Rejoice in the Colorado River - 2008
Jimmy Buffet’s unmistakable voice spills out of a sleek white jet boat anchored along the shore of the Colorado River. Lori Toth and her family are lounging in their lawn chairs nearby. It’s a typical warm sunny day in Yuma with even hotter days on the horizon. But 110-degree heat won’t stop Toth and her family from coming to the river every weekend this summer season.
“June, July and August are the best times to come,” Toth said. “It’s only hot if you’re not in the water so we just stay in the water the whole time.”
The San Diego resident squints in the sunshine and points to her nine-year-old daughter Taylor.
“She’s been wakeboarding since she was four years old,” Toth said. “The kids have a blast tubing, wakeboarding and going out on the paddleboat.”
The Colorado River, with miles of meandering curves and a lush shoreline right here in Yuma, offers scores of affordable and educational summer activities. All kinds of ski boats and personal watercraft surge through the cool waters while others enjoy more tranquil pastimes including fishing, kayaking and bird watching.
Local guides also offer historical tours detailing the once prosperous gold mines set along the Colorado’s banks and the steamship routes that carried the haul up and down the river.
“The water is a perfect temperature and everything is right here,” said Toth, who stays at Hidden Shores RV Resort – one of the many small, family-style resorts with campsites, RV hookups and homes located near the river.
Deidre Draper is the Assistant Manager at Hidden Shores RV Resort and reminds visitors that you don’t necessarily need big toys to enjoy all that the river has to offer.
“We’ve got a beach area and a lagoon area where the little kids can come and play in the water where it’s away from the boats,” Draper said. “It’s beautiful out here and safe, too.”
Despite the large number of river enthusiasts from California, many locals enjoy the Colorado, too. Self-proclaimed river rats like Delinda Sturdivant often come for the day and make the short 20-minute drive back to Yuma after dark.
“We put our boat and jet skis in at Fisher’s Landing and head up river to find a sandbar,” Sturdivant said. “That’s where we set up for the day to escape from the heat.”
Sturdivant has been going to the Colorado for two decades and is passing along her passion for the river to her two children.
“My husband points out all the animals and we talk about the history of the river,” Sturdivant said. “There’s a lot to learn out there.”
The Colorado River is approximately 1,490 miles long and snakes through Colorado, Utah, Nevada and along the Arizona-California border before finally draining into the Gulf of California. In addition to the Hoover Dam, several dams exist along the river to divert water for agricultural irrigation and recreation. Lake Mead, Lake Powell and Martinez Lake are among the lakes that are formed by these dams along the Colorado.
A visit to this natural wonder will quickly reveal why the Colorado River is a resource that draws people all summer. Guidelines do exist for river goers, and visitors are encouraged to check out rules and regulations for boating and other water sports.
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A few tips for staying safe on the water:
• Wear life jackets
• Take a boating safety course
• Know your boat and its limitations
• Be aware of weather and water conditions
• Boat sober and be considerate of other boaters
• Keep the waterways clean
For more info, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/boating.shtml
