Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.
The mystery of how a collection of miscellaneous chains and padlocks came to be floating just under the surface of the Colorado River may have been solved.
Deputies from San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department were made aware of the floating hazards on Monday. At least two foam noodle tubes were found floating just below the water’s surface on the Parker Strip, north of the Echo Lodge Resort and south of the Parker Dam. The foam noodle tubes contain miscellaneous chains and padlocks that were positioned in a manner which could lead to damage to vessel outdrives if struck. Deputies from the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department located the two devices and removed them from the river.
With information obtained from the public regarding people seen placing the foam and anchors near the California shoreline, SCUBA divers from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s dive team conducted a search on the river north of the Sunshine Resort.
Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Abel determined the foam noodle devices found were the remnants of a self-made designated swim and snorkel area, which had been placed along the shoreline by unknown visitors to the area over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Although they appear to have been intended to stay anchored to the river bottom, they had evidently become untethered by Monday.
“The public is reminded that the placement of a permanent mooring or swimming area requires permits per California law and U.S. Coast Guard regulations and could result in criminal prosecution,” a press release by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said. “California law requires persons operating a vessel on the waterway to slow to a no-wake speed within 100 feet of a swimmer and within 200 feet of a beach frequented by swimmers.”
The statement asked the public to use caution and always keep a clear lookout for potential hazards while boating on the Colorado River. If any additional, non-natural hazards are located, the public is asked to contact law enforcement.
Seems far fetched .
Those appear intended to damage or hurt someone.
Well either way who let them loose, could have killed someone, Dumbasses
Kevin Snapp
Ohhh boy.
If they were unknown visitors how do they know that’s what they were intended for. Sounds fishy to me????????
Good to know wasn’t intentional!
Educated Grown adults with kids that come here and that would set up a swim area would use a REAL Anchor and a ( Bigger Orange BRIGHT Buoy ) to be well seen by boaters and even if it was just Kids that did this and made them, Those Kids have Parents that had to have seen them making these , So either way they all committed a criminal act and need to be found and dealt with and held accountable for there actions ! I still don’t believe just because divers go down to the bottom that they can come up with this as the reason ! How exactly did they come up with this decision ? How does just one Sheriff Officer determine what it truly is ? WHERE ARE THESE ANCHORS THAT THEY WERE TIED TO ? WHY LOCKS / CHAINS & WIRES ? WHY JUST BARELY FLOATING ON TOP OF THE WATER LEVEL ?
Lot of money in locks and chains to be intentional
There weren’t just 2. There was 2 different pictures taken by individuals each one had 2 different one and posted on Parker Orchids and Onions. Another person also found one or at least said they found one. For what ever reason they were there the lazy jerks could have caused a lot of damage by not taking their crap out of the water.
Donna Thomas. Mystery solved.
The first paragraph on this website has a contradiction and needs clarification from the source of this information on the ParkerLiveOnlne website.. First, it says that the Deputies were “made aware of” the floating hazards (foam noodles,wire, chains and padlocks) , then it states at least two foam noodles were found and at the end of the paragraph it states that the Deputies from the La Paz County Sheriff’s Dept “located the two devices and removed them from the river”. I would like to know what two floating noodles did they locate and remove from the river? Were there two floating noodles found by the Sheriff’s Dept, other than what these pictures show?
They were made to just float underwater, deep enough you couldn’t see it bad high enough to hit.
I’m not buying the swim area.
Ignorance and criminal either way
This post contradicts itself. Also if someone was making a “swimming area” why would they use locks and and not a normal anchor
Not buying it either
Carol – nobody knows if this was intentional or not, so we can’t say for sure either way.
Mystery hasn’t been solved. No actual proof or even pictures of this being solved.
Just re-read it and I’m not seeing a contradiction.
There was 6 found !!
Trust me the way they float perfectly at the surface tells me they worked on this to “perfect” it to KILL OR CAUSE HORRIBLE DAMAGE !!
I’M CALLING B.S. ON THIS STUPID SWIM OR DIVE THEORY !
Scott Wensel I know. I have been following this since the first 2 were posted. And if sbcso found 2 that would make a total of 8.
Brittany Harris
Glad it was that but they should have been anchored somehow.
Need to find the morons that did this..they could have killed someone..
So, Parker live, why hasn’t anybody been charged with polluting the river or at least illegal barricading ? Intentional or accident, ignorance of the law is no excuse, or at least that’s what I’ve been told by every cop I’ve ever encountered.
Also, with 4 police agencies that patrol that part of the river, why haven’t any of the CHIEFS stepped up to investigate this problem? Maybe because it’s too hard. Seems to me if it’s not a DUI or a fight, it’s just not worth their time(not enough revinew). They only want easy pickings!
The SBCS posted about the contraptions found in the river, not only showing the pictures of them, but also stating that “Deputies from the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department located the two devices and removed them from the river.” Over the past few days, I sent a personal message to the SBCS to get confirmation on this asking them if the pictures they posted were the exact contraptions that is said the Deputies located and removed from the river. Their response was:” Let us do some research and get back to you”. I said thank you and told them that I knew there were others that were found, but the two in question was the pictures they posted in which they said the Deputies located and removed them from the river. Their response again was ” Yes ma’am, these photos are from the incident posted.” I replied “The reason I am inquiring about this is because if the Deputies found these two particular contraptions that are pictured, then that is not correct and are taking credit for something they did not do.” Now,,,, I followed up again today with SBCS because they or the LaPaz County Sherriff’s Dept is taking credit for staing that they located and removing the two contraptions pictured. My whole thing about this is ,,,, why would they take credit for something they did not locate nor remove themselves from the river? It’s not that I am trying to cause a problem, but it’s just not the truth and they, so far, have not apologized and admit ot me that they “DID NOT” in fact, actually locate and remove the two contraptions out of the river. How sad is that.
Parker Live Updates there is a contradiction. First, it says that the Deputies were “made aware of” the floating hazards (foam noodles,wire, chains and padlocks) , then it states at least two foam noodles were found and at the end of the paragraph it states that the Deputies from the La Paz County Sheriff’s Dept “located the two devices and removed them from the river” So, were they just “made aware” or did they actually locate and remove the very ones pictured from the river as it states? Thus,, to me, that is a contradiction.