Spotted Lake near Osoyoos
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Devon Quinton
August 21, 2022 - 12:00 PM
- This story was first published Aug. 20, 2022
A sacred lake in the South Okanagan is being viewed a little differently thanks to the help of a drone.
Summerland locals Kathi and Devon Quinton stopped at the lake this summer, Aug. 14. It can only normally be viewed only from the highway but Devon was able to capture stunning images using a drone to get a bird’s eye view of the lake.
Kathi’s Facebook post of the mesmerizing lake gathered more than 150 reactions and comments from others sharing their own photos.
Spotted Lake near Osoyoos
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Devon Quinton
Spotted Lake, located in the Richter Pass west of Osoyoos, is considered a sacred mineral lake by the Okanagan Nation and has been considered a revered place for healing for centuries by some First Nations.
It is a unique natural formation, a lake rich in minerals including calcium, sodium sulfates and magnesium sulfate.
The spots form on the lake in the summer when evaporation concentrates the minerals, according to the British Columbia visitor centre.
READ MORE: Spotted Lake near Osoyoos grabs international attention
The concentrated minerals form visible spots that shift in size and colour as the concentrations change with blue, green or yellow hues.
A 56-acre plot of land surrounding the lake was returned to local First Nations in 2001 and is now part of Osoyoos Indian Band. First Nations beliefs are that each different circle holds its own unique medicinal and healing properties.
Known as “klilxw," Okanagan elders and chiefs met in 1979 and put together a statement of Okanagan tribal chiefs that reflected native thoughts and feelings about the lake, the Okanagan Nation Alliance says on its web page.
Ceremonial cairns too numerous to count were erected around the lake, signifying the many healing visits made by natives. Many have sunken into the soil, leaving only the tops visible.
Spotted Lake near Osoyoos
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Devon Quinton
More recent history involves Chinese labourers who extracted a ton of mineral a day from the lake during a period of time in World War 1. The minerals were shipped to Eastern Canada to make ammunition.
The best season to see the lake’s unique spots is in summer as the water begins to evaporate and leaves briny pools behind.
Access to Spotted Lake, which is just off Highway 3, is monitored by the Okanagan Nation Alliance. Permission should be sought by contacting the Okanagan Nation Alliance before visiting the lake.
The Okanagan Nation Alliance and Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie could not be reached for comment by the time of this publication.
READ MORE: Sacred and revered by local First Nations, Spotted Lake is a natural wonder
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