After 130 miles and about 3 hours we crossed over Glen Canyon Dam and pulled into Wahweap Campground on Lake Powell near Page, Arizona. The elevation is about 3600 feet. Lake Powell, one of the largest man made lakes in America, makes up 13% of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The desert surrounding the lake is stark with light colored stone mesas and canyon walls. The water appears turquoise, making for a stunning contrast. After a late lunch we slathered on sunscreen, put on bathing suits, and headed to the swimming beach across the campground. The air temperature was an incredible 110 degrees and the water around 78 degrees. The difference in temperatures made the water feel cold initially, but we quickly adjusted. After some splashing around the boys started building sand fortresses on the sandy beach.
The next morning we packed up all our kayak gear, lots of water and a lunch. Mid-morning we launched into Lake Powell at Lone Rock, a few miles north of the campground. Thankfully it was overcast most of the day, cutting back the burning sun. We were in search of a neat slot canyon one could paddle into. We missed the entrance to it but discovered several other neat canyons. The erosion on the soft sandstone has left incredible formations, pockets, alcoves, holes, arches, etc. At times the view was surreal. We walked around at the end of one canyon. We had some laughs as our feet got stuck in the muck and pulled at our shoes. The boys found a desiccated fish. It must have gotten stuck in a shallow pool as the water receded. A lot of dead tamarisk trees (invasive species) stood bleached in shallow water. They grew when water levels were lower in drier years and died as the lake rose.
Heading slowly back, we stopped on a small rock island. This island is actually the top of a spire or part of the original canyon wall. When Lake Powell was dammed, the canyon was filled. This little island rose no more than 3 feet. We parked our kayaks precariously on one narrow end and relaxed and swam. We jumped into the lake that may have been several hundred feet deep at that point. Ethan was hesitant at first but gradually built up enough courage to do it. Of course, then he couldn’t stop! Frequently speedboats went by, sometimes towing a water skier or tube full of laughing people. Jetskis zoomed by heading in and out of the canyon. Lake Powell is incredibly popular for watersports. We saw every imaginable camper and watercraft combination here, even a camper that converts into a pontoon house boat!
After about 2 hours we started back for the launch area. The late afternoon wind had picked up considerably and made for choppy conditions. Liam and Ethan were getting tired. William ended up towing Ethan and Esther towed Liam back to shore. It seemed to never get closer. When we finally arrived and checked our GPS tracker, we had paddled a total of almost 6 miles and were out nearly 7 hours.
As Liam and Ethan took their evening showers, William noticed water dripping out of the underbelly of the camper. That is not normal. He took off the wall panel at the bathtub and discovered the pipe fitting to the drain had broken loose. So all the shower water of the last few days had been draining directly into the underbelly where it was mostly absorbed by the fiberglass insulation. William disassembled the sheeting underneath and pulled out the wet insulation. We had noticed an unpleasant smell recently but blamed it on the toilet in the hot desert. We also had had several out-of-the-blue CO/propane alarms. We could not determine what had caused them. We did all the usual checks for propane leaks, nothing. In hindsight the alarms can now be blamed on trapped old bathwater gases. Lovely. Warranty service coming up. Another thing to deal with when we get home besides the trees in our yard.
William spent most of the next morning in Page, AZ, about 9 miles away, to find pipes, etc. to repair our tub drain. When he returned we headed to the Stateline Marina to rent a boat. We ended up with a 20 foot powerboat and a tube for 4 hours. It would be a hefty price.
A cove in Warm Creek Bay was our first hangout. There we all took turns being pulled on the tube after the boat. This was a first for the boys. Liam and especially Ethan wanted to go faster and bumpier. Esther drove a boat for the first time as William got on the tube. Evidently she didn’t do the donuts fast enough. After 2 hours we circled around Antelope Island, past Navajo Canyon and Antelope Canyon. With our last hour the boys did some more tubing together. Ethan then went alone and set the day’s airborne record. We went about 50 miles total. On returning we had to have the tank refilled, just like a rental car. That was an insane addition to the bill. Bottom line we spent way too much for those 4 hours, but we also had lots of fun doing something new.
The Davids' Cross-Country Trip 