I am in the midst of planning a sailing trip to the Shuswap Lakes in BC Canada next summer and I am wondering if anyone has ever sailed there before? It right in the middle of the mountains on the west coast of Canada and it is suppose to be spectacular. I went out to the coast to pick up my 26X and as we were driving home we passed the Shuswaps and I instantly told my wife that we are coming here one day to sail. Let me know and thanx
We go to the Shuswap every year. My wife's family has a cabin on Mara Lake.
Spectacular area, warm water, great place for a vacation. Very big house boating industry there. Lots of shoreline to explore, just avoid the busy party beaches. Also lots of private cabins and beaches.
There are lots of little holes you can get close to shore or beach. It is a mix of beach and drop offs that can be 50 ft deep 10 feet from shore. I stern tie to shore in this situation. Lots of services on the lake including a seasonal floating store and restaurant at the Cinnemousun narrows.
The sailing can be touch and go as like most mountain areas the winds in the summer are either too little or too much. That being said this past summer we had a number of nice sailing days. You just have to be ready to go sailing when the wind is right. There are a number of Macs on the lake, we saw 6 at the same time around the floating store this past summer. If going between Shuswap lake and Mara lake you need to drop the mast to get under the highway bridge, power lines and railway swing bridge.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Heres a few shots from this summer
I have not sailed there, but have spent lots of time there, beautiful lake. Another great lake to look at in the same area is Kootenay Lake, a huge lake with a lot less people on it. Down one arm is the town of Nelson, BC. Great music festivals ect. all summer
We were there this year (not with the Mac) and I wouldn't plan beaching your boat. Out of the beaches we saw, they are quite coarse and fair amounts of large rocks just under the water. Water is warm and even during the slow season its busy with house boaters that should not be behind the wheel. We ended up exploring most of the lake with the exception of the northwest arm, as there is restrictions on where you can stay. Nice lake though with warm water.
no, but I am planning to do a trip to teh okanogan next summer, also inland BC, it has 3 large centers on it, --kalowna, pinticton, and vernon. one in the north, south, and middle. I think that woul dbe a great trip to go from one to the other, to the other.
I just started planning the trip but here are some basics and questions/concerns: Its a 12 hour drive each way just to get mt 26x there so I am thinking it should be a 10 day to 2 week trip just to make it worth it. I need to figure out where our "jump in point " is in regards to where to launch the boat and more importantly where are we going to sail to. It looks like a huge lake so I don't think we can cover the whole thing in one trip. Also I need a safe place to leave my vehicle. I have heard that the north east arm is pretty quiet and I am trying to go there. From what others say, it sounds like a big "party lake" so I'd like to go somewhere quiet. Also if we are on the lake for maybe a week I'd like to hit a resort for a couple days and stay in a hotel/cabin just to get out and stretch and tour the sites. From there back to the boat for more sailing and then back to the truck. How does that sound? Now to fill in all the blanks! First of all has anyone been to the North East arm of the lake? Is that truly the best place to go in regards to quiet, seclusion and scenery? If not there where else to go? K get back to me:)
I have spent a total of three weeks on that lake in one week intervals. First week in a house boat (pre Mac), second week in a house boat (pre Mac), and third week in a cabin with our Mac moored out front. The lake does have its share of party house boats and party beaches (Nelson Beach for one) but there is lots of space for everyone.
I thought if I was camping on the Mac I would anchor in Bug House Bay (at north end of Seymour Arm), but I have never actually done it. If I remember correctly there was a sandy beach to the south east of Bug House Bay as well. All of the Arms are beautiful, but I do love Seymour Arm. We have always had a great time at Shuswap. Nice warm water and air temperatures when we were there (late June, early July). One night we had the unfortunate experience of a bat inside the house boat with us. Sure gave me the willies. The people at Blue Water House boats may be able to give you some info about where to park etc. Captain’s Village marina may be able to offer you parking as well. Obviously 3 weeks does not make me an expert on this large and beautiful area, but hopefully gives you some ideas. Try the Macgregor Yacht Club of BC, as maybe some of those boys have done the Shuswap.
