A pair of Greater Victoria women is calling on all witches, wizards and wannabes to get out their hats and watercraft for a paddle on Thetis Lake to kick off fall.

Witchy paddles are popular around Halloween, but Divya Kapila of Victoria and cohost Sarah Lavoie of Langford invite folks out to the View Royal waterway for the second WhatB次元官网网址橲UP Witches paddle on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 2 to 4 p.m.

For them, itB次元官网网址檚 more of a welcome to the fall weather while saying goodbye to summer, Kapila said.

Intended as an annual affair, the 2023 event had to be cancelled at the last minute but 2022 saw more than 100 people out on the water, Kapila said.

B次元官网网址淲e started it super last minute in 2022, at that point IB次元官网网址檇 only been on a paddleboard less than five times,B次元官网网址� Kapila said with a laugh. But following a wonderful weekend of camping on a lake, she arrived home and promptly purchased a paddleboard.

She started poking around online seeing all the B次元官网网址渇un fall events,B次元官网网址� including Halloween witches paddles in Portland, Toronto and Vancouver.

B次元官网网址淚 looked around online to see if I could find one in Victoria,B次元官网网址� she said. She did, but at the end of the month and on the ocean.

B次元官网网址淭hat wasnB次元官网网址檛 accessible because we were all so new on our boards,B次元官网网址� Kapila said.

The opted to plan their own, with warmer weather and on the lake and threw the details online, inviting one and all to don their magical caps and come out B次元官网网址� paddleboards, kayaks, canoes and whatnot.

B次元官网网址淚t just kind of blew up from there actually,B次元官网网址� she said, adding more than 100 people came out. B次元官网网址淚 know there must have been more without hats.B次元官网网址�

TheyB次元官网网址檝e scored a 25 per cent discount that day from Pally Pally paddleboard rentals B次元官网网址� just down the street from Thetis B次元官网网址� with witches25% code.

Find the co-hosts selling a limited supply of hats B次元官网网址� find them at the table with witch hats for sale by donation (with DIYB次元官网网址檇 chin straps to keep them on heads) B次元官网网址� and funds raised donated to a local food bank just ahead of Thanksgiving.

A photographer will be on hand in a kayak to capture the memories of the casual paddle. There will be no official instruction, leadership or lifeguard.

To join the fun, participants are asked to wear black and witches hats and bring a paddleboard, kayak, canoe or safe floatie.

The second WhatB次元官网网址橲UP Witches paddle event is Saturday, Oct. 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Thetis Lake main beach.