Desert Tortoise Campground

 

Desert Tortoise Campground Lake Pleasant Regional Park 

02102026 This is the place where I took my sailing class last March. It's a nice size lake and often has good sailing wind. Fed by the Colorado River via CAP system,  the lake was formed by the completion of the original Carl Pleasant Dam in 1927, which was then the world's largest multi-arch dam, intended for irrigation.The campground is popular during the winter months and not only because of the weather, because of the Wild Burros in the area. When I arrived space #126, there was a drove of five to greet me. 

02112026 After morning coffee, I took off to hike the Wild Burro trail that follows the bank, although the lake water level is down now, but will be rising during the spring. There were plenty of people on the trail hoping to see a Wild Burro. I did run across another one on my way back. The day was overcast and cool, perfect for a morning hike.

I visited the Discovery Center that sits on a rise with a good view of the lake. I bought a park sticker and took some panoramics of the lake. 

👀 Lake Pleasant shared album 👀

Keel Boat Basic 101 - Lake Pleasant AZ

03/29 and 30/2005 Lake Pleasant There were only 3 people in the class, myself and a couple also from Sun City Wendy and Mark. Starting at 8am, we went to the classroom for an hour, then we went onboard a 22' Catalina. Captain Clint took us out teaching us all the way on the written and unwritten rules of entering and leaving a no wake zone. We rounded the final buoys and entered the lake proper. Mark and I raised the mainsail and unfurled the jib, then the next thing I knew Captain put me at the tiller and I was sailing!

We covered tacks and Jibe and all the points of sail, but mostly beam reach, close reach and close hauled. Captain Clint does not like down wind sailing. We took turns at the tiller and practiced tacking and working as a team. Probably had only 10 knots of wind, mostly from the south. But if you got the right balance of sail trim and heel, we could get moving about 6 or 7 knots. We learned that if the boat is heel a lot, which is uncomfortable, it is inefficient and will slow and stall. If there is no heel at all you are pretty much sitting still. As we practiced the points of sail, we learned to feel the boat and the sails getting in the right trim and moving smartly through the water. I was pretty nervous because I completely forgot my waterproof sound processor cover. I soon forgot all about it once we got going. We came in about 2pm and Captain Clint said be back here tomorrow at 8am, the wind will determine if we go out or take the written test.
The next day the wind was predicted to come up later in the morning, so we manned the classroom for the 100 question multi choice test. I missed 4 and only because I was not paying attention to stand off or give way. Anyway it was a passing score! Woohoo! By the time we got in the boat all the pressure was off. We each took turns leaving the dock and redocking, while Captain CLint told sea stories. I was last and it took me two attempts because I was listening to sea stories. After my successful docking, I took her all the way out, hoisted the main and unfurled to jib, but the wind was light from the south, so we crept out into the middle of the lake motor sailing. By about 1115, the wind came up enough to practice Man Overboard maneuvers.
The wind increased and Mark and I did circles around the island hazard completing all the points of sail, then Wendy took us in. Because we were going to a different spot on the dock, Captain Clint took her in by sail "show off" and we tied her up. Back in the classroom, we received our logbooks with Captain's Clint's signature. We will receive the official stamp in the mail.

I can't say the class was hard, it was pretty easy, but I learned a lot, mostly to just let the conditions move the boat, just guide it where and how you need.