Prep

It was April when I found out I was being posted to Chilliwack, BC from Cold Lake, AB. Having grown up just outside Edmonton, AB (Fort Saskatewan) and spending all my life in Alberta not near the mountains it's understandable I'd never been close with water or watersports up to this point. My parents didn't have a lakelot and I never spent time with people who did growing up really. As people who know me will tell you, I hate water.

Just prior to moving out here I'd seen a show on TV (or maybe it was a Molson Canadian commercial) featuring whitewater kayaking and didn't give it much thought. Once I got here I'd had an inkling, and once I'd done the rafting down the canyon it was a full fledged driving force. I had to kayak. This was the time while I'm still relatively young and in the prime place, living beside one of the best, if not THE best, rivers to learn on in the ultimate Canadian area and climate for whitewater kayaking.

I started my search one night casually thinking I'd buy a kayak, found one from an older dude who lived down the road from me, and by that night had a 1998 model Dagger Medievil riverrunner with a skirt, 90 degree offset paddle (which I've never used), and cheapo helmet (that ended up lasting me a good couple months). As quickly as I could I took some lessons through Purple Hayes School of Kayaking (if I hadn't been lazy I could have done this in late August instead of mid July!), got the last of my gear at Western Canoe and Kayaking along with some helpful (though I didn't realize/understand it at the time advice) and was ready to go!

Western Canoe and Kayak

Purple Hayes School of Kayaking