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Summering along the shores of the ShuswapOn the lake, on the course and on the trails, it's the incomparable place to hop aboard, tee it up,or get back in the saddle
By
Andrew McCredie, Special To The Sun
Vancouver Sun, Edmonton Journal and Saskatoon Star Phoenix). Following rules and instructions might very well be the thing you and your family try to avoid on a summer vacation, but take it from me; in the case of a houseboat adventure in the Shuswap, rules are a tiny price to pay for what can be one of the most relaxing ways to spend a few days with your family. And if you rent your pleasure craft from Twin Anchors Houseboats or other operators on Shuswap Lake, not only will you get a complete safety briefing on vessel operation and local conditions -- you will also get one of the most luxurious and comfortable ways to spend a vacation. After spending a couple of days plying the H-shaped network of arms that comprise the Shuswap lakes, and a couple of nights tied up to deserted beaches for campfires and late-night hot tubs, my family came to regard our two-level houseboat named Inspiration as a luxury waterfront townhouse that can be relocated to another spectacular beach setting every night. Up top was an outdoor kitchen -- complete with barbecue, satellite TV and wet bar -- a full-sized hot tub, a waterslide and tanning space for a dozen or so of your closest friends. Below were a number of bedrooms -- many more than the four of us required -- and a main cabin area with a fully outfitted kitchen, a full-sized fireplace and a flat-screen TV. The television didn't get any use during our time aboard, but the large dining room table saw plenty of card and board-game action. Though we were on the system of four main "arms" that comprise the Shuswap lakes for just two nights, the typical houseboat rented by Twin Anchors is out four days to a week. Likewise, most are also filled with more than two adults and two kids. My wife and I managed okay with anchoring the boat to the shore each night -- a job that requires a large sledgehammer and some good, old elbow grease; however, a couple of more adults and kids on board is probably a good idea. (Take the time because a sudden burst of wind came out of nowhere -- a not an uncommon occurrence on the lakes -- and yanked both spikes out of the beach sending the boat adrift. A couple more hands on deck would have been helpful during the brief panic to secure things.) Some experience with boats is also a bonus, as is some mechanical aptitude. Two banks of switches controlling everything from electrical generators to fuses requires attention a few times a day, and I had to have a couple of sessions of how to fill and drain the hot tub. (Fortunately, a DVD operation manual walks you through everything you need to know). Still, for every minute of drama there were hours of near-silent running over the glassy lakes with no particular place to go. And the sensation of relaxing in a hot tub while gliding along alpine lakes must be experienced to be fully appreciated. House boating is a relatively rare activity in B.C., despite the hundreds of lakes and waterways that are seemingly ideal for the flat-bottomed craft, primarily because houseboats need to be beached each night (rule #1) and require a somewhat deepwater run-up right to the shoreline. The Shuswap's deep, glacier-cut lakes are ideal for beaching a houseboat -- which basically entails steering straight for shore and running it up on the beach to ground it -- and the five provincial parks on the lake mean you won't be camping on some-one's property. (Just try to find a place to beach a few houseboats on nearby Okanagan Lake without raising the ire of landowners and the authorities.) So like a handful of places in the United States, the Shuswap is custom-made for house boating. As it turns out, so are the Twin Anchors houseboats, which are designed and built by the company. That means they are perfectly suited for what they are made to do. After our three-day houseboat adventure -- which culminated in passing through a train swing-bridge in Sicamous en route to one of Twin Anchors' two marinas -- we decided to stick around the area for another day or two to check out land-based activities in and around the Shuswap. We weren't disappointed, and if anything, we could have spent another week finding fun and affordable things to do. My son and I enjoyed a great round of golf at the Salmon Arm Golf Club, while my wife and daughter went horseback riding through forests and along mountain ridges overlooking the lakes. We stayed at the Inn on the Ninth Hotel, a colonial-style, family-operated country place within a chip shot of the Salmon Arm Golf Club. Even if you're not a golfer, this family-friendly place that's off the beaten path provides an ideal base of operations to discover the Shuswap, located as it is just a 10-minute or so drive from downtown Salmon Arm. And just as that town has grown and matured over the years, so too has the dining scene in the Shuswap. Just a few years ago, you were basically given a choice between fast food and greasy spoons, but today a number of national chains have put down roots (East Side Mario's, Boston Pizza), and there's even a Japanese place and a Mexican joint. And the pubs, particularly the Sandbar and Doc's Pub, are classic summer resort hangouts. But the far-and-away winner in the area is Table 24, located in the former courthouse heritage building in the heart of Salmon Arm. It features a fresh sheet menu that would be right at home in the heart of Yale town or Coal Harbour. And just try to get the chef to create some special-order kid dishes in those tony settings. At Table 24, it was done with