Sandpoint, ID

We have lived in Sandpoint for almost eight years, and we have never taken a boat tour on the lake! We decided to remedy that recently when my parents came up for a weekend visit. We opted for the historical/geographical tour on the Shawnodese. This was a perfect (hot) afternoon activity!

We boarded the Shawnodese at 2:!5 pm down at City Beach. The boat was full to capacity, so we launched just a little before the regularly scheduled departure time of 2:30. Leaving City Beach behind, we headed towards Gold Mountain then followed the shoreline out to Contest Point. During this leg of the tour, First Mate Linda made introductions of herself, the Captain, and the Second Mate, a fluffy little white dog named Willie. Linda also announced a contest: the first person to spot a bald eagle would win a prize. It didn’t take long before the first eagle was spotted, high up in a tree along the shore.

Once we reached Contest Point, the Captain turned the boat eastward across the lake. We sat on the top deck and enjoyed the views of Schweitzer, the Green Monarchs, the Cabinets, and Scotchman Peak. As we turned to head towards Kootenai Bay, Linda began her presentation of the history of the lake and Sandpoint. This was probably the most enjoyable part of the tour. Linda did a great job! I was so impressed with all the information and facts she knew right off the top of her head. She covered everything: pointing out geographical features, explaining Lake Missoula and the Clark Fork ice dam, describing the early settlements of Hope and Sandpoint, as well as providing facts about the lake and present-day Sandpoint.

At the end of her presentation, Linda invited all children on board the boat into the wheelhouse to participate in “Captain of the Day.” Each child was given the opportunity to steer the 43-foot boat! Boy, were those kids excited! Each “captain” was awarded a certificate and had their photo taken for the Shawnodese website.

And with that, the Captain steered the Coast Guard certified vessel back to the dock, landing us sharply at 4 pm.

I think if you are new to the area, don’t know much about the area, or have out-of-town guests, this is the perfect thing to do. Seeing the sights from the lake really puts into perspective how big our beautiful lake is. And we learned things about our area that we didn’t know (like the lake monster!).

The Shawnodese is available for the Daily History Lake Tour Monday through Saturday, from 2:30 to 4 pm (June 12th – September 13th). Cost is as follows: $18 per person, $17 per person 60 and older, ages 3-12 are $13, and children under 2 are free.

There is more information (including descriptions of other tours) on their website at http://www.lakependoreillecruises.com

Tips:
* Reservations are not necessary, but I made them and it was really convenient to not have to worry about arriving with enough time to spare.

* Also, I paid ahead and that was convenient.

* Do try to get there early to get in the boarding line so you can get seats on the top deck, which is shaded.

* Bring binoculars! We didn’t and wished we had!

* There is no outside food or drink allowed on the boat (although it was fine to bring my toddler’s sippy cup), but refreshments are available for purchase.

* There are life jackets on board, but I brought my daughter’s just because it fits her better than what was on board.

Directions:
Head into City Beach, and turn right. Head to the boat launch and marina area. You will see the Shawnodese docked right next to the boat launch, and there is a big sign as well. There is plenty of parking at the City Beach, but you may have to walk a distance.