IMG_0538
IMG_0539
IMG_0543
IMG_0554
IMG_0555
IMG_0572
IMG_0581
IMG_0584
IMG_0588
IMG_0590
IMG_0604
IMG_0614
IMG_0621
IMG_0641
IMG_0657
IMG_0663
IMG_0665
IMG_0669

Have a few at Lake Havasu…wakeboard sets that is. As most, if not all, western states water enthusiasts know, Lake Havasu is a great place to visit but it’s not always the best place to go wakeboarding. I’m here to explain otherwise.

Compared to some of the other great western lakes, Lake Powell and Lake Shasta for example, Lake Havasu is relatively small for a western mega lake. With a max depth of 88 feet, Lake Havasu is a bit shallower as well. What does this have to do with wakeboarding you ask? Well, a shallow lake amounts to less chop and a smaller lake amounts to getting to a riding spot quicker. I know some might argue that a smaller lake might mean less places to ride and less places to hide but get on the lake at the right time and you’re golden. Just like all lakes, Lake Havasu can have its windy days. It’s the calm days that really make Lake Havasu what it truly is: spectacular.

If you get tired from wakeboarding and you’re just looking to chill out (or party hard), Lake Havasu is one of the best lakes in the country. If partying and big boats are your style then the London Bridge Resort and the Lake Havasu Channel are what you need. Or take a trip up river to the newly remodeled and babeolicous Pirates Cove Resort. Just be sure to have a sober “Designated Operator” on board to cruise everyone around.  If chilling out is your cup of tea, then a nice drive through Topock Gorge is something that will calm your nerves. Speaking of nice drives, a speed boat ride is a perfect way to see all that Lake Havasu has to offer (in about 10 minutes).

Lake Havasu is many things to many people. A place to wakeboard, a place to relax, or a place to do just about anything your heart desires on the water. So give it a try and put it on your list of lakes to visit or travel to this year.

Big thanks to Bob Brown (Media Direction), Doug Traub (Lake Havasu City Convention and Visitors Bureau), and Jim Salscheider (Lake Havasu City Marine Association). This trip wouldn’t have been possible without the help and hospitality of these three guys. Also to the wonderful people I meet along the way who I can now call my friends. Jim and Carol Allen of Arizona Boating and Watersport, Brady Kay of Houseboat Magazine, and Jim Nakashima from Pirates Cove Resort. And a big thank you to Vern Gilbert and his crew at West Coast Drives for the unforgettable 143mph boat ride.