Everyone has that one favorite place where they love to go, and my little slice of heaven on earth is Coeur d’Alene Idaho.  We have been going to Coeur d’Alene every summer for about 10 years now, and never get tired of returning.  In my opinion, Lake Coeur d’Alene is the most beautiful lake in the world, and our favorite place to go boating.

The lake is 30 miles long with 135 miles of shoreline.  There are numerous marinas located all around the lake with access to fuel as well as a variety of restaurants.  Our week on the lake includes towing water skiers and inner tubes, swimming in crystal clear blue water, looking for the many beautifully restored wooden boats that call this lake home, viewing gorgeous estates along the shore, and seeing just how fast our boat can go.

If you are looking for a great place to go fishing in Idaho, the fishing opportunities on the lake as well as the four rivers feeding the lake include Black Crappie, Chinook Salmon, Cutthroat Trout, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Sockeye Salmon and Yellow Perch.

For an RV park on the water, we stay at Blackwell Island RV Park.  The park has plenty of spaces to accommodate big rigs, and is conveniently located just a few miles off the freeway and only a few minutes from downtown Coeur d’Alene.  The best part for us is that the RV park has its own boat slips, so we only need to launch the boat once, and its moored only a few steps from our front door.

For deluxe hotel accommodations, at the heart of downtown is The Coeur d’Alene Resort, home of the world’s longest floating boardwalk that rims the hotel’s 372 slip marina.

A walk through the town will reward you with plenty of shops, galleries, and restaurants.   One of our favorite watering holes is the Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company, and the Coeur d’Alene Olive Oil Company is a fun stop to sample and buy olive oils made from locally grown groves. If you enjoy golfing, the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course is a must do.  Its famous floating green and million-dollar views made it Golf Digest’s selection for America’s most beautiful resort golf course.

For those of you interested in biking and hiking, you will not be disappointed either.  Tubbs Hill is an easy 2-mile loop walk that starts just off the marina parking lot, and features non-stop viewpoints of the lake and marinas.  The North Idaho Centennial Trail is a 23 mile paved trail for both cyclists and strollers.  The trail follows the Spokane River, and can be accessed from multiple locations, including downtown Coeur d’Alene.   Trail amenities include restrooms, doggy bags, water fountains, benches, picnic tables and artwork.

If you are interested in learning more about boating and fishing in Idaho, as well as other things to do and places to stay in and around Coeur d’Alene, visit their Visitor’s Bureau website.   I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Savvyboater.com is pleased to have been selected to be the first marine supplier to carry FirstWatch, a new line of high quality personal flotation devices.  Apex Outdoor Innovations, a company known for their expertise in designing outdoor apparel that excels in both function and comfort, recently launched this new brand of personal flotation devices .

Fit and comfort are the driving concerns for First Watch, because a flotation device that’s unworn, cannot save a life.    Protection, comfort and good looks are engineered into every product they manufacture.  The First Watch line offers a complete range of stylish personal flotation devices along with survival suits and coats.

The FirstWatch line of personal flotation devices includes life vests for recreational boaters from infants to adults, as well as specialized activities like fishing, sailing and paddlesports.  In addition, they have a selection of work vests that have been tested and approved for conditions ranging from frigid arctic waters to the tropics.  First Watch uses only the highest performance foams in the industry, ensuring that every First Watch flotation device will perform when you need it most and last for years.  The soft flotation foam bends when you bend and has millions of air pockets that provide excellent flotation and will retain heat both in or out of the water.

What sets FirstWatch apart from other manufacturers is their technology.  The FirstWatch Inflatable PFD was designed with Wave Barrier™ Technology.  This unique Flexi-Wing™ design provides the wearer with enhanced in-water performance with higher freeboard and improved flotation angles. The interlocking lobe design self-rights the wearer in under 5 seconds and provides a critical wave barrier — preventing water from being channelled into the airways.

FirstWatch engineers worked with offshore rescue teams and fishing crews to create their unique MMS^® Mobility Management System.  Human movement requirements for stretching, sitting, working or even swimming have all been carefully considered in the designs.  The MMS Mobility Management System is incorporated into every FirstWatch flotation suit, bomber jacket, float coat and pants to provide optimum mobility for safety gear that won’t limit your abilities.

So whether  you work or play on the water, you can rely on First watch for flotation garments that work as hard as you do.  Let First Watch be the Flotation That You Can Live In.