What is happening to Havasu?

[Tank0088]

I was in Havasu this last weekend. I was pretty annoyed by how ghetto the channel is getting. I try to avoid the weekends because of how many people are there and they try to squeeze into your personal space at 3 dunes, channel, and at Pirates. I try to find a spot for my kids to be able to play in or out of the water and here comes idiots at 3pm trying to squeeze in. Anyways about the ghetto people, why are they coming to Havasu? I stopped going to Laughlin because it was getting ghetto and now Havasu. There were people flipping off the Police, ghetto rap music, Spanish music blasting, and a bunch of people with their gangs tattooed on their bellies, face and or back.

Rant over. I’m just tired of the section 8 people and parolees hanging out where I want to. I don’t see any of us going to their front porch hangouts.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

It's all over now...all parts of the river, beaches, etc. Happens every time the economy goes up, but the recession usually will make some changes.

They are Californiaing your Arizona though. Unfortunately, Arizona seems to be about 10 years behind California.

 

[DWC]

Covid definitely changed a lot of things. There were a ton of people who started visiting Havasu when everywhere else was shut down. There were a shitload of boats sitting on side yards collecting dust that made it on to the lake in the last couple years. I figured a season, or two of paying for annual maintenance/repairs would clear them out. That being said, there’s trash of all colors and style on the lake. There is no shortage of them in the channel. Doesn’t matter if it’s a family from the inner city in a rental or a group of flat billers, trying to start a “Havasu Krew” social media feed, with their chicks in neon thongs.

 

[jailbird141]

It is sad the cockroaches have invaded. As Coca Cola stated, hopefully the recession will bring about changes. Wait .... we are not in a recession though, ugh, .....

 

[USMC2010]

There is a ton of money being made in drugs these days.
Can anyone on here with a straight face admit coke and fentanyl isn't very present in Havasu?

 

[Christopher Lucero]

nearly every tourist spot has this problem. weekends especially.
cheap entertainment attracts cheap tourism.
its a 'pile em high and sell em cheap' problem like Walmart and Costco and all the other kinds of cheapo American experiences.
Best bet - stay away when the yahoos show up.
Instead: Show up when they don't.
I've lived in a good number of tourist locales and I'd go elsewhere on July 4th, Memorial, etc to avoid the crush of idiots and read the news about the debalce from a distance.

 

[CoolCruzin]

Those rental floating bars ,pontoons sure don’t help out with the mess in the channel.

 

[Hydroman55]

Welcome to the new socialist America.
Very sad

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

I am with you man, this year has definitely felt different from your standpoint. We had a similar situation a couple trips back. Beached all by ourselves on the north side of Channel by the bathrooms, next to The Heat. A boat comes rolling up and next thing you know, their little thugs are squirting our boats and even my friends husband in his back while he sat in his boat. If that wasn't enough, we all felt like we were getting a contact high as the weed was on all sides of us. In the water, on the beach and in their boat. Needless to say, we packed up and left.

Like they do in regular life, they have no manners and don't care about anyone else. This past weekend should be the last of the shit show since school is starting again.

Looking forward to heading out in a couple weeks to get some boating in before Labor Day.

 

[grumpy88]

I know one of these type guys . They were invited once by somebody in Havasu and now there regulars . His number one reason is all the women in pasties and string bikinis in the channel . He does not need a boat for that . I remember it being like this back in 2007 too . This is not a new problem .

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

I know I would have some FOMO since so many of our friends are out there in the summer, but what Dave and Stacy did is what I think we are going to try and plan next year. Take July and August off from the river and do a month long RV trip.
Cooler weather, better crowds and something new for the kids to experience. There will still be boating in the Spring and Fall!!

 

[RogerThat99]

we all felt like we were getting a contact high as the weed was on all sides of us. In the water, on the beach and in their boat.

That is my biggest gripe since weed was legalized. Everywhere you go, it stinks like weed. Like you have 4 people sitting around you smoking it.

 

[77charger]

If I go to channel or any place you mentioned I expect a boat to pull into any open space. It ain’t secluded spots they are popular spots.

Now if upriver and on a 20 ft wide beach and someone pulls in when there’s open beach in the area I call that rude. Now if no open spots then I’d consider it a different situation

 

[Sportin' Wood]

I have a habit of looking for ways to fix or improve things. My brother has the same curse; we just spent a weekend together at a resort in Montana and had fun hypothetically improving the resort. You may not like the fix to this problem.

Enforcement will sadly have to play a role in turning the tide.

 

[HB2Havasu]

That is my biggest gripe since weed was legalized. Everywhere you go, it stinks like weed. Like you have 4 people sitting around you smoking it.

I can’t stand the smell. It makes me wanna hurl. It’s really kinda rude IMO. I have no problem if you wanna burn your brain out, but can’t you do it away from others that don’t wanna get a contact high from your bullshit? Seriously!

