A system of lakes in the British Columbia interior, with several arms and channels, spreads its tentacles like an octopus among the Shuswap Highlands, where the desert-like terrain of the Kamloops area gives way to the verdant forests of interior mountain ranges.
The Shuswap Lakes, with more than 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) of shoreline, offer an infinite variety of recreational opportunity and the guarantee of one of the most relaxing vacations possible. Once you are on the lakes, the pace of life suddenly changes.
Whoever says you can't take all the comforts of home with you into the wilderness has not rented a houseboat on the Shuswap Lakes which, because of this unique setting, have gained the title of `houseboat capital of Canada'.
Here you can travel for days, weeks, exploring the snug and tucked away channels of the lakes on houseboats equipped to sleep anywhere from six to 10 people, with fridge, freezer, stove, oven, dual sinks, shower, head (bathroom), AM\FM and cassette stereo, gas barbecue and, in some cases, even a water slide from the top of the boat.
If you find a spot that's just right, stop for a few nights. It's as luxurious as a rented cottage or motel room, and you get to pick in which part of a magic wilderness your cottage will be located that night. A delicious supper is likely swimming around your houseboat waiting to grab your line. Fishing in these lakes - for kokanee, lake trout, Dolly Varden and, most prized of all, rainbow trout - has attracted anglers for centuries.
There is much to explore here also - evidence of ancient pit-house winter dwellings of the Shuswap Indians long ago, pictographs painted on cliff faces, or the nearby Adams River where millions of salmon crowd in fall to spawn after a miraculous marathon journey up the Fraser and Thompson rivers from the Pacific Ocean. There are miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic lookouts and cliffs from which the more daring visitors can dive into the lake.
On the east end of the lake system, highlands give way to mountains visible in the distance, the Monashee Range, with dense forest to the water's edge. On the west end, the terrain changes to desert-like highland plateau.
Much of the shoreline is inaccessible to vehicles so when you beach your houseboat, it's just you, the lakes, the trees and the abundant wildlife to share a magnificent Shuswap sunset. At other points, there are restaurants along the shore where you can pull in to share supper with other houseboaters and `land-lubbers'.
You can stay in touch with civilization at Salmon Arm, right on the lake, or leave it behind to anchor at one of the many provincial parks located throughout the lakes where camping and trails are the preserve of those with boats.
Several companies rent houseboats on the Shuswap Lakes. They are headquartered primarily in Sicamous and Salmon Arm. In all, about 350 rented boats ply the waters of the lake. Boats are generally rented by the week in the high season of July and August. but may also be availabe for mid-week periods or weekends, especially in the shoulder seasons in spring and fall. If you want to go in complete luxury, a houseboat of the executive type, sleeping 10 and with a hot-tub, can cost you $3,600 for a week in peak season (plus taxes and fuel). However, smaller boats can be rented for the week for less than half that in the high season and a quarter of that during the shoulder season. The nice part about these boats is that you normally have nothing to bring but your food and clothing (though some operators ask you to supply your own bedding.)
Shuswap houseboating offers a unique, relaxing, family vacation experience, a floating holiday cruising the sparkling waters of a recreational paradise, in a fully-equipped home away from home.
For more information, contact:
Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Office 1-800-567-2275.
Shuswap Lakes Tourism Association 1-800-661-4800, 250-832-5200 (phone/fax)
Websites:
www.shuswap.bc.ca
www.gov.bc.ca/wlap
www.totabc.com