Cheers,
Scottie
Thanx for the help so far guys. Spector I sent you a pm asking a few questions about the bridges at the north end of Mara lake. Scottie my plan is to launch at Sicamous and go up to the very north end of the Seymore arm. I noticed on one map there is a marina so is that the bug house bay? How far is it to the end of the Seymour arm and how many days would you give to sail down from Sicamous to Bug House bay and back? Wow that sounds appealing...lol....many bugs at all? good advice on the Macgregor yatch club. I will check them out. Thanx again.
I don't remember bugs being a problem. Maybe the odd black fly. We blew up the lake in the house boat, letting the wind do most of the work in 3 days. You could sail up in a day I would think. We motored back in 3 days but we were definitely taking our time. Bug House Bay is the bulge on the east, right at the north end of Seymour Arm. There was a floating store in the bay the last time we were up there. There is a provincial park and was a pub up there as well at that time. Please post how your trip turns out as I want to spend a month or two on that lake in the Mac after I retire. Retirement is still a few years off, but gives me time to dream and plan.
Scottie
Replied to your PM but for the rest who might be interested
I always drop the mast when I go thru the Sicamous channel between Mara and Shuswap. There are some power lines in addition to the Highway #1 bridge and the train bridge and I just don't take a chance. They are charted. Clearances are above high water datum. Lowest is 4.2m but that is on the Mara side of the boat launch (upstream)
The water levels fluctuate on Mara and Shuswap lake up to 10-12 feet during the year. High water is usually late June. It drops pretty steady thru the summer and somewhat stabilizes in later August. The clearances on these items obviously changes accordingly. The train bridge will open if you phone them (sorry don't know the number) but I still worry about the power lines. We drop the mast before we head into the Sicamous channel and then find a little spot out of the way and raise it back up after going thru. Sometime the motorheads are a bit annoying with their wakes but just get tucked out of the way. Sicamous would be my pick for launching. Read the guide at the link I posted in the forum. It gives a good description of the various arms of the lake and lots of other useful info. Hotels can be pretty busy so make a reservation if you plan on using them.
High water also means the beaches pretty much disappear, so during late June and early July the beaching areas are limited. Winds can be none existent for a lot of July and August and thunderstorms can whip up the lake really quickly. Keep an eye to the sky.
Count on motoring a lot, plenty of gas available on the lakes including the floating store at the narrows where the four arms meet.
Anstey arm is nice too. (Northeast arm) Houseboats tend not to go there. Most hang out close to the narrows.
Wow you guys are a wealth of knowledge and see thats why I come here!!! So can I ask Spector when you got that nautical map/chart of the Shuswaps? Is it somewhere that I can get a hold of it also? These 2 stores that we are talking about are they the floating ones that I have heard about? Do they sell gas? It is showing on one of the maps that I have that way down on the Northeast end there is a marina. Am I able to park my 26X at a marina overnight as I have never had the chance to do that before and if not, do i just drop anchor out in the middle of the bay somewhere safe? These are the things that I have to kind of figure out. So lets sum up for these questions:
1.) Do the stores have gas and supplies?
2.) Can you stay over night at a marina in Bug Bay or anchor it somewhere or beach it maybe?
3.) Where did you get that nautical chart from?
Let me know
ps I am due for retirement in approx 5 years and counting but I am spending at least a month and half a summer on my 26x already just working out the "bugs" for when I retire....lol. I am "practicing to retire!!!
Spector, What kind of dog is in your picture and how did he do on your trip? Was he out the whole trip? Where does he sleep? Let me know please as I am just starting to get ready to take my dog on board. He is a Shepard /husky cross and I don't know if he will have fun or not on the 26X especially for a week or so? Thanx again for your advice you guys rock!!!
