From Childhood Dreams to the Real Thing: Houseboating on Shasta Lake
Written: Feb 23 '04 (Updated Apr 25 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Escape from the city, stunning views, ultimate relaxation
Cons: Can get pricey, some concerns for safety
The Bottom Line: Relax amongst the splendors of nature and enjoy fishing, reading, swimming, or just lounging!
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| smiles33's Full Review: Shasta Lake |
When I was a young child, my brother and I would play “houseboat” by molding our blankets into a railing around the edge of a bed, propping up a pillow as the steering wheel, and then “driving” our stuffed animals around on our houseboat/bed. While we took turns driving, the other one would “fish” off the boat. Ah, what a carefree and lovely childhood memory!
Fast forward to February of 2001, when I was a third-year law student and my now-husband brace33 was a stressed-out Orthodontics resident. After one of his fellow residents mentioned houseboating up at Shasta Lake in northern California, I immediately set about researching our options and booked a trip for us to decompress and slow things down. Three trips later (with 2 more scheduled in the upcoming 4 months), houseboating has become a steadfast tradition in our new family.
Nature at its best
Boasting views of Mt. Shasta & Mt. Lassen, Shasta Lake is surrounded by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It is truly a gorgeous escape from the city featuring astounding landscapes that greet you from every direction: snow-capped mountains on one side, lush green forests on another, red clay shoreline rising up to greet you, and bold blue waters gently lapping at the hull.
Three rivers feed the lake, Sacramento River, McCloud River, and the Pit River, and each are referred to as an arm of the lake. There is a fourth arm of the lake, the Squaw Creek arm, which we have yet to fully explore.
And while we have never seen it, Shasta Dam is the second largest and tallest concrete dam in the United States. It was constructed between 1935 and 1945, and the lake was filled in 1948.
As the largest man-made reservoir in California, Shasta Lake sits behind Shasta Dam and has plenty for travelers (particularly houseboaters) to do and see. I found varying facts on different websites, but the official Forest Service site states that it has 370 miles of shoreline. There are numerous little coves one can dock at for an afternoon picnic or to set up for the evening. We don’t explore too far from the water’s edge, as we’ve seen bear tracks and other wildlife. Some of the deer are even “domesticated” as they came all the way up to the railing of our houseboat (which was a bit frightening the first time for a city girl like me). The joy of discovering new coves each day is part of the fun of houseboating.
No computer and no TV, so what’s a girl to do?
Both brace33 and I tend to be Type-A people who push themselves in fast-paced work schedules. In our off-time, you often find us in front of our computers or the TV. So it was with some hesitation that I booked our first houseboating trip. What would we do? No computers to surf the net or play computer games and no TV to watch sports or sitcoms? Our solution was to load up on books, which we both love but rarely stop to read while at home.
After we arrived and checked in that first trip, brace33 learned that Shasta Lake is world renowned for its excellent bass fishing. So with that, he bought a cheap beginner-level fishing pole and launched into what is now a very expensive hobby (his newest baitcaster reel and a new rod cost several hundred dollars!). Over the past few trips to Shasta Lake, he has fished for bass, trout, catfish, and crappie. I found a website that claims the lake also has sturgeon, though neither my husband nor I had ever heard of that.
So that took care of him, as he basically fishes the entire trip out. During the day when we’re docked in a cove, he takes out his small inflatable fishing boat (Sea Eagle makes a sturdy boat that is safer than it sounds!). When we’re moving between places and I’m sober enough to drive (hee hee, cold beers on a hot day is another fun pastime), he likes to troll for fish. And at night, he sets up his catfish lures.
As for me, I find sleeping at all hours of the day quite enjoyable, interspersed with reading good books, soaking up some sun (with plenty of sun block applied), and lounging in the water on my floating lounger. And enjoying cold beers with fresh homemade salsa and chips helps the time go by fast as well.
Besides houseboating and fishing, other activities one can enjoy include hiking, camping at numerous campgrounds (even at “boat-access only” campgrounds which are obviously more secluded), waterskiing (which is not as common in the off-season when we frequently visit) or using personal watercraft (Seadoos are very popular).
