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‘Grossly intoxicated’ kayakers charged after paddle in B.C. lakes

The men were on both Wood Lake and Kalamalka Lake
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A pair of men were found intoxicated in their kayaks on Kalamalka Lake on Aug. 5. (RCMP/Submitted)

Two men were put in Kelowna jail cells to sober up after a tumultuous kayak trip in Lake Country.

RCMP received a report on Aug. 5 of kayakers that were “grossly intoxicated” on Wood Lake, with one man passed out in his kayak. The other attempted to intervene when bystanders were taking the man to shore, and fell off of his own kayak several times.

Both men then went back out into the lake a short time later, then onto Kalamalka Lake, before beaching at Pioneer Park in Oyama where frontline officers were waiting.

The men were arrested for being impaired while operating a conveyance while “staggering” towards their car with their kayaks, and taken to Kelowna cells.

This is an example of how to not enjoy the sun and lakes of the Okanagan, said Cpl. Ryder Birtwistle. Both men were fortunate to not have fallen off their boats in either lake, as they were not wearing life-jackets that were on board.

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@JakeC_16
Jake.courtepatte@kelownacapnews.com

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Jake Courtepatte

About the Author: Jake Courtepatte

Editor of Kelowna Capital News & West K News since February 2022. I have spent the majority of my career working in the Toronto area as both a sports reporter and a general reporter.
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