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Exploring BC’s Shuswap Lake by Houseboat: Day One
Sweat is pouring off my face. I’m having a hard time breathing. And it’s not because I’m in a makeshift tent with three half naked guys late in the evening.
Let me back up a few hours.
Around lunchtime I’d boarded a houseboat in Sicamous, BC – the house-boating capital of Canada – with four complete strangers; Mike, the travel writer from Calgary, Kevin our houseboat captain, Robyn from Shuswap Tourism and Howard from Thompson Okanagan Tourism. The plan was to explore Shuswap Lake by houseboat over the course of three days and nights, with additional side trips and activities scheduled so we could get a real flavour for the area.
A sweat lodge was not on the agenda.
But it was a cool June night and it had started to drizzle.
Threatening skies on our first night on Shuswap Lake
Four of us were quite content to sit around the roomy living area sipping local wines from some of the most northern wineries on the planet. After all we’d had a tough afternoon - eating a catered lunch (an amazing Thai vegetable soup and sandwiches if you must know) followed by a round of golf at Hyde Mountain.
I must digress and say something about the golf – for I am not a golfer. In fact I HAD NEVER GOLFED in my life.
But I get it now. I understand how one great shot - after-all I did land the ball on the green on one occasion thank you very much – makes you think you have half a chance of succeeding as a golfer. It’s just as well there isn’t a video though because I am perhaps the only person who has tried to hit a golf ball and swung so hard that instead of hitting the ball I did a pirouette and almost fell over.
Nonetheless it was a fun few hours, especially since no one took it seriously. The one real golfer among us, Kevin, who looked after the Banff Springs Hotel golf course for years, was always enthusiastic with his encouragement, even if it was misplaced. And Hyde Mountain is a beautiful golf course.
The view from Hyde Mountain Golf Course down Shuswap Lake
Back on the houseboat with drinks in our hands, Kevin gets to work outside building a fire. I’m not sure any of us appreciated what he was up to initially. We were probably rehashing our golf experience – though I bet Mike was pondering his coin toss loss.
When we first got on board Mike and I had to pick rooms. I won the coin toss and scored the stateroom with the sliding glass door looking out to the back. Twin Anchors boasts on their website that the houseboat has five staterooms. Although the amenities on board are fantastic (fireplace/washer/dryer/great kitchen/DVD player/BBQ/hot-tub…), I think stateroom is a misnomer. My room was great but the other four staterooms were not exactly what I would describe as a stateroom. In fact Kevin declared that he felt like a rodent crawling up into a nest every night.
My stateroom - and the best bedroom on the houseboat
Dinner was another catered affair - barbecued salmon, chicken and beef kebabs, sesame stir fried vegetables and rice. Dessert was a gorgeous chocolate birthday cake.
Howard expertly cooking kebabs on the outdoor BBQ
Our very spacious and well-appointed kitchen area
It wasn’t until after dinner I fully appreciated what Kevin was up to. He wasn’t building a fire just for the fun of it, but to heat rocks for at least two hours so they’d be hot enough to provide a sweat lodge experience. In fact he’d brought on board a duffle bag with all the tools to make a sweat lodge – a couple of tarps, something to fasten them together, work gloves and a shovel for moving the hot rocks.
Kevin in front of his sweat-lodge; the red glow is from the rocks and steam and a 30 second exposure
And so about an hour after dinner three of us squeezed under the tarps. One by one Kevin placed red hot rocks into the center of the sweat lodge. We immediately felt the blast of heat. Then came the steam and the full on sauna experience. Sometimes it got so hot I could barely catch my breath. But it left me feeling marvelous and relaxed – so relaxed I slept like a baby.
And so ended my first day on a houseboat.
I’d been pleasantly surprised so far. Shuswap Lake is very beautiful and much bigger than I imagined. You only actually see a small section of the lake from the highway. And on a weekday in June there was only one other houseboat in sight – so you feel like you’ve got the lake to yourself. Our gang of five turns out to be very congenial, the food outstanding and the wine delicious (Recline Ridge Bacchus 2011 and Granite Mountain Cab/Syrah 2006). The boat is roomy enough that you have a sense of personal space. The only thing missing is sunshine.
Have you ever been houseboating? If not would you like to try it?
Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel
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Shuswap Tourism kindly sponsored this trip but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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About Hike Bike TravelAvid world traveler. Craves adventure - & the odd wildly epic day. Gardener. Reader. Wine lover. Next big project - a book on 100 Canadian outdoor adventures.
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26 Responses to Exploring BC’s Shuswap Lake by Houseboat: Day One
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About
I’ve been all over the world – to all continents but Antarctica and to a grand total of 53 countries. I’ve always got some sort of an adventure planned – even if it’s only a weekend. I thrive on change and travel provides that.
