“I think what you’re doing is really cool, but I’m terrified of water. I would never do that,” a woman named Cathy told Jordan Kerton at a presentation earlier this summer. Jordan replied with an invitation: come to the Vernon Paddling Centre and simply watch us paddleboarding and kayaking. Cathy was skeptical. She lives with a developmental disability and didn’t think it would be a good fit. But she went anyway and got on a paddleboard. “Now she comes every week, hooting and hollering on the water, and getting other people to try it too,” Jordan says. “So much of what I do is spreading this kind of awareness and working with people with disabilities.”
Stories like this are at the heart of Vernon Adaptive, a program run out of the paddling centre at Paddlewheel Park on Okanagan Lake in the southern-interior of British Columbia. Designed to make paddling accessible for people with mobility challenges, Vernon Adaptive offers specialized equipment, inclusive instruction, and weekly sessions where everyone, regardless of ability or age, can get out on the water. This past season, Jordan says her youngest client was three years old and her oldest was … wait for it … 105! “She paddles the tandem kayak,” Jordan says. “She loves it.”
Vernon Adaptive is a unique entity in British Columbia not just because of the specialized equipment it offers but because it’s one of the only dedicated adaptive paddling programs in the province. While there are adaptive sailing initiatives in places like Vancouver, opportunities for wheelchair-accessible paddleboarding and kayaking are rare.
Jordan was the first to introduce wheelchair paddleboarding to Canada in 2014, and her program continues to innovate by using and developing some of the most advanced adaptive paddling equipment in the country. For example, in 2025 she started using the “SUP Party” made by Do Sport in Quebec.The inflatable paddleboard can hold up to eight people standing or one paddler and a wheelchair that can be tied down onto it. Alternatively, seats can be added for people with different needs. “It’s the perfect thing for my large groups,” she says, explaining that she partners with Venture Training, a local organization that supports people with disabilities. Some mornings she works with up to 10 paddlers and “it’s been really neat to see how quickly people gain confidence on the water,” she says.
She also uses Do Sport’s “Trident” boards, which are rigid and can accommodate wheelchairs. They offer extra stability thanks to their removable outrigger floats, which can also be found on the modified tandem kayaks she uses, along with backrests, special paddle grips, and mounts to suit various mobility levels.
In order to get paddlers on and off the various watercrafts, she uses a portable wheelchair lift or the newly added battery-operated bath lift, which looks like a chair but can be raised and lowered to assist with transfers. “Just because you’re in a wheelchair or at the latter stages of your life doesn’t mean you can’t do this anymore,” Jordan says. “In fact, seniors turn out to be our biggest fans. These are their lakes. They grew up on them.” Jordan frequently gives presentations at senior residences, spreading awareness about the program and encouraging older adults to reconnect with the waterways they’ve always loved.
For many Vernon Adaptive participants, paddling isn’t so much about learning a new skill, it’s about rediscovering freedom, confidence, and connection. This sense of community extends to families, friends, caregivers, and support workers who are also welcome to paddle alongside participants. Jordan’s philosophy is simple: paddling should be for everyone. “This is your water too,” she says. “Let’s get out there.”
More Info About Vernon Adaptive
Vernon Adaptive’s inclusive programming runs throughout the paddling season at the Vernon Paddling Centre on Okanagan Lake:
- Where: Paddlewheel Park, Okanagan Lake
- When: Wednesdays and Fridays, with special group and custom bookings available
- Who: People with mobility challenges, families, caregivers, and anyone seeking an accessible paddling experience
- How to Book: Email adaptive@vernonpaddlingcentre.ca or call/text 778-229-1744.
