Lake Pleasant boaters experience monsoon chaos: 'It was crazy'
MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - A monsoon caused chaos for boaters on Lake Pleasant on Sunday afternoon as a thunderstorm rolled through.
Boats were being tossed around the lake, sometimes into each other, as the waves grew bigger and stronger during the storm.
"Strong to severe thunderstorms will impact the Lake Pleasant recreational area over the next 30–90 minutes. Any of these storms have the potential to produce wind gusts 40-60+mph, brief heavy rainfall with hail, and frequent lightning. Use caution," the Flood Control District of Maricopa County posted to X around 3:40 p.m. on July 21.
The storm came fast and lasted a while.
"As soon as we hooked up, the waves started crashing in, ripped my ropes, and I had to get new ropes. Thank God for the guys at Dillon’s. They helped me out, got me thicker ropes and yeah it was crazy," Michael Pedilla said.
Despite storm warnings, many in Arizona know that a strong monsoon storm can seem like it comes out of nowhere.
"By the time I made it over here, it was already in the eye of the storm. People were loading up right in the middle of the storm, and you can see what happens," another boater said.
Chaos ensued with boats capsizing and people calling out for help.
"Some of the smaller boats, they got overtaken by water. I had, this is a 30-foot boat, and I had water coming right over the bow a foot or two," that boater said.
Boaters with years of experience say weather is the one variable to never underestimate.
"You can be experienced as you want, but you know when it comes to mother nature, you only have a certain amount. There are things you can look out for, you know, cut in early on monsoon season," the boater said.
The biggest piece of advice?
"Wear a life vest. That’s the only thing I can really say because if this situation would’ve happened with my party out on the water and my boat would’ve capsized or got flipped over, everybody has life vests on my boat. Everybody would’ve been safe. A lot of the deaths that happen out here are because people don’t have life vests," Pedilla said. "If you come to Lake Pleasant, it’s a beautiful lake, but you must be safe or else you end up like this."
Pleasant Harbor Marina Manager Joe Evans said there were up to 50 boats trying to come in during the storm and all of their docks were overwhelmed.
He echoed the sentiment that if you're heading out on this lake or any others, to be prepared and bring those life jackets.
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Lake goers help each other during the storm
Ave Satanas was at Lake Pleasant when the storm rolled through. She was taking a video of the storm, but then shortly realized it was more dangerous than she thought.
"One minute I'm filming the storm and then see this boat tipping. Myself and four others ran to where the upside down boat was coasting further down in the water and we heard where a woman was screaming ‘help,'" she said.
She said it was windy as she tried to help get the woman and others back onto the dock.
"The wind was so strong, as you can see, it caused the boat to flip. A male and female were floating in the water when we got there, and we all tried to help," Satanas said.
A woman stretched out her walking stick for the people in the water to grab onto and get pulled to safety.
"Another individual didn't have a life vest and was hanging on to the upside down boat," Satanas said.
Finally, the boat floated to another dock where people were able to tie it down.