Thursday, September 6th. We rolled into the Lake Powell area just before 5:00. It took some time to get Wild Blue ready for the water again, and our first stop was at the pump-out station... yes, the cruising life is glamourous.
From there, we made our way around the marina and into a slip. The office was closed, so we picked a slip, tied off, and plugged in... we are living large on the water, again. The weather was warm, but very dry... it is hard to imagine that less than a week ago, we were wearing jackets in the Pacific Northwest.
We spent a pleasant night in the Wahweap Marina, listening to Radio Margaritaville and enjoying drinks in the cockpit... with the camperback off and just the bimini up.
Friday September 7th. We walked up the docks for a shower, had breakfast, then got ready to head out on the lake for the next few days.
The lake is just as spectacular as before. Sometimes it seems that some experiences don’t hold up with a repeat visit - certainly not the case here. We made our way through the Narrows, stopped at Antelope to pick up some oil, and then went down Navaho Canyon.
We expected it to be packed, and it was plenty busy when we went through the Narrows. But by the time we turned out of the main channel and into a side canyon, the traffic dropped off considerably.
The guide book showed plenty of beaches along the shores of Warm Creek Bay. There were the occasional big houseboats dotted along the shore, especially at the opening to the bay. Several miles up, Joan spotted a good spot to beach the boat. We had a couple things in mind for a spot: facing west so our cockpit would be in the shade all afternoon, and not close to other boats. This place was perfect - just enough space for our boat, with rocks on either side, leading to hills; we knew there would be no problem with noisy neighbors.
Out on the bow, Joan guided me up to the beach. When we touched the shore, she hopped off and put the anchor in the sand. I handed her lines from the stern and she tied us off to either side. Wild Blue is down for the day. We changed into our swimming suits and settled in.
It was warm; the forecast was for low to mid-90s, but it was very comfortable in the shade of our cockpit. A nice breeze helped.
There were a few jetskis and boats pulling skiers that went by during the afternoon, but way less than we had anticipated. All three of us took a nap, then moved back to the cockpit to enjoy the beautiful views and the breeze.
By late afternoon, we were ready for a walk. We hopped off the boat, walked across the beach and started making our way up the hill. It was a pretty good climb, but gave us a nice vantage point for some photos of us with Wild Blue in the background. One of these will be a good candidate for this year’s Christmas newsletter.
After our climb, we came back to the boat and enjoyed an adult beverage in the cockpit. We got the grill out and cooked in the cockpit... I grilled the chicken while Joan made fresh fried potatoes.
The sun went behind the hill earlier than we’ve been used to, and it wasn’t long before the cliffs around us were a silhouette. And then darkness... and a brilliant display of stars. You could see the swirl of the Milky Way. No city lights to diffuse the view - beautiful.
We showered on the swimstep... no neighbors to be concerned about, and it kept the humidity out of the boat. Cool temps (well, by comparison) came with the dark... a beautiful night to be out on the water.
The stars twinkled like I’ve never seen before... and reflected in the water; it was like being surrounded by stars. A houseboat on the other side of the bay gave us a short fireworks display... it didn’t compare to the display Mother Nature provided, including a shooting star. Perhaps one of the most magical nights onboard.
We slept with the screens on, door, windows, and hatch open. Well, until just after midnight - and then a pack of coyotes started yipping. My first thought was “Where’s Molly?” We saw her wide eyes from under the dinette; Joan got up and closed the door and the hatch.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
LOTS of boat stuff to see and do (in addition to all the usual touristy stuff).
