Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp

Wednesday’s Photos

Canoe Trip To ‘Our’ Island

Across the Lake from Fauquier BC lies an island that used to be connected with the west side of the land south of the Needles ferry terminal. In the late 1960s BC Hydro built a dam near the American border to regulate the lake level and of course to generate power. As a result of this action many small communities were flooded and people were forced off their land. This is how this tiny island was created. I call this abandoned former farmstead our island, because very few people go there and we like to spend some time there all alone, explore its ancient apple orchards, relax and go swimming in the crystal-clear and refreshing waters in the heat of the summer. Recently I recorded such a canoe trip to this amazing little island on my movie camera. Enjoy.

36 thoughts on “Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes”

  1. Looks divine, Peter! What was the big ship and all the logs?

    Near us there is a large reservoir that was created in the 1930s by damming a river and flooding four towns. It was opposed locally, but since most of the political clout in Massachusetts centers on Boston, which was where this reservoir was going to supply water, the locals in western Massachusetts lost out. It’s a beautiful reservoir, but I do wonder about all the people were displaced. There’s more about it here: https://newengland.com/today/living/new-england-history/lost-towns-quabbin-reservoir/

    Was this done intentionally out there? Were the landowners compensated?

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    • Your sad story about people losing their property is very similar to those living in the Arrow Lakes district. For a piece of land that has been in family possession for several generations there is no real compensation and the compensation they received was a mere pittance.
      Logging is still main business in our area. The logs you saw are being pulled by tug boat down to a nearby town to be processed into lumber and paper. The big ship is the ferry which is part of the BC highway system and therefore it is free.

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  8. This is such splendid Video of your Canoe trip , you were holding your camera or whatever equipment you used , very steady, even of the ripples of the water. I was wondering about those wood logs as well, but you already answered that. The tip of the trip was that you or Biene went swimming , I wonder if the water was cold. Thank you so much for sharing it made my day.

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    • The water is somewhat chilly. The Arrow Lakes are part of the Columbia River system. But in the summer heat it is great to cool off. Thank you, Cornelia, for being such a faithful follower and creative blogger yourself!

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  13. There are a few rivers in Texas that provide the same sort of cooling in summer, although the scenery isn’t nearly so beautiful. The Rio Frio — Spanish for ‘cold river’ — may be the most popular, although that means it’s much more crowded than your wonderful spot. Being able to have your ‘own’ island surely is delightful.

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  15. I really loved your presentation of your canoe excursion! We brought one of our canoes with us in the container with the rest of the stuff that came with us after we bought the house here, and it lives with our daughter Squiddy. Back at the cabin we have two others–one 18 feet long and the other my little 12-foot fishing canoe; two kayaks; and an ancient aluminum rowboat. Thanks for the canoe ride–I really needed that!

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      • That’s not cheating in the least, it’s using the wisdom you were born with and the resources you have earned. I wouldn’t be without my little electric motor, but I do wish the battery weren’t so heavy.

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