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Winter cruising ON BIG BLUE S TO RY & P H OTO S BY K AY L A A N D E R S O N
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group of people are waiting on a chilly winter day in the Tahoe Keys Marina parking lot, to climb aboard the “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave.” At 11 a.m. sharp, they are greeted by deckhand Bella Cavalleri, who takes them into the main cabin of the 1966 Mercury Yacht. The guests meander through the boat, going upstairs to the partially covered seating area for an elevated view of the waters ahead or the fully stocked bar downstairs, the private lounge, main dining area or bathroom. The fireplace down by the bar and a climate-controlled atmosphere keep people warm on the chilliest of days. The 70-foot-long boat has plenty of room to take in the incredible views of Lake Tahoe from every angle. Meanwhile, Captain Augustin Avila takes the helm and starts navigating out of the marina while telling everyone where the life jackets are — apparently, there’s enough for everyone except those who are fans of a certain NFL team. “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave” cruises through the calm waters of the Tahoe Keys before getting out on the open lake. Guests sip on complimentary coffee and hot chocolate and Captain Avila shares interesting littleknown facts about Lake Tahoe.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Kayla Anderson went
on the cruise for this story shortly before the shutdown in March 2020 and photographs are from that trip.
Captain Avila points out a bald eagle sitting high in a tree next to a nest that’s at least 3 feet wide; it’s an incredible sight and everyone goes to the bow to get a closer look. As we leisurely cruise toward Mount Tallac and Baldwin Beach through glassy waters, a family from the Midwest goes to the bow of the boat and takes in the mountains serenely reflected in the grayish-blue lake. “In the late 1880s, Lucky Baldwin had a casino that he disguised as a health spa so that it would pass inspections. He had a 12-piece orchestra play every day, all day. Lucky offered $3,000 cash to anyone who could not catch a fish within 3 minutes, a tough feat it being so close to Taylor Creek, but then he took away the bounty when they built Highway 89 and a lot more traffic started coming through,” says Captain Availa as we cruise toward Emerald Bay. “It is soooo beautiful,” I overhear a woman say. Captain Avila has been a boat captain on Lake Tahoe since 2008 after he earned his captain’s license and moved to South Lake Tahoe to guide the “Tahoe Queen.” “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave” has been around for about 15 years when the former Caesar’s Palace Lake Tahoe bought it as 8
an amenity to offer to members of its high rollers club. MontBleu Resort Casino bought it from the previous casino owners and kept it for about a year before selling it to private owners in late 2007. The yacht has been around the world twice before settling in Lake Tahoe.
Captain Avila points out a bald eagle sitting high in a tree next to a nest that’s at least 3 feet wide. The regal bird is an incredible sight, and everyone goes to the bow with their cameras to get a closer look. It stays in the same spot for a while as Captain Avila gets “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave” as close as he can for a better view. About an hour later after sailing into Emerald Bay, “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave” ventures into Rubicon where we will spot two more bald eagles and an osprey — it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to see three bald eagles in one day. Before I know it, we are back in the Tahoe Keys, the two hours went by in the
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The first bald eagle that we saw on the top of a tall bare-branched tree; Cruising south, back to Tahoe Keys; The main cabin; Captain Avila from the top deck helm.
blink of an eye. As Captain Avila whips the yacht effortlessly around the tight cove and gets it right up next to the dock, passengers disembark “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave” with smiles on their faces – it was money well spent for a day on the lake. “Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave” offers cruises on Lake Tahoe year-round, weather conditions permitting. | (775) 588-9283, tahoebleuwave.com