Pirate Cove Resort

October 2014

The 16th century was a good time to be a pirate. During the war the English had with the Spanish, pirates were “encouraged” by Queen Elizabeth to plunder the Spanish fleets whenever and however they pleased. One such pirate was Sir Thomas Cavendish, who was ruthless even to his own crew. After an attack on a Spanish galleon, he obtained almost $4 million worth of gold. While celebrating this victory, a small number of his pirate crew grabbed a chest full of the booty and fled during the night. They found a cove on the shores where they hid themselves. They were never caught. The cove was supposedly so beautiful, peaceful, and full of friendly natives that the pirates decided to stay and make it their home. They never left that cove, and the gold was never used.

I bet you’re thinking, “Why are you telling us this legend?” This is the legend that inspired Pirate Cove Resort, located at the Moabi Regional Park on the shores of the Colorado River and 11 miles southeast of Needles, Calif. Whether there is buried treasure on this shore or not, there are definitely other treasures of fun to be had here.

All boats are welcome at Pirate Cove Resort. With a boat slip marina that has the capacity to hold 250 boats, you can bet that you’ll find room for your pontoon or deck boat. It is also one of the cleanest docks that you will find on the river. You can coast along the Colorado River and take in its beauty. If you are looking for more of a historical and education tour, you can go across Topock Gorge. There you will see the natural treasures this land has to offer, from the natural wild and plant life that live there and old petroglyphs of American Indian life. Fishing accommodations are also available if you wish to take your reel for a spin.

The resort offers accommodations to fit your boating needs. They have 24-hour fuel docks, seven lanes of launch ramps, and dry storage for both your boat and trailer with 24-hour security.

So what if you don’t have a boat or if it’s too expensive to haul one all the way to California? No problem, matey! The resort has teamed up with Wet Monkey Powersport Rentals to help you with your boating needs. Wet Monkey carries top-of-the-line boats and boating equipment that you can choose from: pontoons, personal watercrafts, wakeboarding crafts, deck boats as well as ski boats. With prices to rent as low as $295 (plus they deliver the boat straight to the resort, so you don’t have to grab the boat yourself), renting from Wet Monkey isn’t going to feel like pirates have docked and plundered your wallet. But if you don’t feel like using your own boat or renting one, there is also a yacht charter you can take so you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the tour.

Should you ever feel the need to hop off the boat and shake off your “sea legs,” there are plenty of amenities that you can enjoy at Pirate Cove. You need to try out their rides such as the zip line tour, which guides you along the peninsula and brings you back to the start by motorized zip lines that go up to 60 mph! After that, you could take on the role of a mutinous pirate and “walk the plank” with their power-fan freefall. After being lifted to the top of their eight-story tower, the only way down is to walk off their 3- by 4-foot plank. A mechanized fan will slow you down before you hit the bottom, but this will still scare the scurvy out of you. Another adrenaline-pumping feature they have is their giant bosun swing. You can’t miss it; it’s the 80-foot tower that you see before you even get to the peninsula. You and a friend are lifted to the top, and just like the plank walk, you decide when you want to fall. After you pull the ripcord, you freefall 25 feet before you defy gravity and start to swing back and forth.

If you are looking for more of a peaceful and relaxing way to enjoy the resort, you can take their scenic trail that will show you the beauty and majesty of Topock Gorge. Or you can drive along the famous Route 66 located alongside the resort.

One of their best features is their award-winning restaurant, the Pirate Beach Bar & Restaurant, where you can enjoy food and drink (including their signature beach bucket drinks) that will bring the pirate out of you, your friends, and family.

After a long day of “looting and plundering” all of the fun that Pirate Cove Resort has to offer, you can stay at their cabins. They are located along the Colorado River, so you’ll have a spectacular view from your beach patio. Accommodations include two bedrooms, comfortable furnishings, barbecue grill, a washer and dryer, direct TV, and Wi-Fi. If you have your own mobile home, you’re welcome too. They have spots that you can reserve. If you don’t have your own trailer and you don’t want one of their cabins, Pirate Cove also rents 31-foot travel trailers that can extend to 37 feet for extra space. They come with their own blankets and towels and also a 17-inch TV, complete with a DVD player.

Whether you are someone who is always looking for something fun to do or someone who likes to kick back in the shade and soak in the beauty of your surroundings, Pirate Cove Resort is definitely a place that offers both options. You and your family and friends will have a great time here because you are their VIPs---Very Important Pirates.