pleasure and a good measure of care, and my daughter claimed her buttered pasta to be the finest she'd ever had, while the boy was unable to pass judgment until all his custom-ordered ribs were good and finished. And if you get a chance to speak with owners Lenny and Gina Wells, ask them about that Table 24 name, which involves the story of how the two met. We visited the Shuswap just before the summer high season, so didn't experience the kind of crowds you will on the water and in the towns as you will this month and next. However, if like it a little quieter, September is a fine time for a houseboat trip for a handful of couples, as the weather is typically superb, the kids are back in school and that fireplace and hot tub will nicely take the chill off those cool autumn nights. - - - IF YOU GO The Shuswap is approximately a five-hour drive from Metro Vancouver, and a little over an hour or so east of Kamloops on the Trans-Canada Highway. The western border of the Shuswap, a name derived from the Secwepemc First Nations, is the town of Chase. The main centre is Salmon Arm, with its population of 16,000 often doubling during the high summer season. To the east is Sicamous, another popular resort town. Like Salmon Arm, it offers a wide range of accommodations and restaurants. In an addition to the activities cited here, the area is covered with hiking trails to suit all ages and abilities, and the many provincial parks provide days' worth of getting in touch with nature. And for a real family adventure with a high-tech twist -- and what kids don't like that? -- is Shuswap Geoquest, a four-season scavenger hunt with hidden bounty scattered throughout the area and located only by using a GPS unit. Website: www.shuswap.bc.ca TWIN ANCHORS HOUSEBOATS The granddaddy of houseboat operators in the Shuswap, Twin Anchors has marinas in Sicamous and Salmon Arm and offers five different boats for rental, ranging in capacity from 15 to 24 people. There are three-, four-and seven-night packages available. To really make things easy on yourself, get in touch with Sicamous-based Sage Catering when you book your houseboat, so that when you arrive at the dock, the fridge and cupboards will be filled with all kinds of goodies, from ready-to-cook multi-course Greek feasts to homemade midnight snacks with ice cream. Websites: www.twinanchors.com;www.sagecatering.ca SALMON ARM GOLF CLUB Often cited as having one of the best courses in the province, the 82-year old Salmon Arm Golf Club might not be as flashy and 21st Century as the many newcomers to the Shuswap, but it is still the preferred choice of many visiting golfers. Featuring a championship 18 and an executive nine, the semi-club private club has a laid-back vibe so often wanting at big city clubs. And where else can you say you played a round on the edge of a volcano? (That would be Mount Ida). Like so many resort destinations in British Columbia, the Shuswap is a golfer's paradise, and a memorable trunk-slamming tour can incorporate any one of the fantastic courses in the area, including Canoe Creek, Hyde Mountain, Talking Rock and Shuswap Lake Estates. Websites: www.salmonarmgolf.com;www.golfshuswap.com INN AT THE NINTH HOLE Okay, since Salmon Arm Golf Club moved its layout around a little a few years back, this colonial-style boutique inn isn't exactly at the historic club's ninth hole any more. But that hasn't changed the ideal location of the Inn at the Ninth Hole, if you plan on playing the challenging course, or altered the tranquil charm of this private inn. Located down a country road just east of Salmon Arm proper, the family-friendly inn offers luxurious rooms and suites ranging from 400 to 875 square feet. The inn serves a European-style breakfast using local products, and there's a secluded garden-side deck, ideal for an après-round drink or before-dinner cocktail. The restaurants and attractions of Salmon Arm are a 10-minute drive away, yet tucked away in this inn in the forest, you'd think you were in the wilds of Bavaria. Website: www.ninthhol.com TABLE 24 Arguably one of the best things to happen in the Shuswap in the past half-decade, Table 24 is one of those restaurants you come across on your travels that you just wish was in your hometown. On a recent visit to Kamloops, I seriously considered doing the two-and-a-half round trip for the coconut curry chicken bowl. A favourite with locals, Table 24 offers decidedly modern fare in a historic setting, an 80-year old building that once housed Salmon Arm's courthouse, sheriff's office and jail cells. Website: www.table24.ca HIGH COUNTRY TRAIL RIDES It might not be considered B.C.'s official cowboy country, but the forests and mountainsides of the Shuswap are prime trail-riding country. And High Country Trail Rides, located just a few minutes outside of Salmon Arm on Fly Hills, is the outfit to get you up and in the saddle. Offering fully guided horse rides to suit all abilities, High Country is open year round. Rides are by appointment only, and not available Sundays. Website: www.highcountrytrailrides.ca
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
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NEW CANADIANS SAY SALMON ARM IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, Joaney
and Rene Vanderkraats, owners of The Inn at the Ninth Hole, and
their daughters Sabrina and Mariska became Canadian citizens on
Dec. 4 2008 at a ceremony in Vernon. The
family emigrated from the Netherlands in Feb. 2004 and looked
for a business they could start or buy. In Holland they owned a
large store that specialized in camping gear and outdoor equipment. They
bought The Inn at the Ninth Hole, a six-room bed and
breakfast between Highway 97B and the Salmon Arm Golf Course.
