The Colorado River Coast Guard

Used with permission of the author © 1999
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     The Colorado River once roared, unchecked, from its humble beginning in the Rocky Mountains to the wide delta at the Gulf of California in Mexico. It ran with the power to carve out the Grand Canyon, and the tranquillity to create backwaters and toolies which even to today, wildlife flourishes. In the early years only Native Americans traveled the waters of the Colorado, and later, explorers gave way to the prospectors and miners in search of the vast riches abundant in the Southwest Territories. Steamboats made stops at such ports of call as La Paz and Yuma in Arizona, and Callville in Nevada, delivering supplies to the residents, and taking away the gold and silver, mined in the hills surrounding the River. The building of a series of dams, Hoover, Parker, Davis, and a host of others, tamed the Colorado and put an end to the Steamboats. "Progress" curtailed the Indians presence in their rafts and dugout canoes.

     Following World War II, the boating industry, using technology developed for the war effort, developed small recreational boats, powered by both inboard and outboard gasoline engines. Boating was no longer a pastime of the wealthy. Fishing camps sprang up along the River with such names as Mitchell's Camp and Kinder's Camp. Servicemen who had taken R & R from Desert Training in the area returned to these camps to take advantage of the excellent fishing and boating in the lakes formed by the Dam construction. In the late 1950's and early '60's the muscle car craze spilled over to boats, and fiberglass made boats lighter, faster and more affordable. The Motorboat Act of 1958 placed numerous Federal Regulations in effect to help reduce the growing numbers of accidents, injuries and deaths occurring on our nation's waterways. The United States Coast Guard was tasked with enforcing these laws and formed Mobile Boarding Detachments that would travel to popular boating areas, using trailerable small boats and specially trained Boating Safety Officers. The Eleventh Coast Guard District Mobile Boarding Team, based in Long Beach, California, spent the majority of the boating season along the Colorado River, in particular, the area known as the "Parker Strip." At one time this 11 mile stretch of the Colorado, below Parker Dam, was called the "Red River" due to the number of serious boating accidents and fatalities occurring there each year.

     With the passage of the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, Congress gave the U. S. Coast Guard additional resources and funds to reduce the growing problem of boating accidents, and to assist in training local agencies in Boating Safety education and enforcement. The Mobile Boarding Teams were reorganized into Boating Safety Teams. The Eleventh Coast Guard District Team consisted of several detachments permanently stationed along the Southern California Coast, with summer stations placed at various locations along the Colorado River. The team was headquartered at Terminal Island, California, with a Chief Warrant Officer as Commanding Officer, a Senior Chief Boatswains Mate as Executive Petty Officer and a Yeoman for administrative duties. A Boatswain's Mate, Engineer, and a Seaman provided the operational arm of the team. Four Detachments were placed in San Diego, Marina Del Rey, Channel Island's Harbor, and Parker Dam, California.

During the winter months these Detachments provided training for Coast Guard and State Boating Safety Officers, gave Safe Boating lectures to local schools and civic groups, and patrolled local marinas. During the boating season they travelled to their summer stations at Yuma (Lake Martinez and Blythe), Cottonwood Cove (Lake Mohave), and Callville Bay (Lake Mead). The permanent Colorado River Station at Parker Dam,Ca. patrolled the Parker Strip, Lake Havasu, and occasionally Lake Powell. The Marina Del Rey Detachment was primarily an educational team with a Mobile Boating Safety Center, and specially constructed "Half Boat" that traveled throughout California, Arizona, and Nevada, giving Safe Boating presentations at campgrounds, resorts, and Boat Shows. Coast Guard Reserve Units in Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada augmented these units to assist in the Boating Safety effort.

     The Coast Guard Boating Safety Officers soon discovered that their small outboard boats were no match for the high speed powerboats and their attempt at stopping violators often resulted in a one finger salute and a good look at the boat's stern as it sped away. The team countered, and in 1973 purchased a fleet of Spectra inboard engine power boats. The four twenty footers and one 24 foot fiberglass craft were powered by 454 C.I. Chevrolet engines with "V" drive propulsion. An 18 foot, 454 powered, jet drive boat, capable of speeds up to 70 mile per hour rounded out the resources. The days of being "out run" were over.

