Sometimes life throws you lemons, while other times, sumptuous summer strawberries. Here is the latter, an excellent adventure aboard a comfortable and cozy houseboat along the scenic Winnipeg River. With summer upon us, so is the season of the houseboat.
A splash of inspiration pour vous, whether or not you’ve experienced adventures aboard a houseboat. If you’ve thought what family life on the water might look like, but feel it slightly daunting, not knowing where to begin or what the weather conditions may bring, a houseboat adventure is a good place to dip your toes, get your feet a little wet, so to speak.
With that, I bring you a guest post from our most excellent pals living over yonder in ye olde Manitoba. Thanks to Alicia for your inspiring words, Eric for capturing the moments, and to Emi and Everett for soaking up that hammock!
A Family Adventure We Won’t Soon Forget: Houseboating on the Winnipeg River
Some of the best family memories are the ones you never quite expect.
At the end of May, we went on a family adventure aboard a Voyageur Houseboat on the Winnipeg River. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperating (we got plenty of rain and cooler temperatures), but we wouldn’t have changed a thing. In fact, we discovered that there is something very special about a cozy, off-season adventure with your family.
Living in Pinawa for the past five years, we’ve come to appreciate life on the Winnipeg River. For my husband, though, these waters have been part of his life since he was a kid. He grew up spending summers at his family cottage in Pointe du Bois, exploring the river and later working as a fishing guide. We’ve spent many days boating and sailing as a family, but experiencing the river from a houseboat gave us a whole new perspective.
The thing I loved most about the experience was how easy and stress-free it was. Being an outdoorsy family, we are used to canoeing into the wilderness and packing all our food and lightweight gear over portages – and while we love doing this, there is a lot of work involved. What was so different was that this trip was completely guided, and everything was thoughtfully set up for us, from the cozy hammock on the front deck to the perfect spots to anchor and spend the night. The adventure also included kayaks so that we could set off and do some exploring ourselves. While it felt a bit strange at first (mainly for Eric) we very quickly got used to just sitting back and enjoying all the extra time we had available to us by not having to do the work.
Our kids, ages 9 and 11, embraced houseboat life immediately. The front hammock quickly became their favourite place to relax (and a spot to fight over – I’m sure many parents can relate;). And, of course, the bunk beds were instantly a source of entertainment (luckily there was some agreement there!). Every night felt like a fun sleepover peacefully floating on the water.
The rain didn’t slow us down (we always pack our rain gear!). We played games, got out for a hike, and relaxed in the comfort of our floating cabin. One evening, we paddled over to Otter Falls Resort for a delicious supper and ice cream – a definite highlight of the trip.
As parents, we often feel pressure to fill vacations with activities and schedules, but this trip reminded me that a great getaway doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the things I appreciated most was how little planning was required. The houseboat came stocked with a lot of great stuff. A fully equipped kitchen, a bbq, up to 4 kayaks, binoculars, towels, a hot shower, to name a few! The dry composting toilet turned out to be surprisingly smell-free and became a fun science lesson for our kids (haha). Everything was thoughtfully designed, so we could spend less time organizing and more time enjoying ourselves!
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