Get ready to trade in your sweater for the sun deck

Sure, it's still January, a record cold and snowy winter for many of us... but houseboating? Just think, melting snow means more water in our lakes, more shoreline to explore, cleaner beaches, more navigable space and gallons of fun will be flowing in soon.

With water levels up at the desert and midwest lakes (we're pulling for ya' California) and gas prices way down (whew!) 2009 has all the makings of a great year for houseboating on America's favorite waterways. So with winter still under way, now is the perfect time to start planning to get out on the water in a few short months.

The most popular summer weeks are still available for most houseboat models - many at 2008 rates!

There's a handy holiday calendar below - to help you plan your summer vacation (do we avoid Spring Break or join in the fun?), and of course, a February Special offer just for sweethearts.

Happy Houseboating!

Discover Texas' Lake Amistad

Two and a half hours drive from San Antonio, straddling the Mexican and American border, lies a true gem in the desert, Lake Amistad. With over 850 miles of shoreline and 68,000 acres of sparkling water, it's one of the largest and most popular lakes in Texas. For houseboaters, Amistad may very well be one of the friendliest. In fact, the name Amistad means friendship in Spanish.

Lake Amistad boasts some of the best lake snorkeling and scuba in the state, the best bass fishing in the world, and one of the largest collections of archaeological sites anywhere.

More shoreline than Texas has coastline
Texas-367 miles of coastline, Amistad-856 miles of coastline

"The cleanest most clearest lake in the world!" So says life-long Texan and marina manager, Larry Lively. The limestone rock bottom, not mud, gives this lake a clarity unmatched in the nation. The calm, aqua-blue water is also helped out by two gushing underwater springs, Indian Springs and Good Enough Springs - which add over 2 million gallons of spring water to the lake every hour.

Boaters and fishermen at Amistad enjoy one of the longest and warmest lake seasons in the country with a boating season that starts earlier in the spring, and goes later in the fall than most other lakes in the US. It's just plain warm and wonderful most of the year. Sure, the desert region gets nippy at night in winter, and the area gets its share of rain with about 18 inches annually. But summers are long and warm with plenty of heat to dry you off after a swim.

Amistad's lake level is currently the highest in 17 years!

With over 850 miles of curvaceous shoreline, with more private coves and canyons that there are boats, this border lake is truly a houseboaters' paradise.

If you're a serious bass fisherman, you already know that Lake Amistad offers some of the best bass fishing in the world. Considered under-fished now for many years, as well as the recent increase in catch-and-release, Amistad is currently enjoying excellent stocks of America's most popular game fish, Large Mouth Bass, but also the hard-fighting Striped Bass, Crappie, and the popular Sunfish are plentiful.

According to the website Southwest Texas Live, Lake Amistad is hosting BASS's Battle on the Border elite pro fishing tournament March 12-15, 2009.

The ever-elusive Alligator Gar is also found in Lake Amistad. But local anglers say that if you spot an Alligator Gar, you should mark your calendar. "Those 100+ pound fish, though fairly hearty, are pretty shy..." So keep looking!

Prehistoric Adventure
With over 360 million years of history for you to explore in the cliffs and caves, along the shore, and in the whole Amistad National Recreational Area it's easy to step out of the water and back in time. Humans have lived in this area for over 12,000 years, and there are over 400 recorded archaeological sites to seek out and explore.

Take advantage of this season's high water levels and and explore the many excellent examples of 4,000 year-old rock art located in the upper reaches of the reservoir. Pictographs in Panther and Parida Caves are local favorites.

Pull into the boat dock at Padilla Cave and take a walk down the 300' designated trail. No need for a guide with all of the interpretive signs along the way. Panther cave is just as easy to get to from the water. The boat dock and trail there will lead you to a 60 foot steel staircase. It's a little scary, but worth the climb to see the prehistoric 80' long panel on the rear wall of the cave.

To learn more about how to really explore and enjoy Lake Amistad any time of season, be sure to stop in at the Marina Shop and ask our locals. With everything from world-class fishing, miles of shoreline dotted with private coves, ancient rock art sites and seemingly endless watersports, it's tough to choose just how to spend your time here at Lake Amistad National Recreation Area.

Learn More About Lake Amistad

Amistad Houseboat Reservations

Youth Conservation Efforts
In partnership with the National Park Service

The "Lessons on the Lake" outdoor classroom program, conducted in partnership with the National Park Service, is a great way for youth to learn on the water.

"Our site is the first Forever Resort property to receive a Clean Marina designation," said Larry Lively, general manager. "The program promotes the adoption of practices by marinas that will promote clean water in Texas, voluntarily enacting measures to control pollution associated with marina operations, and standing as an example of the conservation ethic of individual responsibility for healthy land and water," Lively said.

Encouraging children to be future conservationists is one way the mission is accomplished. NPS engages 4th through 6th grade students in the cultural and natural history of the Lower Pecos River Region through educational field trips such as the Lessons on the Lake effort begun in 2001.

Forever Resorts supplies the National Park Service a 59' houseboat for students to float and focus on the geology, wildlife, and archeology in an area inhabited for over 12,000 years.

The program promotes the adoption of practices by marinas
that will promote clean water

"Seven years of this program demonstrates a definite company commitment to give back to the community," said National Recreation Area education specialist Lisa Evans. While she organizes many environmental education experiences, she's observed that children respond beyond expectation to the floating, hands-on classroom activities. "Most of these kids have never been on the lake that's right at their back door," Evans said.

Forever Resorts founder Rex Maughan was an early-adopter of "green" practices and partnerships for the parks since the company's early days - today under the banner of Forever Earth. "One of the programs we're especially thrilled about is Lessons on the Lake," says President Maughan. "We're able to use our equipment, personnel, and marine facilities to help educate youngsters in geologic processes, plant and animal adaptation, as well as boating and water safety."

Visit www.foreverearth.net for more information

Visit www.swtexaslive.com to learn more