Monday, August 20, 2012

The Shuswap....

Last week as the temperatures sizzled in our area...
we parked ourselves at Scotch Creek...
on the north shore of Shuswap Lake for a few days.


Over the past two decades we have been to that particular location on many occasion...
in spring, summer or fall.
We have great memories of time spent at the 'family cabin'...
which now belongs to two of my sisters.
This time we took our RV and parked on the lot...
while Bev and her boys (out from Texas) joined Dot in the cabin.

Shuswap Lake...
located in south-central British Columbia...
is fed by many rivers and creeks.
It drains into Little Shuswap Lake...
then into the Thompson River and eventually into the Fraser River.
The area is named after the Shuswap First Nations people...
the most northern of the Interior Salish peoples.
There is a beautiful provincial park in Scotch Creek...
and though we have never stayed there...
it's where we spend our beach time.


We went for early morning bike rides through the park...
before the crowds arrived.
Before anyone arrived...
actually!


For the most part...
the boats bobbed about in the water just off the shore.



The tables and benches were empty.
We inhaled the scent of cedar and morning campfires as we rode through the park.

Later in the day we returned to claim our spot on the beach...
toting chairs, books and snacks.
We had some company on the beach...
though I could not understand how it could be so quiet in the middle of a scorching hot week in August.


From my vantage point...
I watched others enjoying the water.
Most rode on top...
or played on the beach...
though some didn't mind a refreshing cool dip!

While I watched people...
the birds watched me.
It seemed they were hoping for hand-outs!


Not far from Scotch Creek is Copper Island...
accessible only by boat.
We watched a houseboat making its way around the island...


...and recalled our own houseboat adventure on Shuswap Lake more than twenty years ago.
We went with friends...
and though the weather was less than ideal...
the kids had a great time!
Shuswap Lake is known as the 'houseboat capital' of Canada.

For the most part I read books.
Or stared out to sea.
All that from the comfort of my beach chair!



The Texans seemed not to be all that interested in sitting in the sun!
I smiled to see Bev, Len and Ricky at a table in the shade.
It seems Len likes to read standing up.
As for Ricky...
he only sits down to eat and sleep.
He stood on the beach for hours...
never saying a word.



All good things must come to an end.

Once again...
it was a good time at Scotch Creek.
Thanks Dot...
for the invite!


11 comments:

  1. Looks so nice! Amazing how quiet it was, would have been so lovely & relaxing. I also remember that houseboat trip - I'm still sorry about the car :/ But I had a BLAST until then, haha :)

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    1. As I recall, you survived the houseboat just fine...and then got carsick on the way home. No worries. We sold the car:) What I mostly remember is that it was very cold.

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  2. Your nephews found a comfortable spot...one that isn't found too often in the summer heat of Texas.

    Why was it so quiet? I'd have a hard time figuring that out, too. Because it is one beautiful spot and probably one of the coolest places on a hot day in August.

    Houseboats...wow...that one is like the Taj Mahal of houseboats. I've always had romantic thoughts of spending time on a houseboat. Your quip makes me think that it wasn't as wonderful as one might imagine.

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  3. What a beautiful spot...the houseboat capital of Canada! Glad you were able to sit and read...

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  4. Do you know...we've never ever camped at Shuswap. It is something I hear about every summer and somehow we have never made it quite that far. I can well imagine that those who take sunshine forgranted would not have appreciated our soaring temps last week. I was in the shade myself.

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  5. Scotch Creek looks very picturesque with those blue mountains in the distance! I imagine my beaches will be like like this when I am living in Colorado. It;s nice you had some quiet time with your sisters and their families, Judy!

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  6. That looks like a beautiful place to camp! BC is so gorgeous.....glad you had a nice relaxing weekend!

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  7. We've always admired Shuswap Lake as we zoom by it. Perhaps some day we'll stop there. We'll be zooming by it again on Wednesday as we drive to the ferry.

    Looks like you had a wonderful time there - sitting and reading on the beach sounds like just my style!

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  8. This looks like a great trip, thanks for sharing your photos, such a beautiful place to visit.

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  9. Ah, we spent last week in the Shuswap too! Blind Bay, which, if I'm correct is across the lake from Scotch Creek!
    Temperatures were perfect there, huh?

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  10. First of all, I cannot believe how many of your fun posts that I missed while I was busy helping my daughter in another state. I have a few extra minutes and I am thrilled to catch up.

    This is yet another gorgeous park! I felt the peacefulness of the park as you were riding through the trails in the early morning hours. I prefer your way of relaxing in sitting versus standing when I read or think.

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson