IG News Updates,
For all of British Columbia’s Thousand Lakes, the last two lakes chosen by thousands of voters as the best in the province are remarkably similar.
They are both lakes that are not particularly circular, but spread across four distinct sides.
They’re both next to a highway, with the largest community nearby—about 20,000 people—but larger cities less than two hours away.
This means it is easy for people from all over the region to enjoy the lake every summer for family camping trips or for pleasures such as a dip in the water.
Plus, the curved sides also allow people to board the boat and find an area that feels cut off from the rest of the world.
People can rent a houseboat at any one of these. They both start with the letter “S”.
But which lake is the best in British Columbia – Shuswap or Sprott?
It’s up to you to decide.
case of shuswap
A lake that defines the entire area of ​​the province, Lake Shuswap exceeds the size and reach of the Sproate – both in terms of the number of people living nearby, and the length of its arms extending into the forest.
“With a lake the size of the Shuswap, we can kind of accommodate everyone,” said Roger Parenteau of the Shuswap Community Foundation.
“There are secluded beaches, there are large public beaches… If meeting people is what you like, you can do that, if quiet solitude is what you like, you can find a beach that has no one on it.” Don’t be. It can be everything to everyone.”
Add ample hiking trails and the thousands of people who come on houseboats to the water each year, and it’s easy to see why Shuswap has fared so well against the competition.
- Closest Communities: Salmon Arm/Sicemus/Several other small towns.
- Height: 347 meters above sea level.
- Maximum depth: 171 m.
- En route to the Final Four: Defeated Lakes Lake 83-17%, Christina Lake 54-46%, Emerald Lake 60-40% and Kalamalka Lake 52-48%.
the sprot case
Of course, Sprott has a similar profile on Vancouver Island, although its focus is a bit more towards fishing than houseboating.
But with fewer communities in Sproote — and Highway 4 bringing in fewer tourists each year than Shuswap’s Highway 1 — there’s a bit more of a quiet, homely feel. And perhaps because of wildfires near Lake Cameron this summer that have shut down most traffic, Port Alberti residents have rallied behind the competition in a way that hasn’t been seen for most other lakes.
“You know most of your neighbors. Growing up, we always had kids around the lake and our boat and my dad used to keep them awake all day,” said Marlena Locke, chief of the Sprott Lakes Marine Patrol.
“That’s how it is at Sprout Lake. Everyone is taking care of each other.”
- Closest Community: Port Alberni.
- Height: 34 meters above sea level.
- Maximum depth: 195 m.
- En route to Final Four: beat Thetis Lake 60-40%, Comox 64-36%, Cowichan Lake 55-45% and Garibaldi Lake 57-43%.
Voting will be open till 10 pm on Wednesday. The winner will be announced on Friday, and we’ll be ready to talk about what makes it so special.
Until then, happy voting.
(If your click doesn’t appear to register, click here to vote instead)
