09/22 Lake Powell 2012

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:30 pm Post subject:

Arrived at Bullfrog just after 2 a.m. last night; now getting sorted out and prepping to launch, then go look for the gang/do some boating Thumbs Up

. First time at Powell - looks amazing already! Guess maybe I can leave my long johns in the vehicle...

Pat Anderson · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:28 pm Post subject:

Pat, Patty, Baxter and Daydream are SO with you all in spirit, even though we can't be there this year!

mngrant · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:53 pm Post subject:

Okay all you Lake Powell boaters have a great time. Needless to say we would have enjoyed everyones company, the lake and weather.....but we are moving along with the buy/sell process of our homes. When all is said and done we shall be settled in and READY for our next adventure.

Mike

Casey · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:06 pm Post subject:

We stayed at Bullfrog for the night (after ice cream a Hall's yesterday). Staying at Bullfrog was a good-thing; it blew like 'stink last night (plus heavy rain).

At Marker 90 (a few miles before Bullfrog) we encoutered a squall coming uplake that caught us, blew-over the kayak, and made things pretty exciting for about :20. Everything worked-out ok but it was exciting.

We decided to have breakfast at "Defiance House Lodge," and will proceed uplake in a few minutes to see if we can find the Floatilla. (Since we're towing the Hobie kayak we're traveling the whole route at hullspeed ... and at hulllspeed, this is a REAL big lake!!)

Best,
Casey&Mary

knewlin · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject:

To everyone we met the Powell gathering...thanks for the great time! We really enjoyed meeting you all and look forward to seeing you again next year. I will try to set up a photo album and post pics. Donna & Keith - Secret of Life

potter water · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:45 pm Post subject:

Ditto to Donna and Keith's comments about the great time at the gathering on Powell. It was a first for Susan and for me. We are generally quite hermit like in our boating and hiking. Next year, we will not have to take a couple days away for business as we did. We were only able to make Friday and Saturday nights at Oak Bay. It was wonderful for two shy folks to be able to meet such accepting and caring people AND who all share a special love for the CD. We will definitely be on board for the Powell gathering next year, but hope to see the Powell gang we met this year at other events. Next year, Susan promises something other than Doritos and Hershey's kisses for the potluck.

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:09 pm Post subject: On Our Way Home

Had a great time at Powell. Met a few new friends and reconnected with many old. Cruising with Dr. Bob and Marie was special, and it was like getting an advanced degree in seamanship, especially around anchoring! A tremendous thanks to Bob and Marie for the fellowship and education!!!

We left Page this morning, cut across most of Nevada, and are at the little town of Mina. Far further than I wanted to drive, but it was the first decent RV park after leaving the east side of the State. Up to Oregon tomorrow, then home on Saturday. I'm pooped!!!

Cview · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:39 pm Post subject: C-View Safely Home

Another great C-Brat Gathering at Lake Powell! Thanks to Chris for his sponsorship. After we left the group near the Explorer Canyon in the Escalante River Arm, we spent a night near the confluence of the San Juan and Colorado Rivers. We had pretty heavy rain for a while. Saw small waterfalls down some of the cliffs. Spent other nights in Rock Creek Bay and Labryrinth Canyon. Drove into Padre Canyon but turned around when the Park Ranger advised us they were using sonar equipment in a search and recovery effort. During the time we were on the lake, there were two drownings in separate incidents. Be safe out there!

Enjoyed meeting everyone!

Tony & Diane

dabfd · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:19 am Post subject:

What a great time Donna and I had with the group. We did finally get to Rainbow Bridge on the way out. Sure did get blustery and wet while in the marina the last night. Hope all the members made it through the storms alright. What a great gathering.

Sunbeam · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:07 pm Post subject:

We're still on the lake, but with a bit of reception at Wahweap I thought I'd check in. Our "Bullfrog plan" worked out really well: as we were launching, Thisaway left us a voicemail to say they were tied up at Hall's, which is just across the way - so we zipped over and were able to fall in right behind them to head up to Forgotten Canyon/Defiance House. Thanks to Thisaway for making it so easy. Our first night on the lake was a great time with a C-Brat group hors d'euvres gathering on the beach. Was great to meet many of the gang, and see some of their boats, too.

The next day we fell in with Chris on Rana Verde and he gave us a great introduction to the lake and many of its special spots (plus geology).

We're now working our way back up-lake from Wahweap and will keep an eye out for C-Dorys as we go. I sure would like to make more trips to Powell in future...wow, what a place!

Sunbeam Hot

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:42 pm Post subject:

A shot of the gathering at Oak Canyon. Dr Bob, Marie, Diana and I sat on the peninsula for a couple of days to ensure that we would get it for the CBGT. What a great time.

One of the sunsets...

jkidd · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 9:38 pm Post subject:

I think we need a photo album.

Wandering Sagebrush

Donna Newlin with a couple of nice striped bass.

potter water · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:28 pm Post subject:

Were those caught off the beach in Oak Bay? If so, I'm kicking myself for not having left my fishing gear in the truck back at wahweep.

thataway · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:18 pm Post subject:

What a great 2 weeks on the lake to top off our Western Season of Cruising in 2012! We really enjoyed the week with Steve and Diana on Constant Craving--and Salty Dog of the Desert (Angel had a lot of fun too!) Steve and Diana even got me on a hike up Cha Canyon. Biggest regret was that the ice didn't last longer!

As for the anchoring--this might relate to the "Comedy" of re-anchoring several times in Forgotten canyon during the heavy wind....using the dinghy to reset my and several bow anchors...I am going to do a separate piece on anchoring at Lake Powell, and the techniques we have found most useful for stern too anchoring.

It was great to meet up with the "gang" at Oak Canyon. Even if we had only a day with some-it was a time to meet and learn more about them. We all agree that some of the best folks in the world are C Brats!

I finally met up with Sunbeam in person! Great C Brat! Also good to see Les again! Not sure, but I suspect he may have sold another Marinaut 215--even the first boat is beautiful.

I'll post photos when we get home in a few days (and when we get an album). Thanks too Steve for the Peninsula photo! I suspect that there was some climbing involved in getting that one!

We left the group at Defiance House (Forgotten Canyon) and ran down lake about 90 miles the next day to meet up with Eric and Sue on "E Ticket" and another long time friend. After two days at Gun Site and Padre Canyons, we headed down river and hauled out in time to meet my cousins who were starting on one of their annual hikes to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (they will hike down and back 2 times in two weeks. They also raft the canyon every year as leaders of a group.

Our time in Gun Site and Padre reminded us of the dangers of the lake. The Park Service was searching for bodies in each of the two canyons from separate accidents the previous weekend! Cause was unknown, but most of the park resources, including a dedicated boat with high end side scan sonar and a landing craft with divers and robot were also deployed!

We spent two days unloading the boat and getting ready for the road. First night was in Gallop NM, (very interesting drive thru the Hopi and Navajo reservations) and then today to Tucumari. It was not the best day on the road! First I 40 was shut down for 2 hours--there was an 18 wheeler which had caught on on Fire and the complete tractor was consumed. (Nice visit with some truck drivers in the middle of the freeway). Then we had a micro burst of which pulled part of the slide out awning out, and we had to pulled into a rest stop for an hour waiting for the heavy rain and hail to stop! (Awning was OK, but I had to climb up onto the roof to rewind the awning)--I also slipped on a water bottle which had rolled into the step well, and ended up gouging a hunk out of my wrist as I fell. (glad that happened after the Lake Powell trip).