Parker.....Dangerous 60 MPH plus Boats WTF

Was in Parker this weekend for the Canyon Lake end of year event, got there Thursday late and had a great day on the water Friday, glassy and nobody around. This was my first time to the Parker strip, so I was surprised from the conditions that first day. Yes I know it is offseason and a weekday afternoon.

Well once the weekend came it was a different story. What is the deal with letting people go 60, 70, 80 plus MPH in that narrow body of water?!?! I couldn't freakin believe it. We almost saw a guy on a stand up PWC get run over by a 35 ft tunnel hull that had to be going 70 plus.

It was late on Saturday, with the glare in full effect, we were cruising back from the dam area were we went to find some calm conditions "it was very windy" anyway about 3 miles down river from the dam we come across what I guess was a beginner jet skier, who was on his stomach going slow right in the middle of the channel, I could barely see him, but I was going 25 MPH and being very careful while heading into the glare, well we get by him about 300 yards and around the turn comes these two boats, racing and going very very fast. The tunnel hull was heading right for the jet skier, I swear we watched in horror as the boat missed this guy by maybe 3 feet!!!! He never saw him. We were all sick to our stomach thinking what we almost witnessed.

On two other occasions we had these boats pass and cut us off at very high rates of speed. Had one miss our wakeboarder by 30 feet and then cut in and miss our boat by 10 feet. We saw one guy going 70 about 30 feet from peoples docks, then barely missing a tuber that was being pulled.

IT IS FREAKIN OUT OF CONTROL!!! and this was on a off weekend in October, I can't imagine what it's like in the summer time.

Now I am not a fan of increased regulation, speed limits or hassles by Sheriffs or boat patrols. But how the hell they leave the Parker Strip as a no speed limit area I don't know. I felt like I was on edge all weekend out there. Just a month back there was three young adults killed when they turned and cut off a V-Drive race boat. Just insane!! There is no margin for error out there!

why would one put people at risk towing them in such an area of high risk?

thats like Indian Slough in the delta on the weekends... The main slought to get to a couple marina and discovery Bay... Everyone is out on that slough on there way somewhere.. You got tons of jet ski's, yachts, offshores, and ski boats... its usually a mad house, and then you always see that one wakeboarder or tuber being pulled... Freakin nuts... I dont understand, you go 5 minutes up the sloughand there are areas that are less busy...

Tim, good point. We were towing people on the far down river portion, near the Bluewater Resort, which is not as narrow and because it's on the very end is not as crowded as the majority of the strip. That is about a mile section. And the other spot was up by the dam, again the very end, where it is not as crowded either. Where our rider "by the way was yours truly" was riding during our near miss, was on the section down river, but in the area we would turn around to avoid the start of the really narrow more crowded sections.

But the whole point of my post was how dangerous the Parker Strip is for everybody in general with these large, high speed boats around, whether your towing a rider, cruising in your boat, or god forbid broken down in the middle, etc. It's just crazy they have never done anything about it.

Well they prety much do not have a speed limit, the only regulation is to not exceed speeds that the operator determines is safe, pretty open ended. I've been going there since I was like 3, I'm 22 now and we've witnessed some hairy things. It's like playing football, always keep your head on a swivel to look after you and yours. I mean does it seem that hard to believe, we've all driven the freeways and there's always a few @$$#0les that feel the need to weave in & out of traffic @ 95. Now those same ••••• are turned loose where they seem to have more space and watch out. It's funny I'm kinda used to having these idiots on my nuts when I ride so I've gotten comfortable cutting over to them, they usually wave and are naive, it catches them off guard when I go into a profanity laced diatribe while riding a wakeboard. It's pretty effective, smile and then drop the bomb. There's a few that shout back and get closer but they hate it when you spray them, never had anyone try and kill me yet, I guess I take a lot of comfort knowing that I'm right, maybe a dumb thing but whatever. Seriously you'll get used to it if you go there more often. I think Havascrew & Parker kill probably a dozen people, at least, a year in boating accidents.

Yeah Stephen your probably right about getting used to it.