Details on renting the houseboats
There are 10 marinas throughout the lake area, though we have only used Shasta Marina Resort out of O’Brien’s inlet on the Sacramento arm for both its location and because they used to offer the smaller 6 person houseboat (as of late 2003, they sold those and their smallest boat is now the 10 person). Most marinas offer houseboats that start at the 10 person capacity and go up to 16 beds.
Rates for all houseboats vary according to high season, value season and off-season (boats are available year-round). For example, renting the 6 person boat for 3 nights can range from a low of $585 to a high of $1160 in the summer at Holiday Harbor Marina this year. Temperatures range from an average low of 35 in the winter to a high of 98 in the summer.
Our first trip was in March 2001 for a 3 night trip for $375, which I believe was the winter rate. We have also gone in the late summer (when the lake was much noisier and busier, not to mention far more expensive) and we much prefer late Spring or early Fall when the lake is less crowded and the temperature is mild. We book early (sometimes more than 6 months ahead) to get the last week before the price goes up since the weather is more ideal then.
The 6 person houseboat is spacious enough for 2, but would be a tight squeeze with even 4 adults. The one we used to rent from Shasta Marina was 41’ by 14’ (though this is the entire boat, including outdoor railing and BBQ area so the living space is smaller). It earned its 6 person capacity by converting bench seating into beds (“gaucho beds”). We’ve debated renting a 10 person houseboat for the 2 of us just to have more space to walk by each other and not feel so claustrophobic when the beds are pulled out. But the cost and the loss of maneuverability has meant we haven’t made the jump up in size yet.
We also brought our dog Scrappy on our last trip, since Shasta Marina allows dogs and doesn’t charge additional fees. For his late night walks on the shore, I brought a flashlight since it can be rocky and steep.
Boat amenities and things to consider
The boat is fairly simple to operate, though steering is not as intuitive since it takes a little while for the boat to react. Beginners are often seen weaving in an S-shape out of the marina, since one “panics” and keeps turning when the boat doesn’t immediately respond. I also recall a bit of fear one time when we couldn’t get the engine to start the next morning while we were in the middle of nowhere. I thought we had drained the battery, though we had gone to sleep at 7 pm right when it got dark so we wouldn’t have to use the lights. However, a quick cell phone call to the marina led us to discover we hadn’t properly shifted the gear into neutral.
A gas generator powers the lights and refrigerator and must be turned on every few hours when they are in use. The refrigerator doesn’t always do a good job of keeping food cold, particularly when it’s super hot outside. Thus, it helps to bring a big bag of ice to put in the huge ice chest out on the deck for beers and other items that are frequently used to minimize opening and closing the refrigerator. And since we were wary of using the lights too long (which can drain the battery), we brought our camping lanterns on our last trip for our long nights of reading and fishing. However, I think that’s just a case of us being overly cautious.
Most boats are equipped with a swim slide & ladder, refrigerator/freezer, range & oven, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, blender, gas barbeque, evaporative coolers and walk around decks. The boat we used to rent looked quite old though they had been cosmetically remodeled (between 20-30 years judging from the wallpaper design in the bathroom cabinet under the sink). The space can be tight, but it is usually noticed only when the beds are pulled out or while in the shower. Trying to wash hair results in at least one elbow hitting the wall or poking the shower curtain. And water inevitably gets past the shower curtain and drips all over the linoleum.
And a tip regarding the waterslide, which I’ve gone down a few times (except when we go in the early spring and it’s too cold to swim). I have to say, as embarrassing as it is, that it’s quite steep and the impact into the water caused my bikini top to fly up. Thus, if you go, I strongly suggest one-piece suits!
On a more serious note, there are some other concerns to address. Due to the sheer size of the lake, the isolation can be a bit frightening at times. On our most recent trip, late one evening around 11 pm, I suddenly heard 3 men's voices as I was walking Scrappy. Their boat appeared out of the darkness with a single strobe spotlight and one man called out to me because he could see my flashlight on the shoreline.
Apparently, they were fishermen who were lost and couldn't find their way back to the marina. Brace33 answered as well, so they would know I wasn't alone, but I tell you, I was frightened by the possibility that they could have had ulterior motives. As it was, they lingered within about 500 feet for another 20 minutes and I nervously watched until the spotlight disappeared. Other than our cell phones, which had limited reception, there is no other way of contacting someone for help.
