DIVING FOR TREASURE IN LAKE HAVASU

by Gordon Adair © 1994

Our destination was Lake Havasu at Havasu City for Memorial weekend. We were told that this would be a time and place that we had to experience at least once. So we decided to do just that and boy was it an experience! Chris and I put a side the world diving destinations to travel around Arizona's lakes enjoying their outdoor sporting availability. This is one of the trips. Havasu City is approximately a four hour drive from Phoenix, by motor home with a boat and two jet skis in tow. The camp ground we stayed at is located on the island that the London Bridge connects to. Year round camping is available at paid campgrounds only. During holiday weekends the hotels are booked up early so reservations are required. The city has grown around the waters edge offering docks to boaters that want to patron the stores, bars or restaurants which makes this lake special. There is even a dive shop located by the marina on the island for air refills.

We arrived two days before the weekend rush to setup and enjoy the quiet before the storm. The first thing we noticed about the lake was the clarity of the water, it was a lot better then the surrounding Phoenix lakes. Good scuba driving was my first thought, but this was a multipurpose trip. Our water skiing and jet skiing urges had to be fulfilled first. The mornings gave us glass like water without any competition from other boat wakes due to the size of the lake, a slalom skiers dream come true. Everyone seemed to find their own place to play without disturbing each other. Finding a third was never a problem, a quick trip to one of the many beaches and a volunteer was found. By the afternoon the other boats had woken providing us with waves to become airborne on the jet skis. Then off to explore the many excluded coves and inlets by either jet skis or boat.

The weekend brought more boats, campers and people than I have ever seen on a lake at one time. The beaches and docks were full of string bikinis and thongs. Thousands of boats moving in all directions made it far to dangerous to ski. So we had to bare the fact of giving girls boat rides to the lakes' famous party spot Copper Canyon. The boats where jammed in tight and overflowed out into the main lake. A person could litterly walk from one boat to another. This was a place where anything goes. And it did! Definity this place would be a great area to dive for personal treasure after the boats leave.

The morning after the weekend party was quiet as we headed to Copper Canyon for our dive. Along the way we passed two local dive boats possibly with the same idea that we had, all that cash on the bottom of the lake. With the area staked out by our boat and a dive flag flying high we submerged into the treasure den. Like most lake diving a 6mm suit is recommended, hoods and gloves were not needed during this time of year. The visibility was around 20 feet until a 40 foot depth was reached were the rocks meet the muddy bottom. In 10 feet of water and two feet from our boat we started finding money, sunglasses, hats, swimsuits and many other strange articles I would rather not mention. Not having a game bag we had to return to the boat a couple of times. I was amazed that each trip back and forth I found more money and sun glasses in the same area just at a different angle. Here is another example of why moving slowly around one area is better than a fast long distance dive. The slower you move the more you will find. With the sound of boats entering Copper Canyon becoming more frequent and with twelve hundred pounds of air left I with drew my search within the area of our boats' ropes. While pocketing more treasures I noticed a dark shadow cover me. Could this be one of those creatures that are said to live in the depths of the reasaviors that have never been seen before due to the waters darkness. But wait--I'm only in 15 feet of water! As I turned over there it was, one of the most dangerous creatures in the lakes, a man in a boat ignoring a dive flag with a anchor ready to be dropped on ME! Avoiding the plummeting anchor I sought safety under our boat. While sitting there I thought about how that guy could have seen me or at least seen the bubbles. Those are the times when ideas like untying his anchor then retying the anchor line around a rock or to another boats anchor with a bigger guy in it and watch them duke it out. Then salvage the anchor for compensation for the near headache. It may be going to far by considering opening his boats drain and then charging him to salvage the boat from the bottom of the lake, right? Maybe you have had similar thoughts of revenge, I just went back to the boat with a lot of air left.

Top side we were greeted by various people telling us about where other people had lost their money and rings, unfortunaty there were too many boats moving about making it to dangerous to dive. Thus ending the treasure hunt. On the way back to the campground we talked to a dive boat operator that was looking for a boat that sank the day before. Apparently that is a common occurrence over holidays due to overloading and rough water.

Memorial weekend was definity an experience but once may be enough for me. Diving after holidays when everyone leaves still sounds like a great idea. The best part about diving Arizona lakes is looking for the treasures within them. Lake Havasu is one of my favorite lakes do to the ability to get away from other boats and then later dock the boat in front of a bar for social hour.

Do not forget that this is also the home of the London Bridge that was brought over just for you to visit.

BACK

Cabo / Belize / Havasu / Maui / Rocky Point / Two Harbors /