MV ''Aricia'' was a ferry that operated on
Okanagan Lake
Okanagan Lake ( oka, kɬúsxÌŒnÃtkw) is a lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake is long, between wide, and has a surface area of 348 km2 (135 sq. mi.).
Hydrography
Okanagan Lake is called a fjord lake as i ...
in
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. She was built in 1912 by J. Y. Campbell and was also known as the Kelowna-Westbank ferry (not to be confused with the
1927 ferry by the same name), because she served the communities of
Kelowna
Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna derives from the Okanagan word ''kiÊ ...
and
Westbank, British Columbia
Westbank is one of the communities within the City of West Kelowna in the province of British Columbia. It is 12 km to the west of Kelowna. Other communities in West Kelowna include Casa Loma, West Kelowna Estates, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek ...
.
Description
''Aricia'' was the fifth ferry on the lake and had a passenger cabin, engine room, pilothouse, and life boat, and a stable was built on the west side of the lake for the public to use while waiting, including a feed locker for horses. All in all, she was the best-equipped ferry by far. In 1921, a scow with a capacity of eight cars was built and ''Aricia'' towed it across the lake.
Career
In 1916, Captain Len A. Hayman bought her and piloted her for many years, operating on alternate years between Kelowna and Westbank.
A colorful event in ''Aricias career occurred on a dark night in 1924. A headwind started up when Hayman was leaving Kelowna with six cars and nineteen passengers. A strong gale hit without warning near Westbank and ''Aricia'' hit the rocks. The gas line broke and passengers panicked before the life boat was lowered. The passengers and cars landed safely on the wharf only one hour and thirty minutes later than scheduled. The next day, ''Aricia'' was bailed out and sent to the shipyard at
Okanagan Landing
Okanagan Landing was an unincorporated settlement and steamboat port at the north end of Okanagan Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. Located southwest of the city of Vernon, it was the terminus station for the Shuswap and Okanaga ...
for repairs.
See also
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References
{{reflist
History of the Okanagan
1912 ships