It was rubber-bumper to rubber-bumper traffic at times on the Slocan River over the BC Day long weekend.
From solo paddle boarders to party flotillas linking inflatable rafts together, thousands of people took to the lazy Kootenay river to cool off from the 30-plus degree temperatures.
Only a few feet deep for much of its 60-kilometer length, the Slocan has become a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.
“It’s been a good summer, last month we were slammed with courses and trips,” says Cliron Fombuena, a worker at Endless Adventures, a Slocan river touring company. “We had such a good reaction to our youth academy courses we even added an extra course this week.”
Fombuena says business seems to be slowing down a bit now, with only a few weeks left in summer vacation. However, with temperatures expected to remain in the 30s for the next few days, the river will likely have at least one or two more weekend of high traffic. Be careful on the water!