Steamboats of Lake Okanagan
Encyclopedia
Lake Okanagan, also called Okanagan Lake
, is the largest lake in the Okanogan River
drainage, which is tributary to the Columbia River basin
, and is the core of the Okanagan
region of British Columbia
, Canada
. During its early days of settlement and development, lack of roads the region made the lake a natural corridor for passenger travel and freight. The Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
was the main carrier on the lakes, providing freight and passenger connections between Penticton, on the Kettle Valley Railway
(the Southern Mainline) and Okanagan Landing
(Vernon
) for connections to the CPR Mainline at Sicamous via the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway. Smaller vessels such as the SS Naramata provided passenger service to smaller settlements around the lake, as well as excursions for tourists.
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(freight) (luxury-class passenger service) (luxury-class passenger service) (luxury-class passenger service) (excursion and water-taxi) (Fintry Queen, excursion and water-taxi)
Okanagan Lake
Okanagan Lake is a large, deep lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. The lake is 135 km long, between 4 and 5 km wide, and has a surface area of 351 km². The lake's maximum depth is 232 meters near Grant Island...
, is the largest lake in the Okanogan River
Okanogan River
The Okanogan River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington...
drainage, which is tributary to the Columbia River basin
Columbia Basin
The Columbia Basin, the drainage basin of the Columbia River, occupies a large area–about —of the Pacific Northwest region of North America. In common usage, the term often refers to a smaller area, generally the portion of the drainage basin that lies within eastern Washington.Usage of the term...
, and is the core of the Okanagan
Okanagan
The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The...
region of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. During its early days of settlement and development, lack of roads the region made the lake a natural corridor for passenger travel and freight. The Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
The Canadian Pacific River Lake and River Service, also known as the British Columbia Lake and River Service, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes along British Columbia's inland waters during the late 19th century.-CPR overview:In...
was the main carrier on the lakes, providing freight and passenger connections between Penticton, on the Kettle Valley Railway
Kettle Valley Railway
The Kettle Valley Railroad was a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway that operated in the Thompson-Okanagan region of southern British Columbia....
(the Southern Mainline) and Okanagan Landing
Okanagan Landing
Okanagan Landing is an unincorporated settlement and former steamboat port at the north end of Okanagan Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, located southwest of the City of Vernon...
(Vernon
Vernon, British Columbia
Vernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
) for connections to the CPR Mainline at Sicamous via the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway. Smaller vessels such as the SS Naramata provided passenger service to smaller settlements around the lake, as well as excursions for tourists.
Vessels
- Lloyd Jones - 1950-1960 (Bowen Queen 1960-1965, MV Vesuvius Queen 1965-1998)
- Pendozi (also Pandosy)
Landings
- Penticton
- NaramataNaramata, British Columbia-External links:*...
- PeachlandPeachland, British ColumbiaPeachland is a district municipality of approximately 5000 residents in the Okanagan Valley, on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, although the region had long been home to the Okanagan people...
- SummerlandSummerland, British ColumbiaSummerland is a community on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south...
- Okanagan Mission
- KelownaKelowna, British ColumbiaKelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
- Okanagan LandingOkanagan LandingOkanagan Landing is an unincorporated settlement and former steamboat port at the north end of Okanagan Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, located southwest of the City of Vernon...
(VernonVernon, British ColumbiaVernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
) - Fintry
- Carr's Landing
- Ewing (Ewing's Landing)