Boating

Marina proposal on Sugar Lake has locals asking questions

CHERRYVILLE - Concerns are brewing around a marina proposal and what it will mean for Sugar Lake. Sugar Lake Developments Ltd. has applied to the province for permission to replace an existing wooden dock with a new 30-slip marina on Sugar Lake, just north of Cherryville. The proposal has some locals fearing impacts on the...

Despite a spike in water-related deaths, drownings down overall

VERNON - A number of water-related deaths in the Thompson-Okanagan over the past month have brought the topic to the forefront of many people’s minds, but the province’s Lifesaving Society says the number of drowning deaths is actually down considerably so far this year. Just this past weekend, a 27-year-old man was critically injured while...

Mixed views on proposed Shuswap River boating restrictions

VERNON - There’s been plenty of interest in proposed boating regulations on the Shuswap River, though it's still to early to tell which side of the debate the majority lands on. The North Okanagan Regional District has so far received 1,065 electronic surveys, plus 118 paper copies submitted in response to the proposed changes, which...

Midnight boat crash on Kal Lake

VERNON - Two people were left with serious injuries following a midnight boat crash on Kalamalka Lake yesterday, July 9. Two boats were heard heading out just before midnight and a short time later a resident called 9-1-1 when they thought they heard the boats collide. RCMP quickly responded and located a boat owner able...

Voluntary boat check program hitting the water in Vernon

VERNON - Starting this weekend you will be able to ensure your boat meets necessary safety standards through a voluntary pre-check program offered by RCMP volunteers. The Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP Marine Unit will start a voluntary vessel safety pre-check at the Paddlewheel Park boat launch on July 11. The aim is to help speed up...

Proposed Shuswap River boating restrictions meet stiff opposition from locals

“I CAN TELL YOU, BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS ARE GOING TO GO OUT SCREAMING LIKE A LION” ENDERBY - Proposed boating restrictions on the Shuswap River face fierce opposition, says a local Grindrod resident and waterfront property owner. Sherri DeCorby has lived on the river for the last 10 years and uses it for...

Vernon man falls off boat after losing balance and hits propeller

VERNON - Police are looking into what role alcohol may have played in a weekend boating accident which left a Vernon man badly injured — and they’re not investigating the driver of the boat. Police believe a 21-year-old Vernon man who fell off the bow of a boat and struck the propeller might have been...

Proposed regulations could see motorized boats disappear from the Shuswap River

SHUSWAP - Proposed regulations could mean the end for motorized boats on much of the Shuswap River.  The reasoning behind the proposal is environmental degradation and the safety of other river users, such as tubers, swimmers and kayakers, says the North Okanagan Regional District’s sustainability coordinator Anna Page.  The proposed regulations would ban motorized boats...