Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Now that the threat of high water is past, it's pretty much business as usual at the Penticton Yacht Club.

The sandbags that ringed the club on Okanagan Lake are gone and visitors are returning.

"It was very trying for everybody including management, staff and the board of directors," said marina manager Gary Stene, of the flood risk. "But business is picking up for sure."

Board members started working in May to protect the facility as water started rising.

Work parties piled sandbags around the club, with repair work done on the breakwater through the provincial government approving $110,000 in emergency funding.

The gas dock was reopened at the end of June after being shut down since May, the sandbags have been removed, and they just finally opened up their second boat launch.

They had a few visitor cancellations early on due to high water and smoke but they are starting to see more activity now. Many other tourist related businesses have taken a significant hit over the past month due to unfounded perceived threat of wildfire.

"We are booked solid right through until the middle of August with visitors," said Stene. "The clubhouse also survived. We held the water at bay."