Lake Pleasant Was Not So Pleasant

It is easy to assume that I am a bit spoiled when it comes to being around water. Living in Pinedale Wyoming for so many years, being surrounded by pristine water sets the bar pretty high when it comes to getting wet in a lake. It doesn’t take much to get me to drop my cloths and dive into water, but even a diehard skinny-dipper like me has to keep some lose standards. Going to Lake Pleasant Regional Park was not very pleasant. In fact I had to run away and drown my sorrows with a cool margarita.

Lake Pleasant Regional Park is a recreation area in Maricopa county northwest of Phoenix Arizona. What I found out is it is also the major recreation hub for the Phoenix metro area. Which means lots and lots of people literally rubbing elbows and trying to enjoy the water, the day and the sun.

Lake Pleasant is also used as an important storage reservoir for the rapidly growing region. A number of boat docks and beach access make the lake a popular destination for scuba diving, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, windsurfing and other water sports. Another highlight of the lake is that it has also been plagued by a number of deaths over the years for numerous different reasons including carbon monoxide poisoning.

Needless to say I didn’t jump in, I couldn’t make myself jump through the floating debris. I had been wadding in enough garbage to get to the shore. Even when I made it back to my truck, I found a tweeker using the back bumper for a lawn chair and shade from the sun.

I’m not judging, comparing or being negative about the Lake Pleasant. I truly believe that the people there were having a grand time. I myself, well I am just going to find more alpine type lakes and leave this bog water to the tadpoles.

To see the photographs from this excursion please visit my wordpress blog.