Sicamous House Boating

Houseboats on Mara Lake, Tourism BC/Don Weixl photo

Sicamous is often dubbed the "houseboating capital of Canada," and for good reason, as it is home base for hundreds of floating cottages that let visitors venture deep into the wilderness while enjoying all the comforts of home (and then some). It is quite a spectacle to see row upon row of the big boats lined up at dock waiting for the next round of houseboaters, then filing along the narrow Sicamous Channel on route to Mara Lake or Shuswap Lake. Houseboating is not just limited to on-boat activities: It also allows easy access to swimming, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing.

Houseboat Activities

Beach the houseboat and go for a swim, take a hike, or fish for any of the 19 species that dwell in that waters of Shuswap Lake. Photograph Albas Falls, Margaret Falls, the Marble Point Lighthouse, or Aboriginal pictographs, which are only accessible by boat (and must be respected and preserved). In autumn, motor to Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park to watch the Sockeye Salmon run, or stop at the pier in Salmon Arm Bay for outstanding bird watching at any time during the summer.

Houseboat Luxury

Starting around 12m/40ft and reaching more than 27m/90ft in length, houseboat vessels in the Sicamous Fleet are configured in two- and three-deck versions with private cabins, bunk rooms, and hide-a-beds that together sleep 10 to 30 people. All houseboats are fitted with full-size appliances in the galleys, plus dining and living areas. Expect to find gas fireplaces, outdoor gas barbecues, entertainment systems, and even fish finders. From there the luxuries depend on the boat, but sundeck hot tubs and waterslides are common, and many houseboats come equipped with washer/dryers, dishwashers, and even wine fridges.

Houseboating Shuswap Lake

Shuswap Lake is a houseboating hotspot with 1000km/621mi of shoreline. The lake, roughly shaped like an "H," is composed of four arms – Seymour Arm, Anstey Arm, Salmon Arm and the main Shuswap Lake arm – with the crossbar at Cinnemousin Narrows. Huge stretches of this vast shoreline are inaccessible by car as the Shuswap Highlands and Monashee Mountains rise steeply from the water's edge, but many secluded beaches and hidden coves are easily accessible by boat. Houseboats are designed to nudge right up to shore, beaching in the shallows with a gangway running to dry land. Shuswap Lake Marine Provincial Park maintains 26 such sites around the lake, and Cinnemousin Provincial Park straddles the narrows that form the cross-bar in the H. Stop by for a burger or groceries at the popular floating store.

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