I have heard for many years about the chaos that goes on there, I have been to Havasu 4 or 5 times and for some reason it didn't really bother me there, the majority of it, is much wider than the Strip. In general it's a really cool place, it's pretty neat that you can board in the morning and then cruise to breakfast in your boat afterward. But unless there is another event for the Canyon Wakeboarding club there, I won't go back. If I want to play Froger, I will stick to the freeway LOL

It's places like these that are starting to turn me off to ridding in So Cal. Like Stephen I have been going there since it was ok to poop my pants and it's just gone to crap. I noticed a big increase of "go fast boats" five years ago when everyone was cashing in on the .coms. A bunch of idiots with small unit complexes. Now the interest rates are so low it's even easier to buy them. It's so rad, it just makes me want to get wasted and drive my boat up and down the river all day. SWEET! So Cal needs more places to ride but the environmentalist control everything.

Yeah, I remember hearing about the Strip being a nightmare since I was a kid. Between Parker and Topock, you can pretty much count on hearing about casualties on every big weekend. Best thing is to pay attention, and make sure that you don't become a statistic.

BTW Jonathan - How was your set(s) Sunday? We all got a few decent passes just north of the 5 MPH area by the resort. Pulled out about 10:00am. It was really cool to meet Jim, he seems like a pretty stand up guy. I'd like to hook up with you, Nathan, and Jim for a few sets here at Canyon soon.

I've seen someone die at Parker. A drunk in a flatbottom race boat ran up on top of another boat. Life is cheap at Parker. Bagdad is probably safer.

Joe, your right about that, or so it seemed. On a non summer weekend I got this strange feeling there, no offense to any people on this board that live there, but it was kinda like the twilight zone. LOL I don't know how to explain it, but running into some of the locals at a couple of the bars on the water, well let's just say I have some pretty bizarre stories to tell LOL

ok ok, I have to pass one on, my buddy Nathan and I stop by Road Runner for breakfast on Friday morning, the bartender....well let's just say she has been rode hard and put away wet more than once LOL she goes on to tell us how she went bear hunting a couple years back and bagged her first bear....Nathan and I look at each other, ok that is not to strange....well then she goes on to tell us how she stripped naked, got on the top of the bear for a picture, WTF?!?!? LOL and how when she got off the bear she was covered in it's blood....and the fact that she hadn't showered for a week...Nathan and I look at each other in horror LOL well welcome to Parker!!! Kinda ruined the omelet for me....

Hey Jeff, sounds great, let's get a session in soon, we might head out on Saturday. so let's talk it over, I would love to go out on your new dream machine!!!! Oh yeah we had a decent session that morning, stuck around the 5mph area too, but the wind did start to come up a bit, then we had breakfast and got a second session in until about 12, that was much better water.

Yeah and Jim is really cool, we had him and his wife with us on Sunday morning, they were fun to hang with, he has some great stories from Irag and Parker. He is going to join the club next year, and I have a feeling after we get him on Canyon, he will want to move there.

Thanks for the props - I'll pass them to the wife. We talked about your club for a good portion of our drive home and came to the conclusion that everybody was among the nicest people we have met in a long time - not making that up. The hospitality and generosity were truely remarkable. We will be joining the club next year even just to hang out with your crowd - really nice people!

About Parker - thats where I learned how to board and until this season (when I got back in July) was the only place I had been so I really had nothing to compare it to. I am used to seeing people do all kinds of stupid stuff there but was really surprised at how many STUPID things we saw in such a short time.

It was horrible watching the tunnel hull boat speed right at the person in the water - knowing that he does not see the guy - knowing that somebody was about to die. We later confessed to each other that we had averted our eyes (thats how sure we were that the guy was going to get run over). Fortunately, the boat missed the guy by no more than 3 feet.

Then, watching the offshore boat (while racing another boat) cut BETWEEN a tube with kids being pulled only 40 feet from the docks - I am assuming he did that so he wouldnt cut power and lose the race.

About the fires - is everybody at Canyon Lake fine?

LMAO! That bear hunting story is too much!

