Taxi boats transporting stranded Highway 97 commuters on Okanagan Lake

With Highway 97 closed indefinitely between Peachland and Summerland, and detours that can add at least an hour to the commute from Kelowna to Penticton, residents and visitors are taking advantage of boats providing a taxi service on Okanagan Lake.

Calvin Barr at Luxury Lake Tours told INFOnews.ca the company was recently begged by a local bride to transport her stranded wedding party from Kelowna.

“We had a group reach out to us and had a little over 40 people who were in Kelowna that needed to be taken down to Oak Estates Winery,” Barr said. “So we’re moving all those wedding guests today and then tonight we’re bringing them back. And then Sunday there’s another group for the same winery and there’s… 24 people we’re moving. The same kind of scenario.”

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After numerous requests, Luxury Lake Tours has started offering taxi boat service from Peachland to Summerland.

The company is taking out one to two boats a day, leaving Peachland at 6.30 a.m. and 8 a.m. They will be transporting people for $50 one way and $75 return and even offering some services to Kelowna.

“We do have a number of commuters that have requested to get service,” Barr said.

Although they are able to help people on a short-term basis, Barr said taxi boats are not a long-term solution.

“They need to fix this highway. While the weather is nice, it’s OK, we can do this. But you know, if the weather gets bad we can’t,” he said. “So, we are interested in helping people on the short term but a longer-term solution… they need to fix the highway.”

READ MORE: Rough roads around Summerland slide could be needed for some time to come

On Tuesday, Sept. 5, Hoodoo Adventures will also offer a taxi boat out of Penticton, taking passengers all the way up the Okanagan to Kelowna. The journey takes around two and a half hours and will cost $105 per person.

This is a new service from Hoodoo Adventures in response to demand from the highway closure.

You can find out more about Luxury Lake Tours by visiting their website here.

You can also find out about Hoodoo Adventures by visiting their website here.

For the latest on the Highway 97 closure, go to DriveBC here.

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