CONSTRUCTION
The steam sternwheeler Kuskanook (Ktunaxa language for "end of lake") was constructed of wood in 1906 at the "new" Canadian Pacific Railway shipyard in Nelson, B.C. under the supervision of master builder James M. Bulger. The building of the Spokane International Railway in 1906, provided an entry for the CPR into Spokane from its line in southeastern British Columbia and prompted a general upgrading of service on this southern line. The commissioning of the Kuskanook enabled the CPR to provide speedier and more commodious passenger and express service on the Kootenay Lake link between Kootenay Landing and Nelson. Some thought had been given to employing steel in the construction of the hull and in utilizing compound cylinders and condensers in the machinery, but in the end the Kuskanook was built on the traditional lines of the Columbia River greyhounds. Her hull dimensions were 59.0 m (193.5 feet) by 9.4 m (30.9) by 2.1 m (7'). Above the main-deck were a saloon deck and a Texas deck running most of the length of the vessel. Surmounting the Texas deck was a roomy wheelhouse. Her capacity was rated at 1,008.19 gross tons, and 547.57 registered tons. Two horizontal high pressure cylinders of 55.9 cm (22 inches) diameter and 243.8 cm (96 inches) stroke working at 1241 kPa (180 psi) gave the vessel a rating of 32.3 nhp (560 ihp).

OPERATIONAL HISTORY
The Kuskanook proved to be a speedy and reliable vessel from the outset. She formally took over the Nelson to Kootenay Landing run on July 19, 1906. She was known as the "Crow" boat, as the service connected with the railway running east through the Crows Nest Pass. The large vessel was never as handy as the smaller sternwheelers in making awkward landings, but an extensive refitting in 1911 did assist in making her more maneuverable. In 1913, the larger sternwheeler Nasookin was commissioned to work the "Crow" run. The Kuskanook was maintained in top condition thereafter, however, as the "Crow" run was worked seven days a week, necessitating a 24-hour layover every four to six weeks for a boiler wash. The Kuskanook was not only able to maintain the speedy "Crow" run schedule as relief boat on layovers of the Nasookin, but she served in the summer as an excursion boat and additional freight and express vessel in the shipping of fruit.

Some time was also spent on the Nelson to Kaslo to Lardeau express run, alternating periods of lay-up with the sternwheeler Kokanee. A lengthy lay-up for the Nasookin in 1922 returned the Kuskanook to regular service on the "Crow" run. The old Kokanee was retired, leaving the Kuskanook as the sole regular boat on the Nelson-Kaslo-Lardeau run and as relief boat on the "Crow" run.

When it became necessary to haul the Nasookin up on the ways for major repairs to her hull plates several months after the retirement of the Kokanee, the remaining sternwheelers Kuskanook and Moyie were subjected to considerable pressure to maintain satisfactory standards of service. During the 1920's the Kuskanook remained a very popular excursion boat. With the development of highways, a diminishing amount of way freight was being handled by the sternwheeler Moyie so that this latter vessel was readily available to relieve the Kuskanook to work the more glamorous excursion and "Crow"run trade.

On July 13, 1925 as the Kuskanook was preparing for her morning run to Nelson, a water trap in the main steampipe burst, killing three crew members. On December 31, 1930, with the completion of the railway lake link on the west side of Kootenay Lake between Kootenay Landing and Procter, the Canadian Pacific Railway terminated fast sternwheeler service on its "Crow" and Nelson to Kaslo runs. The Kuskanook was worked on a way service between Crawford Bay, Procter, Kaslo and Lardeau for four months in 1931 until her certificate expired. The Kuskanook was stripped of her sternwheel, boiler, engines and fittings at the Nelson shipyard. Her great steering wheel was left intact in the pilot house.

In December, 1931 the hull was sold to Mr. A. D. Pochin, who moored her at the Nelson City Wharf. She was fitted out as the "Ship Hotel" in the hope of catching the summer tourist trade, but a combination of a depressed economy and a prevalence of bed bugs doomed this venture. For another couple of years, she was pushed by the Moyie up to Kokanee Landing on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake where her staterooms were used by campers unfazed by cockroaches and bed bugs. Each fall she would be moved back to the Nelson City wharf. On one such occasion, the Moyie with the Kuskanook lashed to her side, narrowly missed fouling the cable and colliding with the Nelson to Northshore cable ferry, an ironic situation, as no such near mishap had ever occurred during the two decades when both the cable ferry and the sternwheelers were active on the West Arm

DISPOSAL & SALVAGE
By 1936 the Kuskanook was so waterlogged that she was left at Kokanee Landing to settle and break her back. Her cabins were removed for use as cottages, while the hull was left to disintegrate.

