Witches trade broomsticks for paddleboards Sunday on Lake Havasu

Witch costumes and paddleboards will share the water Sunday, Oct. 25, when the Lake Havasu Witch Paddle launches from the Nautical Beachfront Resort. For boaters, the gathering also brings temporary restrictions along the route toward London Bridge.

Southwest Outfitters’ event registration page lists check-in at 9:30 a.m. at the resort, 1000 McCulloch Blvd., followed by live performances at 10 a.m. and an 11 a.m. launch. A costume contest and raffle are scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Registration costs $12, plus listed tax and ticket fees, and includes one raffle entry. Participants need to bring their own paddleboard; equipment and merchandise are not included. Go Lake Havasu’s event listing says everyone taking part must register and lists an after-party at the resort’s Turtle Bar & Grill.

The costumes are the draw, but the scale of the gathering is also a boating concern. A Coast Guard temporary rule published Oct. 16 anticipates approximately 2,000 participants and identifies congestion and collision risks in Bridgewater Channel. That figure is an agency planning estimate, not a confirmed registration count.

Boaters should plan around the Coast Guard’s enforcement period of 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The rule describes a regulated area extending from Thompson Bay to London Bridge and prohibits nonparticipants from entering, passing through, anchoring or remaining there without authorization.

Under the federal rule, boaters seeking permission to enter the regulated area can contact the Captain of the Port or a designated representative on VHF-FM Channel 16 or at 619-454-9027. Anyone authorized to enter must follow officials’ directions.

For paddlers, the organizer’s registration page provides the current schedule and ticket details. For other water users, the federal rule makes advance planning part of Sunday’s outing.