The fancier houseboats have GPS systems and satellite TV, but our little 6 person boat is just a wooden hull. So that vulnerability at night can be a little scary for those accustomed to noise and easy access to authorities. The paranoid city girl in me is probably overreacting, but I thought I'd mention it.
On a more realistic note, there is also abundant wildlife and the aforementioned bear tracks caused us to abandon a beautiful cove with a waterfall.
Final thoughts
While I never considered myself an outdoorswoman, I just love our houseboat trips. The beauty of Lake Shasta, combined with a very leisurely lifestyle, just can’t be beat. Lately, we find that we would rather go off to Shasta than fly to New York City or other urban destination. However, we both have been considering New Orleans for a good year or so now. The food would be the main draw, though I have to say that my husband’s grilled steaks, homemade hamburgers and fresh fish dinners on our houseboat trips are quite tasty as well.
This June, we’ll be trying the Holiday Harbor Marina on the other side of the freeway from Shasta Marina on the McCloud River arm, since they still offer the 6 person boat. However, I noticed their 6 person boat is shorter (37’ instead of 41’) and doesn’t offer a waterslide. I’ll come back and update this epinion afterwards regarding Holiday Harbor’s boats.
We are also trying a new lake closer to home, Don Pedro, in April, so I might be writing an epinion on that experience as well.
FYI, while I believe families would have the most fun, since the quarters are a bit tight for groups of friends, I think it's appropriate for all ages/demographics. I have seen lots of college-age houseboaters (on Spring Break?), retired couples, and other young couples like ourselves on the lake. I also believe May to early June and September to early October are the best times to go, though I couldn't choose both on the options.
Hope you are intrigued and book your next vacation on a houseboat!
Edited 4/25/08 to add:
We continue to go on an annual houseboat trip and sometimes squeeze in two trips per year. Don Pedro was fine, but the mooing cows and roar of traffic meant it just wasn't as peaceful as our Lake Shasta houseboat trips.
We now exclusively book houseboat trips at Lake Shasta and use the Holiday Harbor Marina since we just want the economy model houseboats. Some of the other marinas at Lake Shasta specialize in the luxury boats with satellite TV and hot tubs and don't have basic houseboats at all.
Since I wrote this review, prices have increased. The basic 6 person boat at Holiday Harbor is $610 during the off-season. The basic 10 person Monarch houseboat is now $715 for 3 nights during the off-season. The off-season runs March 14 - June 19 and August 22 - November 15. Prices can double in the summer.
We have gone houseboating in the summer, but found the heat, the noise from recreational boaters/skiers, and the lack of privacy just unpleasant (and found it even more upsetting given the much higher cost of renting in the summer). The evaporative coolers are not as effective as home air conditioners, so we felt miserable when a heat wave hit.
We also went houseboating once in the winter when I was pregnant, as it was our last trip for almost 2 years. Brace33 fished in the snow (by that time he had upgraded from the inflatable to a real bass boat). The heater required a match to light it and the asbestos-lined filaments (looked like a cotton blanket that lit up red) was a bit scary, so I just buried deep in 3 blankets to stay warm.
Needless to say, we try to stick to moderate seasons like spring and fall now.
On our last trip in September 2007, we tried the 10 person boat since we brought our then 1.5 year old daughter and felt she needed more space to play on a 4 day trip. While this larger boat is more difficult to maneuver in narrow coves (a normal 3 point turn in a 6 person boat becomes a tight 6 point turn!), the added space inside was much more comfortable and meant we didn't feel as cooped up. There are two full-size bunk beds in the back that can stay open all day, so we didn't have to push the beds in each morning in order to walk through the cabin. Plus, it had a full bathtub and slightly larger bathroom.
On that same trip, we had a large brown bear CLIMB onto the houseboat around 5 am one morning to eat garbage from the can (which was bungee-corded shut) on the front deck. While we were quite scared that only a sliding glass door separated us from a 300+ pound bear, the bear ignored us completely and eventually left after an hour or so. I called 911 to see if we needed help but the local sheriff said just to wait him out and that it happens pretty frequently in the fall.
We plan to go back next week and hope to completely avoid close contact with all animal wildlife. Wish us luck!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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