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leighmcadamtravels at gmail dot com
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I totally regret not doing this when I was in the Okanagan! Agh! I want a houseboat with the water slide attached. That boat looks better than my HOUSE!
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@Candice Apart from some “staterooms” being cramped it was a fabulous boat. And the bottom line is you hope for sunshine and you’re only using your bedroom to sleep in anyway. Wish it had been warm enough to use the slide too.
Have never been on a true houseboat, but have been on a cabin cruiser many times. This is my kind of trip. Boating, golf, and grilling in one! And you’re right…all it takes is one good shot on the golf course and you’re hooked!
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@Deej I’m not sure if I’m hooked on golf but I’m certainly willing to try it again. I’ll even go the driving range this summer just to see if I can smack anything without it taking 5 swings.
I can’t believe you made a sweatlodge on a houseboat! I’ve never stayed on a houseboat before, but we love boats so it’ll happen eventually.
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@Christy We actually tied up to a beach – which you do every night when you’re houseboating – so the sweat lodge was very much on a beach and not the boat!! We would have set it on fire otherwise.
I like your narrative style in this post, Leigh. I went house boating on Lake Shasta in northern california about 6 years ago and had the best time. I really hope to have the opportunity to do it again.
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@Michael Thanks for the compliment. I had no idea there was house boating on Lake Shasta but I’m like you, I had a very good time.
This is definitely NOT how I thought a houseboat! It is luxurious and spacious, well except for Mike’s (state)room. A sweatlodge and golfing to boot! What a great experience. Can’t wait to hear about Day 2.
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@Marcia The experience more than met my expectations!
That’s quite a roomy houseboat. I wouldn’t mind staying in one or living in one, for that matter. I can do without a sweat lodge, though.
@Michael Fortunately you could opt out of the sweatlodge. We were discussing Europeans – and what there take might be on the experience because it really is a roomy boat and certainly bedroom sizes are in line of what you’d find in Europe.
What an awful lot of hard work – in real stunning surroundings. Wouldn’t mind trying houseboating in Shuswap.
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@Miette I think the off season when it’s not a party atmosphere is a great time to explore Shuswap Lake.
What a lucky flip of the coin! Your room looks great – you’ll have to show us the others as well. Never stayed in a floating RV, but this certainly looks tempting.
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@Jackie I was VERY lucky – as Mike so likes to point out. A floating RV is a very good description.
So this is why you didn’t have time to visit me? You were busy huddling under a tarp with three half-naked guys? Yeah…I’ll give you that one. Hope you got to enjoy the rest of the Shuswap without getting poured on. It’s really a pretty area.
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Looks like my secret is out Steve. I’ll just have to return so I can meet you in person.
Yes I have been houseboating but yours looks like it was much more beautiful and comfortable! We spent our houseboat experience on Lake Mead Arizona in early July. How do you stay comfortable in 115 degree heat that doesn’t really go away even at night? Funny thing is, all the children (8 of them) would go again and all the adults (a mere 4) would not, at least not on Mead
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@Debbie I hate heat like that so I totally understand your reticence to go houseboating again. Shuswap Lake would not get that hot, the houseboats are roomy and the lake would be refreshing to col off in – a few advantages over Lake Mead and Powell – though I lo ve the scenery in that area.
You really got my attention with the “three half naked guys” line!
A lot of people go houseboating on Mt. Shasta here in N. California and we’ve always wanted to try it. I’d like to have the same accommodations you had, including your stateroom — looks very nice. I’d also like to try my hand at golf again. Only played once – years ago. Left a lot of earth dug up.
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@Cathy There were a lot of patches of earth that needed fixing after I was through – more like reseeding – but at least I had fun. I hadn’t realized until I wrote this blog that there was houseboating on Mt. Shasta – Lake Shasta??
What a great adventure, Leigh! Awesome way to get our attention on the first sentence too =) I’ve never gone on a houseboat but have always wanted to go on one especially in the Lake Powell region in Nevada. Your room looks wonderful and the Shuswap Lake region just looks amazing.
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@Mary Shuswap Lake is very beautiful. I also have always wanted to go houseboating on Lake Powell – but I think I’d go in the off season when you mostly get the place to yourself – and to bypass the party types. I’m not into the party scene and we got a small taste of it one night – not impressed.
Kashmir houseboats are associated closely with the valley’s culture and traditions. A brilliant idea that started from constructing small boats was later revolutionized with transforming these boats into spacious modern styled floating hotels. houseboats are all made of the finest cedar wood that follows with intricate walnut wood carvings, paneled walls and tiled baths. Our boats are categorized in the super deluxe category and each boat has an assorted number of three to four bedrooms with a private bath and wash room.
@Kashmir The houseboats in India sound quite lovely though they are quite a different experience than that experience in the Shuswap area. Still one day I’d like a 3-4 days on one.