WESTSIDE — Lakes, pools and rivers are almost synonymous with keeping cool on the west-side of Benton County on these hot and humid July days and plenty of area residents could be found in the water doing just that.
Public pools like those in Gravette, Decatur and Siloam Springs may be the safest place to enjoy the water and cool down because of lifeguards on duty to help safeguard against accidents and drownings, and the pools have had plenty of patrons on these hot days. Some have enjoyed the diving boards and slides and others have just enjoyed relaxing in the water with family members and friends.
Others opt for local swimming holes in lakes and rivers. Crystal Lake in Decatur has swimmers and waders on most summer afternoons. And Lake LaBalladine in Sulphur Springs, fed by the clear waters of Butler Creek, is a favorite swimming hole for local residents. Some dive into the man-made lake from the dam and others off of rocks on the north side of the lake, but many just enjoy wading into the cool waters on hot, sunny afternoons.
Just north of the state line, in Missouri, is the Elk River, popular for float trips. The river, near neighboring Noel, Mo., had no shortage of people along the banks or floating downstream in rafts, kayaks and canoes last week. Entire families spent the hot afternoons floating the river and spending time together in and out of the water to escape the heat.
And just south, similar opportunities were enjoyed in the Illinois River, where people flocked to spend a little time in the cool water or to float down the stream in tubes, rafts, kayaks and canoes.
The kayak park located on the Illinois River, south of Siloam Springs, was filled with swimmers and bathers on Thursday afternoon, with only a few honing their kayaking skills in the man-made rapids there in the park.
Two kayakers from Ozark, Mo., traveled to the park Thursday because it is the only such park of its kind in the region where kayakers can work on their skills in rapids and fast-moving water. Austin Chase Mathes and Houston Horton were taking turns in one area of the rapids, practicing their skills and righting themselves again after overturning.
All the people who came out to the river just to swim and cool off made it difficult for the kayakers to find enough space in the river rapids to maneuver their kayaks safely without the danger of hitting someone else in the river.
"We drove all the way down here from near Branson (Mo.) because this is the only park like this in the area, and this is what we find," Mathes said, pointing to the river full of people swimming and floating over the rapids with small tubes and life vests.
But the two made do and were careful to steer clear of others enjoying the river to escape the heat on a hot, hot July afternoon.
General News on 07/27/2016