Posted: Sat, 29 May 2010 08:03 AM - 17,253 Readers
By: PubClub.com
Memorial Day on Lake Travis - Austin, TXJimmy 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.
