Posted: Sat, 29 May 2010 08:03 AM - 17,444 Readers

By: PubClub.com

Memorial Day on Lake Travis - Austin, TX

Jimmy Buffett once wrote a song called "Where's the Party?"  If he were to go to Lake Travis in Austin, Texas on a Memorial Day weekend, he wouldn't have to ask. Because it's HERE!

From sunshine to sundown and beyond, this body of water outside the state capitol of Texas is filled with bodies in the water. This is a Texas-sized bash and anyone with a boat or the means (or looks) to find one is invited. It's bikinis and martinis, bare breasts and beer, socializing and shots.

Thousands of people pile on hundreds of boats and meet in a place called Devil's Cove. And it's a devilish good time. Entire rows are formed, dozens of boats tying up to one another to create what has to be the World's Largest Floating Dock.

All aboard, it's pure madness, the alcohol flowing as freely as the pickup lines. Forget bar hopping, here it's boat hopping.

And oh, what boats. Huge off-shore speed demons with bows the size of Sixth Street. Yachts so big they can barely squeeze through the party lanes. Ski and wakeboard boats, runabouts, you name it. And huge double-decker houseboats stocked with full bars, kegs, a serious sound system and dozens of strangers all having a good time together. There's even a BBQ boat; call 'em up on the cell phone and a few minutes later a cute bikini-clad water waitress comes putting along in a dingy with the order.

Hundreds of boats line the shore and tie up together in the cove.

Navigating from one boat to the other is as simple as walking over to it. Or grabbing a drink, taking a dip, paddling around and climbing a ladder. Here, permission is always granted to come aboard. One of the more popular items – other than beer, of course – is a Styrofoam tube that rolls up between the legs, enabling people to leisurely float from boat to boat without spilling their drink.

The party starts anytime after noon. After getting buzzed all day at the cove, at sunset it's off to Carlos 'n Charlie's, a huge hut of a bar which is conveniently perched at the top of a cliff on the way home. The dress code is bikini tops, shorts, sandals, T-shirts and tank tops. A little more mellow scene – notice we said a "little" more mellow – is downriver at another lakeside bar, Johnny Fin's. And there's yet another bar, Shades, which is totally kicked back and plays mostly Jimmy Buffett tunes (we'll have to check that one out on another trip).

By far the biggest scene is at Carlos 'n Charlie's. One doesn't even need to know where it is is located; just follow the steady stream of boats heading there from the cove. It's so loud, crowded and full of loaded boat mates, the scene turns out to be kind of like speed dating – you've got three minutes to make your pitch and if it doesn't work, it's onto the next target. Conversations – slurry as they may be – are easier to come by at Johnny Fins.

And to think this scene is repeated every summer holiday – Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. A smaller version happens just about every weekend in the summer but it swells during these holidays.

You know, there's another Jimmy Buffett song that's a bit more appropriate for Lake Travis. It's called "Boat Drinks."

Bikinis and martinis!

Hay, that's my beer, er, that one right there, in the back.

Nick at night, being a land shark at Jimmy Fin's.

In order to participate in the Lake Travis madness, one needs some essentials, which PubClub.com was fortunate to be able to secure for Memorial Day 2003. Our crew consisted of Skipper Greg, Austin resident Nik, "Wild Tongue" Joe, Quiet Kevin and The Bartender.

Lake Travis Necessary Provisions:

• A boat
• An able boat captain with a functioning brain at the end of the night (thank you Skipper Greg!)
• One cooler for every three people on the boat stashed with beverages and ice. And would you believe the grocery stores here have walk-through beer coolers!!!???
• Sandwiches
• Camera
• Suntan lotion and sunglasses (the latter to shield wandering eyes as much as to shade the sun)
• Bathing suit/bikini, T-shirt/tank top, sandals, shorts
• Boat Tunes 
• Cash
  

Skipper Greg was an able seaman and was able to stay sober.

Is that the PubClub crew being brought back to the boat by the sheriff!?

 

Nick, The Bartender and Kevin ride the waves to the cove.