Gunnar Slack believes it was an act of nature that sent the Wanda Sue down the river and into the docks of two neighbouring homes.

Neighbours on Thompson Drive in Valleyview believe it91裸聊视频檚 a sign the replica sternwheeler needs to be removed from the river 91裸聊视频� and proof Slack owes them tens of thousands of dollars in compensation for the damage it caused.

According to Slack and neighbour Marlene Crowther, the trouble began in early February, when packed ice created a jam on the South Thompson River, building up pressure behind the Wanda Sue.

Depending on the story told, the boat either broke loose from its moorings or was pushed off them by ice and water. From there, it moved down the river, crashing into two neighbouring docks and, neighbours say, damaging the dike behind their homes.

Jai Hartnell, one of two homeowners whose docks provided a resting place for the Wanda Sue, said the boat and its own still-attached dock snagged on his pilings before taking out his dock.

91裸聊视频淚t smashed right through it,91裸聊视频� he said.

Hartnell said the boat91裸聊视频檚 presence also forced more river water toward the dike, carving into the soil and creating pockets that could have collapsed the top side of the structure. He said the erosion then took out a set of stairs leading down to the water. He estimates damage to his property at about $20,000.

Arlee Harvey, whose dock was the second to meet the Wanda Sue, said her property suffered another $13,000 in damages.

The two say they want compensation. They also want to see the Wanda Sue removed from the water so it won91裸聊视频檛 cause more damage.

91裸聊视频淚f this boat wasn91裸聊视频檛 here, none of this would have happened,91裸聊视频� Harvey said.

Not so, argued Slack.

While his neighbours allege the boat wasn91裸聊视频檛 properly secured, Slack said he has moored the vessel at his home for nearly 40 years without issue. But, he said, it couldn91裸聊视频檛 hold up to the extreme force of the ice, which he called an 91裸聊视频渁ct of nature.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he ice kept building up in front of the boat and the water was just boiling,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚f a person had gone into the water in front of that, they weren91裸聊视频檛 coming out. You wouldn91裸聊视频檛 believe the force.91裸聊视频�

Nor does Slack believe the damage would have been lessened if the boat wasn91裸聊视频檛 on the river.

91裸聊视频淲hat people don91裸聊视频檛 seem to realize is had the Wanda Sue not been there and had my wharf not been there, those two wharves weren91裸聊视频檛 going to stay,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey were right in the channel and the packed ice would have come up against them.91裸聊视频�

Slack also told reporters he believes the boat protected the bank from further erosion, rather than adding to the problem.

The City of Kamloops is in the process of repairing a portion of the dike behind the Slack, Harvey and Hartnell properties. Public works director Jen Fretz said damage to the dike was bad enough to be considered an 91裸聊视频渋mminent danger91裸聊视频� by the province.

While the property isn91裸聊视频檛 technically the city91裸聊视频檚 responsibility, Fretz said it is involved in the work so provincial emergency funding can be used.

For the moment, the sternwheeler is moored on Crowther91裸聊视频檚 pilings, but she said she wants it gone as well because Slack doesn91裸聊视频檛 have insurance 91裸聊视频� another point of frustration for Harvey and Hartnell.

Slack said he has no plans to pull the Wanda Sue out of the water. Instead, he said he is planning to bring the boat out of its more than 10-year retirement.

Slack91裸聊视频檚 father, George, built the boat as a retirement project, which offered river tours for 20 years before it was docked in 2004 after an unsuccessful summer touring in the Shuswap.

A KTW story from 2007 reports the family was attempting to sell the boat. Now that he91裸聊视频檚 retired, Slack said he plans to start up the touring business again instead, though he added that91裸聊视频檚 likely some time off yet.

91裸聊视频淚 think there91裸聊视频檚 a lot of folks in Kamloops that would be very sad to see it go, especially with it looking like it might be resurrected again as a commercial venture,91裸聊视频� he said.