SS Sicamous

In the early part of the 20^th century, travel was definitely more difficult then it is now.  Few quick modes of transportation existed on the even fewer roadways.

 The interior of BC was no exception.  The most notable link to the coastal communities was the railway.

 The Canadian Pacific Railway built the steamship the SS Sicamous for just that purpose.  Launched in May of 1914, she proved a vital connection between communities that surrounded the Okanagan Lake.

 

Each day the Sicamous sailed 120 km from Penticton to the north end of the lake at Okanagan Landing, where the C.P.R. branch connected with the main rail line.  She also stopped at the smaller towns along the lake.  Each night she returned to Penticton.

The Sicamous changed the way things moved through the Okanagan for both people and products.  She helped to influence the lives of those in the Okanagan from 1914 to 1936 when she was decommissioned when travel across the water exceedingly slowed due to improved rail and roadways.

   

     Her daily journey across the lake moved people as well as fruit, vegetables, lumber and included a daily mail run.  All of which helped to connect the smaller surrounding communities to larger cities. 

 The SS Sicamous was designed with elaborate first class accommodations and a large cargo hold for multipurpose voyages across the lake.

 She was a shallow draft hull with stern wheel propulsion to allow shallow and beach landings.  This required less extensive wharf systems and allowed for the servicing of the smaller communities surrounding Okanagan Lake. 

 With master builder James Bulger at the helm, her construction started in 1913 with a crew of 150 men.  Her parts were transported by rail from Ontario to BC.

 She consisted of a mix of cedar, fir, teak and mahogany wood and a steel hull divided into 20 watertight compartments.  With electricity, running water, steam heat and a state of the art propulsion system, she boasted 4 decks of cargo, crew and passenger room.  Her measurements were approximately 200 x 40 x 8 feet.  She could carry 260 passengers and move at speeds of 17-18 knots. Her 4 decks were moved along the lake by the 24 x 19 foot paddlewheel.

 She was named after the town of Sicamous and the junction where the CPR met the Okanagan railway.

 With her first Captain, George L. Estabrooks she made her way on her daily route from her home port in Penticton.  She made 14 stops between Penticton and Okanagan Landing daily.  She made her way out at 5:30 a.m. and made her nightly return at 8:00 p.m.  Each day she had a midday ritual of refuelling the 17-ton a day coal supply.

The A deck (the lowest level) housed the crew quarters and laboratory, cargo, engine and boiler rooms.  Jet condensers recycled the excess steam back into water to be reused by the boiler – helping reduce the chore of siphoning water from the lake.   

 Passengers would enter on either side of the ship via staircases that led to the 2^nd or B deck.  This deck included the Men’s Smoking Salon at the bow, the dining rooms at mid ship, the cabins, staterooms and the Ladies Stern Salon.  There was also a magnificent mahogany staircase leading to Deck C.  The bow of the ship (on B deck) housed the Men’s Smoking Salon and the Purser’s office.  The Purser’s office is where passengers purchased tickets, rented staterooms and had luggage check-ins.  The cost of a trip aboard the Sicamous ranged from $1.50 for a day trip to $2.75 for a stateroom overnight stay.

 The C Deck contained the Ladies Observation Lounge, cabins, staterooms and stocks gallery.  Above this was the Texas deck that housed the Captain’s and Officers rooms and where access to the pilothouse was located.

 When the lake traffic began to die off in the 1930’s, the SS Sicamous, after 22 years of service, went through some significant changes to her appearance and use.  The Texas deck and much of her C deck were removed and her deck head was lowered onto the dining deck so that she could function as a freight vessel.  But this venture proved too expensive and unsatisfactory for the CPR and she was retired in 1936 and was tied up at Okanagan Shipyards.

In 1949, the city of Penticton purchased the vessel from the CPR.  She was moved to her current home at the southwest end of Okanagan Lake in 1951.  For many years after, she served many purposes for the social events and activities of local people.  But no consideration was ever given to her historic value.

 In 1988, the mayor of Penticton appointed a committee to oversee possible restoration of this historic beauty.  She is still currently a work I progress as eventual restorations to her Texas and Galley decks sometime to come as funding becomes available.

 Written by KE Heaton