     These detachments conducted over 500 boardings of recreational boats each year, and by 1980 the fatality rate was reduced from fifteen to twenty boating related deaths each year to only one or two. When the funding provided for by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 expired in September 1980, Coast Guard Boating Safety Teams across the nation were decommissioned. Local elected officials in western Arizona protested this action and petitioned then Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater to keep the Parker Dam Detachment open. Senator Goldwater was instrumental in obtaining additional funds to keep the Parker Dam unit operational for an additional six months, to help ease the transition of Boating Safety duties from Coast Guard to State control. On March 31st, 1981, the station closed and it would be five years before the Colorado River saw another Coast Guard patrol boat.

     In the spring of 1983, an unusually heavy snow in the Rocky Mountains, and an early spring melt caused major flooding along the Colorado River. Particularly hard hit was the Parker Strip, where local and Federal Officials closed the Parker Strip to all boating activities to prevent damage to the environment, homes and businesses along the River. Recreational Boaters, who usually plied the waters of the Parker Strip now set out for a new playground. They discovered Lake Havasu, which up until now had been a haven for the more refined family oriented boater. With Copper Canyon, the London Bridge, and easy access to the Casinos of Laughlin, Nevada, the Parker Strip crowd now called Havasu their home away from home. Soon Lake Havasu became the mecca for recreational boaters from all over the Southwest, and has become the Spring Break Capital of the west, with college students from all over congregating on its waters. During the early to mid 1980's, the boating accident and fatality rate soon rivaled the numbers of the Parker Strip in 60's.

     In 1986 a Coast Guard official, travelled to Lake Havasu enroute to his assignment at the Eleventh Coast Guard District Office in Long Beach, California. He arrived in Havasu during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The sheer numbers of boats in such a relatively small area amazed him. When he reported for duty, one of his first actions was to direct research into the Coast Guard re-establishing a presence on the Colorado River. Group San Diego was assigned as operational Commander and Coast Guard Reserve Unit, Phoenix was directed to provide personnel and resources. Group San Diego purchased two 23 foot Mako Patrol Boats, equipped with dual outboard engines, Law Enforcement and rescue gear. Station San Diego Boarding Officers provided the training for the Reserve Boat Crews. In late 1986 the Coast Guard Colorado River Patrol was born, and once again there was a Coast Guard presence on the River.

     For the next eleven years the Colorado River Patrol conducted boardings, provided medical assists, and participated in numerous Search and Rescue missions. Their presence prevented countless deaths, saved many lives, and assisted in preventing hundreds of thousands of dollars in property loss. Their efforts have been profiled on the syndicated television show "Coast Guard, The Series"

     Staffed entirely of volunteer Coast Guard Reservists, the patrol moved it's Headquarters from the old U. S. Army facility at "Site Six," to the new "Contact Point Water Safety Center." This modern multi-agency complex is located on the shores of Lake Havasu and is the local Base of Operations for the Arizona State Parks Department, The Arizona Game and Fish Department, and The Mohave County Sheriff's Boating and Marine Enforcement Division. Besides these Agencies, the Colorado River Patrol also worked hand in hand with the San Bernardino, California, and La Paz County, Arizona Sheriff's Departments, The Lake Havasu and Bullhead City, Arizona Police Departments, United States Fish and Wildlife service, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. They have received numerous citations and awards, including the USCG Reserve Officer Association's outstanding Reserve Unit for 1990.

     On May 31st 1997, the Colorado River Patrol was disestablished, again due to the falling axe of a tight budget. Although Coast Guard presence will still be maintained through the civilian volunteer service of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and an occasional operational visit from Coast Guard Station San Diego, the Colorado River again lost year-round Coast Guard Law Enforcement. The River also lost, good friends, dedicated law enforcement officers, and members of the community.

     Maybe after another five years go by, a Senior Coast Guard Official will be passing through Lake Havasu, see the sheer number of boats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . We can only hope.

Alan Nelson served with the Eleventh Coast Guard District Boating Safety Team from 1978-1981, and was the last Supervisor of BOSDET 11-4 in Parker Dam, Ca. A member of the Colorado River Patrol from 1987-1992, Senior Chief Nelson is still an active Coast Guard Reservist. He is a full time Deputy Sheriff Sergeant, and supervises the Marine Enforcement and Boating Safety Division of the La Paz County Sheriff's Department in Parker, Arizona.

This story is the work of the author and although factual, it is not an official publication, nor endorsed by the United States Coast Guard.

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