 

[pkbullet]

Thats the trade off for having public access spaces, you get the public. Our lake has very few places to stay or camp, this keeps most of the lake traffic to property owners. Even our party cove is primarily lake residents or boats out of a marina. The down side is it very tough for businesses to do well without the extra crowds. We don't have the quantity of bars and restaurants that would be nice.

 

[Badchoices03]

I blame riverwhips....LOL

 

[Sportin' Wood]

When we were kids, we used to go cruising. I have never understood the strategy of making cruising illegal. LEO had all of us kids in one spot every weekend where they could keep an eye on us.

If LHC regulated away attracting everyone to the channel, perhaps the party would just move to a place less accessible.

If I were the King of LHC, I could think of many ways to change the culture of the channel, but I would not be considered a fair and just king by many people on RDP.

 

[Yoshiro]

Thinking about this issue, and realizing this is the same thing that's happened to Vegas since the country has been recovering from the pandemic shutdowns. Vegas is a trashy disaster now too.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

It’s everywhere sadly. People severely lack manners. We went to a nice resort area in South Carolina last month. Wife and I were sitting on a nearly empty beach, and our 2 kids were in the water. Three guys start playing catch in a triangle. One guy was so close to us, he would actually throw the ball over wife and I a few times. Then, five of their friends show up and are standing in a group 20 ft from us. WTF? Whole damn beach for miles is vacant. We’re talking adults here, not teenage kids. I don’t get this type of mentality. Are people that staved for attention?

 

[LHC30]

Yesterday at the gun store, we had a pair of gangster types (replete with tattoo'd devils horns) come in and wander around for awhile. Never since Ive been working there did the hair on the back of my neck stand up till yesterday!
Called a friend at LHCPD who told me they are seeing a serious uptick in outside gangsters in town. Many burglaries etc...

No more small town it seems...

now, where's my extra mags...

 

[Riverryder]

so do we blame the guys that have the MTIs, DCBs and twin outboard pontoons that own the dispensaries too or do they get a pass since they have cool boats? they are supplying/premoting the paradise that you guys want to keep a secret?

maybe stop telling people about the river trips so the word doesnt spread?

no wonder some of the big money members dont post here anymore not one hour goes by without someone complaining about something.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Yesterday at the gun store, we had a pair of gangster types (replete with tattoo'd devils horns) come in and wander around for awhile. Never since Ive been working there did the hair on the back of my neck stand up till yesterday!
Called a friend at LHCPD who told me they are seeing a serious uptick in outside gangsters in town. Many burglaries etc...

No more small town it seems...

now, where's my extra mags...

Sorry @DLC and I scared you.

 

[4Waters]

I can’t stand the smell. It makes me wanna hurl. It’s really kinda rude IMO. I have no problem if you wanna burn your brain out, but can’t you do it away from others that don’t wanna get a contact high from your bullshit? Seriously!

I'm with you, actually makes me nauseous

 

[Badchoices03]

I have been boating since before I can drive, have been going to havasu since my teens, I have owned all types of boats from a twin engine Magic Sorcerer to a shitty pontoon but I have tattoos, my wife has tattoos, I like the occasional rap music, my wife likes the occasional spanish music...so we must be ghetto...lol..

 

[FROGMAN524]

The reason I don’t hang out in Compton is the same reason I don’t hang out in Havasu. I don’t fit in.

 

[hallett21]

If you avoid the channel 99% of your “problems” go away.

Put some miles between yourself and the nearest launch ramp

 

[TeamGreene]

There is a basic lack of respect in general nowadays that can be traced back in a direct line to the lack of and shitty parenting

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

When we were kids, we used to go cruising. I have never understood the strategy of making cruising illegal. LEO had all of us kids in one spot every weekend where they could keep an eye on us.

If LHC regulated away attracting everyone to the channel, perhaps the party would just move to a place less accessible.

If I were the King of LHC, I could think of many ways to change the culture of the channel, but I would not be considered a fair and just king by many people on RDP.

All people do is go to the 4 most popular places on the water and cry that there are too many people there.

It was way worse 25+ years ago, and these people complaining were all the problem then. Just look at all the “good time” stories members here tell of running around naked, passing out drunk, doing stupid things.

Havasu didn’t change, they did.

These people are why things got corralled to the channel in the first place. There are 100 other places to go hang out to enjoy peace and quiet.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

If you avoid the channel 99% of your “problems” go away.

Put some miles between yourself and the nearest launch ramp

But I “like” the Channel.

 

[Racer56]

Havasu is what you make of it, just like anything else in life. If the channel is not your seen, go hit a beach in one of the hundreds of spots on the lake. If we see boat's beached with kid's playing in the water, we pull in next to them and 9 time's out of 10 we have a great time.