SEARCH
While the location of this wreck has never been in question, until 1989 it was ignored by local divers as being too shallow to offer an interesting dive.

STATUS
The remains of the Kuskanook now rest at Kokanee Landing on Highway 3A some 20 kilometers east of the City of Nelson. The wreck site is a short 10-minute walk from nearby Kokanee Creek Provincial Campground. Access to the wreck is easily gained through a narrow right-of-way which runs at right angles to Kokanee Landing road. Twisted chain stays lying in the brambles about 30 meters above the lake’s high water mark are readily spotted as one walks 100 meters along the gently sloping path from Kokanee Landing road to the lakeshore.

During high water in the month of June the first visual sign of the wreck is about 5 meters off shore in 0.6 meters of water. This portion of the wreck lies amongst scattered large boulders on a silty bottom. The wreckage here consists of the two-dimensional portion of the bottom of the hull; the last 4 meters of the stern are either missing or buried in sediment. For the first 15 meters of visible wreckage, all that remains is the hull’s fire charred bottom, consisting of hull planks, 5.7 cm thick and the bottom portion of the frames only. Parts of the fixed keel (26.7 cm x 26.7 cm) are visible here also. At some point in time, this entire portion of the wreck appears to have been burned.

As one moves from stern to bow, at about fifteen meters along the keel the wreck takes on a distinctively three-dimensional aspect. At this point one sees intact frames, longitudinal timbers and hull planking covered with 5 mm thick iron hull sheeting. The frames are 17.0 cm wide on 51.0 centres. Attached to the keel and the frames is the centre keelson, 112 cm tall by 15 cm wide, made up of Douglas-fir timbers. On either side of the centre keelson lie the port and starboard keelsons. These keelsons consist of fir timbers varying in thickness from 15.2 cm to 27.9 cm pinned together. Further away from the keel are the port and starboard strength member stringers. The strength member stringers comprise two separate timbers lying beside each other, one a 22.9 cm wide by 38.1 cm tall timber and the other a 23.1 cm wide by 15.2 cm tall timber. Still further away from the keel, the starboard and port clamps are attached to the frames. The clamps consist of scarf jointed 24.3 cm wide by 61.0 cm high timbers. This section of the wreck lacks any deck beams or deck planking.

At about 45 meters along the keel to the bow of the wreck at 55 metres, deck beams, 20 cm wide x l0 cm thick on 51 cm centres and some deck planking, l.9 cm x l0.2 cm wear deck over 3.2 cm x 10.2 cm subdeck, sit on intact longitudinal timbers, frames and sheathed hull planking. No superstructure exists, but three companion ways (2 access hatches and one coal bin hatch) are located in the decking. In addition, fairleads and a towing bitt can be seen on the bow.

The wreck contains numerous other interesting objects within its confines. Evidence of portions of the hog support system (hog chains, turnbuckles and wear plates) can be seen, Near midship a vertical iron pipe, 30.5 cm diameter, is connected to the hull; partially attached to the pipe is an iron cover, 48 cm diameter. The function of the pipe is unknown. Another interesting item in the bow portion of the ship is an iron pipe 30.5 cm diameter which runs at right angles from the starboard keelson to the outside of the hull, dipping from the top of the pipe to bottom or an angle of approximately 45 degrees from vertical. This pipe may have been used as an ash dump.

ACCESS/DIVING
The Kuskanook can be accessed from shore, off Kokanee Landing Road. A government right of way exists between the houses but please respect the private property on all sides. At low water the vessel will be completely exposed for half its length and at that time it can be easily snorkeled. At other times of the year a tank is worthwhile. Visibility is best in the spring.

CONCLUSIONS
The Kuskanook is a well preserved sternwheeler wreck and likely is the largest wooden hulled vessel of its kind known in Western Canada. It offers the curious much to look at and is recommended to either the novice snorkeler or the experienced diver as a worthwhile way of spending an afternoon.