Penticton & Naramata: Okanagan Lake Sailing Tour with Swim & Paddleboard

5.00

(48 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the quiet. The wind picked up just as we left Penticton’s marina — not loud, but that kind of hush you get when everyone’s waiting for something to happen. Our guide, Dave (he’s lived here forever), handed me the wheel for a bit. I was nervous at first — this boat is huge, like 46 feet — but he just grinned and said, “You’ll feel it.” And I did, eventually. The lake was that weird blue-green you only see in Canada, with the Naramata Bench vineyards sliding by on one side and wild hills on the other. Someone opened a can of something cold behind me; I could smell sunscreen and lake water.

We anchored out where the water looked extra clear — Dave said it’s always warm by July, which I half-believed until my toes hit it (not bad though). A couple of us jumped in; someone else tried paddleboarding and wobbled so much we all laughed. There wasn’t any pressure to do anything — you could just stretch out on deck with your drink if you wanted. Dave told stories about storms he’s seen here and pointed out which winery was which along the shore. He even let us help with the sails if we felt like it (I mostly watched after my first try — ropes are trickier than they look).

By the time we turned back toward Penticton, the sun had shifted and everything looked softer somehow. I kept thinking about how different it feels to be on water instead of just looking at it from a winery patio. My hair smelled like lake air for hours after. Not sure why that sticks with me.