Paddlers deserve some spots to themselves

There are so few primitive beaches on Lake Pend Oreille for kayakers or canoeists to paddle to for the day or to camp overnight on either the east side of the lake from Johnson Creek landing toward the Monarchs or from Talache Landing south to Maiden Rock. But now since Bonner County Waterways Department has put mooring buoys in front of every one of these primitive beaches for power boats, including sailboats, to tie up to, you can forget ever getting to enjoy these special places because you will be outcompeted.

Last week, a powerboat beat me by a few minutes after paddling for an hour to get to what I call Loon Beach on the east side. Yesterday on the other side of the lake every primitive beach except one was taken by the same. Bummer. Unfair to paddlers.

Power boaters can go anywhere on the lake, paddlers have fewer options, despite the fact that there are hundreds of us. As the author of the guidebook on Lake Pend Oreille, we paddlers need to speak out against all these new mooring buoys. Please join me in calling the county commissioners and the Marine Division of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and complain and ask that some of these buoys be removed or moved away from paddler-friendly beaches. Then tell your paddler friends to do the same.

Several years ago I and a few other paddlers attended Waterways meetings to get the one in front of what I call Loon Beach removed or moved. They wouldn’t, but fortunately the Lady of the Lake took care of it. It vanished over that winter. Until now.

Loon Beach is Woods Wheatcroft’s favorite beach to photograph for Sandpoint Magazine and the Reader including cover photos. It’s a sacred place as well, traditionally important to the Kalispel tribal women. Many women today even call it Sacred Women’s Beach.

But the county has no respect for paddlers. We’re a hassle to rescue and we don’t pay the state license fees. That attitude has to change. We deserve to enjoy these primitive spots. The county learned nothing from my and others involvement several years ago. We all have to resist and speak out against these buoys. Powerboaters, I’m sorry, but you have lots of choices. We have so few.

Please join me. Thanks.

JANE FRITZ

Sandpoint

Author of “Legendary Lake Pend Oreille”