To the editor:

Last Thursday [June 16], I ventured [down Mission Creek] from the KLO Bridge to the mouth of Okanagan Lake in my kayak and found the trip very relaxing and non-dangerous.

To have more of a challenge this afternoon [June 21] I started at the East Kelowna/Hollywood Road South Bridge and after about five minutes flipped my kayak after being driven into a steep bank and thrown into the fast-flowing water.

I underestimated the swiftness of Mission Creek in this particular area and struggled while being swept down stream battered and bruised from hitting the creek bottom rocks in a futile attempted to get to shore. I did have a leg rope tied to my ankle and to my kayak which snapped and possibly saving my life because I was being dragged by a now semi-submerged kayak.

I finally was able to make it to shore after about a very long and scary five minutes in the cold water and able to grab hold of a rock and pull myself out of the water.

Although having lifejackets in my possession, it wasn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t being worn and I find I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m fortunate to be alive and writing about this and possibly warn other people about this danger even though the spring run off has pretty well run it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s course.

The last I saw my white and blue kayak it was being swept downstream along with my unworn lifejackets probably floating somewhere near the mouth of Okanagan Lake.

I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m feel very fortunate not to have drowned or seriously injured because of my stupidity in (1) not wearing my PFD, (2) not wearing a helmet and (3) doing a solo trip.

Jeff Bryde, Kelowna