Arizona Boating

As the picture shows, that is a full grown horse with water up to its belly while the cows just have their feet immersed. It tells a safety lesson.

This uneven terrain is what is under you while navigating on the water. So, it's important to know the water levels and where you are and to always do a “sanity check” of your surroundings and coordinates.

What fun one can have on a slow boat cruising along any of our Arizona lakes, packing a lunch, joining friends are some of the joys of boating together in our home state.

Most lakes have special places to see. Doing a little homework on the computer before you go is a must. On some lakes it is possible to see beautiful birds of many kinds. Sometimes long-horn sheep, wild horses, deer, burros are in sight. Rivers with slot pools are especially great to cruise along.

Belonging to a group of boaters makes it easy to communicate and discuss our favorites and plan our outings together on the water — even just a slow boat ride.

As much pleasure as there is in boating, do not forget about boating safety, especially about life jackets.

Helpful is having a map of the lake or river you are navigating. Also vital is to always check the gas gage and know how much the gas tank holds. Bring more water than needed. Have sun screen as well as a hat. Check the weather report. These are all safety basics.

We’ve said it before and will again: Take a boating class with the United States Power Squadron, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Arizona Game & Fish, the Lake Pleasant Sailing Club, the Arizona Yacht Club, among others. Qualified instructors will show you the best methods to ensure you and your family are safe.

Note: A list of upcoming boating-safety classes is on page 3 of this issue.