They are the third Dutch owners in its 12-year history. If
Joaney and Rene really wanted to have an inn, they would need a
restaurant. They choose to serve only breakfast and to operate
the business with no outside help, just the two of them. What
is different in Canada? They enjoy the wide-open spaces, living
close to nature and in a less stressful environment. They say
the people here are friendlier. Stores and supermarkets provide
better service and schools prepare kids better for life.
Governments listen when you write them, and get back to
you. “Salmon Arm is the best place to live and work! It’s
hard to find a better place!” The
guests at the inn are golfers, travelers, business people
and people who want a getaway close to home. Many are
repeat customers. Joaney and Rene work with 10 golf courses.
They are given special rates when they book tee times. A guest
might check their website at www.ninthhol.com,
book a multi-night stay and ask them to book golf at
different courses, book restaurants, wine tours, sail cruises or
go river rafting. They
use local products in their breakfasts and they promote local
restaurants and businesses. They have a van and deliver guests
at no charge to a restaurant and will pick them up if it’s
before 9 p.m. Always striving to improve their B&B, for the
last four years they received the highest possible score in
HelloBC tourism’s accommodation guide, won two awards, a
local people’s choice 2007 and a international award as one of
the best world wide. They use only a toll-free number,
1-800-221-5955, and do a lot of business through info@ninthhol.com. |
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Salmon
Arm B&B takes
top people’s Choice Award Salmon Arm- The people have spoken, and the owners of the Inn at the Ninth Hole couldn’t be happier. The bed & breakfast was named winners of the People’s Choice Award at the Salmon Arm Chamber of commerce Business Excellence Awards, based largely on the comments guests made in the past year about the Inn. Rene Vanderkraats who owns the Inn with his wife Joaney, says he was thrilled with winning the award. Judging by the guests comments, it would seem his description is accurate. One guest wrote:” the best b&b in Canada! Great rooms, clean, comfortable and quiet. Lovely location and great hospitality”. Another wrote: “Year after year, excellent accommodation service. Constantly high standard of comfort, cleanliness, food preparation and presentation and cheerful helpfulness” Many more comments fill the pages at the Inn web site, and it’s little wonder the Inn was also nominated in Three other categories at the annual chamber awards. The Vanderkraats purchased the Inn at 5091 20th Ave Se four years ago, and Rene says the success of the property is due a combination of things. First it’s setting surrounded by forest and nestled next to the eight hole of the local golf course. No, it’s not the ninth-not since the golf course was rebuilt and the holes where moved. Then there are the rooms: Six luxury guest rooms ranging in size from 400 – 875 square feet and each with an en-suite bathroom and sitting area. Rooms come with fireplaces, private entrance, televisions, DVD players, duvets, fleece blankets and more. Some even have jetted tubs. Vanderkraats says the level of service is also outstanding- and there is the food. “ We serve a great breakfast, one of the best in the region” We do something different every day and we use local produce,” he says. “We always have fresh fruit salads and we always have milk, yogurt, butter and eggs fresh from the farm. We always serve two or three sorts of whole wheat bread, coffee, tea and hot chocolate and we make French toast or Dutch pancakes-it’s a little different every time” Making sure the food is the best available means driving 120 km to a local orchard for the best apple juice in the region and scouring the country side and local farmers markets for whatever is the best in season. Cleanliness is another hallmark of the Inn at the Ninth Hole, in fact it is so clean that many guests comment on it, even male golfers who stay there for golf tournaments. Before the Vanderkraats bought The Inn at the Ninth Hole, it was generally known as a summer place. That is changing rapidly , Vanderkraats says. People are discovering the four seasons of Salmon Arm with hiking, trail riding and cross country skiing in the off season. Golfers used to be the main business of the Inn. Today many people from other parts of the province are coming to the Inn for a quiet , luxury getaway that’s is within an hour drive from, mountains, desserts, orchards and vineyards. ‘I’ve seen quite a lot of the world” Vanderkraats says. “we’ve got everything here” It is one of the best places to live and work”. Business Thompson Okanagan December 2007 |
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