothing compares to the mirror like reflections of mountains on a calm day. A glance at the albums on my phone will confirm my love of this view, as the only time I seem to put my paddle down is to stop and take photos, which on the beautiful lake is a “hazard” I will happily deal with.

Happy paddling!

First published in Black Press’ Exploring Route 3 and Beyond Fall 2023 publication