1900s SAN JUANS SCHOOLHOUSE



Kootenay Lake, twin to Arrow Lakes

Sternwheelers like this once operated on both Kootenay Lake and the Arrow Lakes, through which the Columbia River runs. (photo (C))

The rugged country in Canada, rivers and lakes that included the Columbia River, theme of my book, The Columbia River (Caxton Press, 2013) was not easily accessed by significant highways or even good roads. Later the major highways #1 and #3 crossed this scenic country. Those residents living along the Arrow and Kootenay lakes more easily traveled on these sternwheelers.

Some like the one shown here were quite luxurious and a few had limited cabins. Even so, the winds on these large lakes and even broad stretches of river could be hazardous. Records tell of harrowing river trips and sinkings. Those early pioneers were tough, man! Conditions on smaller boats and the little hotels that served passengers were like living in barns. Overnight a man might actually sleep on straw mattresses or none and share rooms and even a bed with total strangers of dubious cleanliness and honesty.

                                               Lake Roosevelt (Columbia River)

The Grand Coulee Dam in WA backs up the Columbia River almost to the Canadian border and, no doubt, all the way if there were extremely high water.  It is  benign lake with pleasant coves bordered with trees for anchoring a boat overnight to swim, barbecue aboard your boat or go water skiing farther out in the lake..

I was a speaker on North Cascades Institute outings on several occasions. These were trips on a large, sturdy houseboat that accommodated several people and their sleeping bags overnight. As the speaker, I did not expect that I was expected to operate the boat, too, but it was true. I had little trouble, though, because the lake has few or no hazards, smooth water, and few waves. Of course, the latter can change if a big wind storm comes up, but one can easily find a sheltered place along the shores.

Such a windstorm did come up during research for the book, The Columbia River, I was (by auto this time) at a marina on Lake Roosevelt operated by a few people. The managing couple would not let me leave the marina, because they said -- even though it was calm and quiet on the lake -- advisers from above told them a major dust storm had erupted along the highway. They said it was not safe for me to drive back up to the flats, that collisions in such conditions were common. I wound up staying the night with this friendly pair in their home, who were looking out for me, the roaming author. Much of eastern Washington is fertile farmland that stretches in all directions, and such dust storms are not uncommon; subsequently local television news described multi-car collisions that occurred. Of course, one need not worry about them if you just stay off the busy freeways or highways and just wait until the winds subside.

Back to the houseboat trips, on one occasion the information sent out was mixed up somehow. I and houseboat guests arrived at the north end of the route, only to find the boat was at the south end. It was too late in the day to do anything about it until morning, so I had to find motel housing for the night for about eight people. Although I sincerely do not believe I was the one at fault, my "boss" did think so. I was not the most popular guide/historian that trip. At least for awhile.

I have had considerable boating experience in my life. I was not asked to guide any trip in the San Juan Islands during the writing of San Juan Islands: Into the 21st Century, published in 2013 and very much in print. However, I had roamed all over the SJI often in a 20-foot Glasply day boat that we had at my cabin and, before that, in a larger old cruiser on the ocean.  The San Juan Islnds have friendly waters except perhaps along Haro Strait or Rosario Strait, lengthy bodies of water that can get rough from sea swells or from the wakes of larger vessels -- not often in summer, though.