 

[Boat 405]

I was in Havasu this last weekend. I was pretty annoyed by how ghetto the channel is getting. I try to avoid the weekends because of how many people are there and they try to squeeze into your personal space at 3 dunes, channel, and at Pirates. I try to find a spot for my kids to be able to play in or out of the water and here comes idiots at 3pm trying to squeeze in. Anyways about the ghetto people, why are they coming to Havasu? I stopped going to Laughlin because it was getting ghetto and now Havasu. There were people flipping off the Police, ghetto rap music, Spanish music blasting, and a bunch of people with their gangs tattooed on their bellies, face and or back.

Rant over. I’m just tired of the section 8 people and parolees hanging out where I want to. I don’t see any of us going to their front porch hangouts.

Saw it go that way in Glamis about 10 years ago. Stopped going to Glamis because of it.

 

[Tank0088]

Thinking about this issue, and realizing this is the same thing that's happened to Vegas since the country has been recovering from the pandemic shutdowns. Vegas is a trashy disaster now too.

And it’s the new home for the Raiders

 

[Racey]

All people do is go to the 4 most popular places on the water and cry that there are too many people there.

It was way worse 25+ years ago, and these people complaining were all the problem then. Just look at all the “good time” stories members here tell of running around naked, passing out drunk, doing stupid things.

Havasu didn’t change, they did.
View attachment 1142652

These people are why things got corralled to the channel in the first place. There are 100 other places to go hang out to enjoy peace and quiet.

Having to actually boat to the sandbar weeded out most of the ghetto types.

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Ha , we are witnessing first hand what other countries have been going through for decades , the people that run this country have planed this for years . Integrate many different cultures , destroy the middle class and turn this once great powerful nation into a third world shit hole ! It’s happening real time , we are witnessing history in the making … hate to be so negative, but I see it every day .

 

[TCHB]

It all started years back and yes much worse now. High amped speakers with so called blasting in all directions. I could really see the change in the afternoons working the ramp.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

That is my biggest gripe since weed was legalized. Everywhere you go, it stinks like weed. Like you have 4 people sitting around you smoking it.

I have no problem with people smoking that stuff, but please keep it to yourself. The worst part is raising a child with that legalized now. That is a top reason for me moving to Texas. I would prefer to raise my son where it's not legal.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Sorry, I will talk to my wife once again to get her to take it down a couple of notches.

 

[bk2drvr]

Havasu is turning into Southern California and IMO it will continue in this direction forever.

 

[rivrrts429]

I don’t know if it’s crazier today. Anyone remember the days when Dave and his buddies would tie glow sticks to their dicks?

 

[Your ad here]

Lake Havasu City is in Arizona... why are the left turns a green arrow instead of a yield on green. Pisses me off and sometimes I "forget" I'm not in Phoenix and just turn.
The riffraff crowd is present because of social media. Horseshoe bend is the perfect example. 20 years ago it was a guess where to park along the highway and direction of the hike. Now you have to pay $15 to park and share the path with a 100 people that don't know personal space and don't have manners.

 

[Riverryder]

Havasu didn’t change, they did.

exactly. like all hypocrites they dont take ownership.
seen so many members bad mouth someone for drinking and boating to then see them doing the same.

im 30 and when i see 20 year olds doing shit i use to do i think to my self fuck what it would be to be free like that again but i chose to be a dad so i have to not do dumb shit, now i just sit back and watch the show instead of complaining.

and to think the people they come to complain about went on and lived there live not giving a shit. but the person complaining didnt do anything about it at the time. they waited till the got behind the keyboard to say or do anything.

 

[Your ad here]

Havasu is turning into Southern California and IMO it will continue in this direction forever.

It already is California with its left turn green arrows I mentioned earlier.

 

[MonkeyButt70]

To me the channel has always been the same vibe since I can remember, I just avoid it, problem solved.

 

[RVR SWPR]

Question, right now today is the Islander as nice as it ever been? Still clean and well run?
No doubt Islander good as ever because of one reason,the place is well managed. That simple,you gotta have a standard of living and must be enforced.

 

[riverroyal]

Question, right now today is the Islander as nice as it ever been? Still clean and well run?
No doubt Islander good as ever because of one reason,the place is well managed. That simple,you gotta have a standard of living and must be enforced.

ssshhhhhh. Islander is closed.

 

[Riverryder]

ssshhhhhh. Islander is closed.

what if i have a super soaker?

 

[hallett21]

A guy got stabbed at the sand bar 20ish years ago causing the weekend closures.

I was 8-10 years old watching girls 69 while a crowd cheered.

The lake didn’t change, you guys just got older.

Biggie held a concert in copper canyon. People were banging on the top decks of the house boats lol.

 

[C-2]

Lol, do we really need to debate what happened here

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Am

A guy got stabbed at the sand bar 20ish years ago causing the weekend closures.

I was 8-10 years old watching girls 69 while a crowd cheered.

The lake didn’t change, you guys just got older.

Biggie held a concert in copper canyon. People were banging on the top decks of the house boats lol.

No, that is unpossible. The section 8 people just arrived last year

Now water cannons are the biggest problem in Havasu.. the place has gone to hell!