February 26th

We started cruising about this morning, getting to know the new-to-us area around Parker, AZ.  We headed north on Highway #95, and checked out Buckskin Mountain and River Island State Parks.  They were very nice, very manicured, and close to the highway, so we’re happy in La Paz County Park.  We crossed the Colorado River at the Parker Dam.

This dam impounds the Colorado River and forms Lake Havasu, the largest lake in the area, and the main place to play on the water in the desert. There is tight security on the dam, no large trucks nor RV’s.  I was wondering why, thinking if the dam was breached it would flush the Parker strip over the Headgate Dam at Parker, and create a lot of problems around Lake Havasu.  Then the sign explained everything.

Lake Havasu provides the drinking water for Phoenix, San Diego, and Riverside; over 15 million people.  OK, that’s worth having some security.  

We continued south down the west side of the Parker Strip.  We stopped in at an interpretive centre, where a lonely and helpful volunteer dialed Nancy in on the area, everything from free boon docking, cheap boon docking, where to catch “Strippers” or bass, and where to get a fishing license.  (After Manitoba, where every little store has fishing licenses, it is a wonder to me how tourist-orientated states like Florida and Arizona make it so difficult to get a fishing license).  Nancy spent the $55 for an annual license, vowing to make it pay in fish.

Back to the campsite for lunch and a snooze.  Nancy spent some time stalking the wily stocked trout, with no success.  I started in repairing the Radian, gorilla glueing a rip in the foam, and re-anchoring the cowl screw mounts.  Supper was the all-you-can-eat fish fry next door at the Pirate’s Den, on the deck over-hanging the river, on a beautiful evening.  Nancy went back to try more bait combinations for trout, with similar results.