I'm kinda in charge of the kids on Saturday (Cindy's going shopping or something). If it were just the boy, I would definitely be down with riding, but Corey...might as well be babysitting an octopus! How about Sunday? Sean Canaday is probably coming up to ride with us. Jim, are you in?

As far as the fires go, we are only suffering being covered in ashes (all over the boat cover).

Hey Jonathan, Thanks for the ride on Friday. You and Nathan were great. And I can't believe you had the patience to pull my sister and her friend. They were stoked. Left early Sunday morning and rode at home in the afternoon.

get this..... 2 summers ago, down here in skippy land, we were boarding our butts off, as we do, in a rather wide stretch of river for skiing. so we stop in a cove(ish) area to swap over and as i was jumping into the water some ....Fella?!?! decided to clip the handle, which was only half pulled in, admitedly, the worst part was the river was empty other than us two boats, and he decided to turn full pelt 10 meters from us?!?!, u figure it out

to finish my last post, he pulled the high pole down causing the boat to turn into a freakin submarine, experience and a half.......

Jeff,

Yes, I would love to be there Sunday assuming things dont get worse at work (I dont see that happening on a Sunday). Just give me a time and location - directions would help too since I have never been there - and a phone number to call for details and I will be there. Looking forward to it! Thanks for the offer.

Jim

Sunday I will be there, but it's Nathan's, girlfriend's, daughter's LOL birthday party. They are holding it at the park at Indian Beach. So I am not sure about getting the session in that day. But if not, let's look at another weekend in the near future.

Jim, your welcome on Saturday if you want to come out, we plan on going out around 8 - 9am, if it's not raining. Probably get up around 7am and make the call one way or the other, depending on the weather.

Let me know, Cheers!!

About the bear carcass thing, we have a little theory about the majority of the people that live out there. Pretty much they are all the rejects that didn't make in OC or LA or Riverside counties. I've got to go take amidterm now but I'kk post the method for maintaining sanity later today...

Sorry but I cant do it on Saturday. Things at work are out of control right now and I am 90% sure that I will be there. If you guys go on Sunday I'd love to go.

Let me know.

Jim - check your email (directions/phone#s).

Jonathan - what time is the party Sunday? If you want, come out and ride early with us, and we can get you back to the dock right after your set/when you have to leave. Same for Nathan

Cooper - would you like to ride with us on Sunday?

Here's my method of staying sane at the River on weekends. Wake up early and ride between 5:30-9 am. Get back to the mobile and have a nice bagel, protein shake breakfast. Watch TV until you fall asleep, around 10:30am. Wake up around 1pm, then you have options. Either go to the beach(our community has it's own section of river front right by Rock Island on AZ side) or brave the lake or river in midday. Either way we swim, drink Coors Light(official River beer), and just kick it. At about 5pm we decide if we want to wait and maybe get a dusk set or get dinner going, usually steaks wins out. So we get back to the house and get the grill going, the gin flowin' and the boat cleaned up. Eat a steak dinner and kick it outside and watch the stars or check the nightlife. Still drinking plenty of gin and then fall asleep around 9:30-10:30pm. Mix, stir, repeat until desired level of nrivana is attained.

PS- at that time tha water is really rough so you guys shouldn't go out then...

The party is at 12:30, let me see what is going on and let you know, what time are you heading out? Nathan might be out because I am sure he will have to help on party set-up.

I will see, either way thanks for the invite!

The party is at 12:30, let me see what is going on and let you know, what time are you heading out? Nathan might be out because I am sure he will have to help on party set-up.

I will see, either way thanks for the invite!

Hey Jeff, if you need a 3rd on Sunday let me know.
Thanks - Chris 909-235-4872 (cell)

Be carefull what you wish for. Right now we are fighting the DNR on my lake. They want to put in a couple of no wake zones on some narrows because a couple of hours a day, on busy weekends, its crazy. But these narrows are also the best water on lake 99% of the time.

Parker can get crazy, big ass boats the belong in the ocean. cruise down the blythe and brave the shallows, glass all day.