The town of 6,000 boasts waters which are said to be the warmest north of San Francisco. It was to this lovely spot a few years ago that Seaward Kayaks came, leaving the Okanagan in favour of the coast, helping to inspire the PaddleFest. Ironically, the Okanagan is now the scene of its own Paddle Festival. Seaward's arrival in Ladysmith, coupled with the energy of tour operators Bud and Sheryl Bell of SeaLegs Kayaking, a host of other good people in town and the paddling industry as a whole have made for a successful event. Entry to the Paddlefest is free and the Tradeshow component makes this a wonderful opportunity to try out all sorts of kayaks and gear at one time and decide what's best for you.
Instruction is done on the waters of the bay.
And Okanagan Lake is where I learned to swim, paddle, row and sail when I was a boy, while visiting relatives on summer holidays. It's a great place. Wendell is a devotee of skin kayaks and a master at Greenland rolling. He's arranged Greenland demos and talks this year. We'll also be there with a slideshow, like last year.