Event: Lake Powell, AZ/UT - 2015

[sysinu]

@utahrd which user are you on WW? I'm "Mantab" on WW.

I agree, navajo canyon should absolutely be on the list! Antelope canyon, I have only ever been on the guided tours. This was one of the pictures I took during that tour. I didn't think you could get to there by boat (or without a native american guide).

 

[sysinu]

Oh, also, @utahrd have you gone to the new restaurant at Wahweap (Latitude 37)? It's way better than the place at Antelope Point. Also Wahweap now has those propane golf carts like Antelope Point has, makes getting onto the houseboat a world easier than it was 2 years ago!

 

[utahrd]

@sysinu , my username on WW is.....drumroll please.....


Utahrd!

I havent tried latitude 37. its nice to see that Aramark is upping their game since Antelope set a higher bar for amenities. I recognize that Aramark has made major improvements in the past year at Wahweap.

I should also mention that anyone coming to Powell should visit the horseshoe bend of the colorado....A quick car trip into Page and you will be treated to a spectacular vista.

for those who are unaware, Powell has more coastline than the west coast of the U.S. this is not exaggeration. every trip is a new exploration. prepare to burn some gas...

anytime any of us are at Powell we should try to hail each other on Channel 16. by hailing "any jetboater forum" member, or perhaps we can invent some type of gimmicky callsign any of us can answer to? chances are some of us will be there memorial day and UEA weekend....

perhaps a callsign identifier contest is in order?

 

[sysinu]

If only! I have tried to hail jet boats in the same bay as me on VHF and no response. My wife and I sit on 16 and 68 and we usually talk on 68.

That said, I will be noisy on 68 if others are in the area! Especially on memorial (though we will be in the 2nd finger of padre bay like usual).

 

[djsquid]

If we don't get to Powell at least 2 and preferably 3 times each summer my wife gets grumpy. So whenever you plan it we will just maneuver one of our trips to match up. For some additional info we have stayed several times at the Defiance House Lodge (motel). It is on the little hill just above the launch ramp at Bullfrog. They have a pretty decent place to eat there called The Anasazi Restaurant.

So if any of you decide to venture up north to see Moki Canyon, the Moki steps, Forgotten Canyon, and possibly even Good Hope Bay you could book a room (motel quality) and rent an overnight slip at Bullfrog Marina. It's not much of a walk up to the motel but you usually won't have to walk much of it because when we are walking up and/or down many people driving stop and offer a lift. Just book things a couple months in advance to be safe.

If you've never been to Lake Powell, a couple pieces of advice: 1. be careful everywhere...in the classic dual of sandstone vs. gel coat the sandstone wins every time. 2. Be prepared for the heat and sun with water and shade, the life lesson in the desert is hydrate or die. 3. Take a zillion pictures and videos so you can relive it later. 4. Have a few cans of backup gasoline on hand to get you back to civilization. 5. Mind your chart plotter and depth finder. 6. Have some tools, supplies, and spare parts to fix things that might break.

I know it sounds like I am captain obvious here, and most experience boat owners know and do all this anyway. But with nearly two thousand miles of constantly changing shoreline it's just easy to get a little off your game and make a mistake. I've seen many and experience a few trips ruined by a momentary laps in judgement or planning.

But everything wonderful you have heard and seen of Lake Powell is true and I am very fortunate to live only 5 hours away from it.

-Dave

 

[sysinu]

So work-life is totally getting in the way of me having fun and I am realizing that not only am I completely unprepared for my trip to LP in May/June but I haven't even given a potential group September trip any additional thought. Hopefully after we get back early June, I can decide if I'll be able to do something in September (I want to target mid-September, like getting in around the 9th and then wrapping up around the 17th). I'm not certain if I'll be able to have the houseboat at that time (another owner has that week as a prime week this year).

 

[Willard Ivins]

For the time being, I'm a lurker here, while I weigh out my options for jet vs. I/O. I am very attracted to the Yamahas, but am watching Chapparal's new jet as well, although I'm pretty sure I'll be buying used.

I'll monitor this thread, and depending on the timing of everything, my girlfriend & I would love to make this trip! Being a photographer as well, I'm pretty sure I'll need to bring an external drive to handle the volume of images. We'll be tent campers. We're just getting all that new gear for adventure bike touring as well. If it all works out, it would be great to meet all the people who make this site a lively place to visit!

 

[sysinu]

This time of the year is a great time to be there. Glad to have a lurking watcher. It's not too bad of a drive from SoCal. I had someone make the drive from NorCal (where they practically have to drive down to SoCal and then up to LP) and I thought that would be really bad.

LP is okay for biking, but you have to do it up away from the lake quite a bit or on a trail because the beaches are all sandstone silt.


We just got back from LP after a 2 week stay on our houseboat. SO many pictures, it's amazing every time.

 

[itsdgm]

@Willard Ivins welcome. Lake Powel is on my bucket list for sure. Probably a few years away for me though. I live in SoCal also. Glad to see more of us popping up on the site.

 

[Willard Ivins]

Dennis, I've noticed the lopsided distribution of jet boats between the coasts. I'll see if I can do my part to even that up. Is there any reason in particular for the apparent lack of Yamahas / jet boats on western waters? Where do you take your rig out to on a given weekend?

sysinu - I had a 2004 Four Winns Horizon 210 in 07' & 08 and loved it. Would take it out to Parker / Havasu a couple times a month. I look forward to similar activity with the next boat! I love being on the water...... Spectacular photo from your trip!

 

[sysinu]

Actually, speaking about jet boats and Lake Powell at the same time relative to your comment on the lopsided distribution between the coasts... I saw SO MANY Yamaha's at Lake Powell when we were just down there. It was unreal. Last year I didn't see 1/5th as many as this year.

 

[Willard Ivins]

That's encouraging. It just seems lopsided, I guess because the majority of the posters I've seen on here are east of the Mississippi.... Gotta recruit those west coasters to get on this site.....

 

[itsdgm]

@Willard Ivins we usually head out to Laughlin a few times a year and we used to head up to Lake San Antonio for a week each year. But I think those Northern Lakes are pretty dry this year . Last year I passed out JB.net stickers at the lake to every jet boat owner I saw. This year I'll be armed with JB.net footballs and business cards, so I'm doin my part to build the "West Coast" side of things

 

[txav8r]

Welcome to the forum @Willard Ivins . I am sitting here in our floating cabin on our last day, at Lake Murray State Park, in Oklahoma. It is our main Texas gathering this year. We had a pretty good turn out given the limited and expensive accomodations. But the cabins are amazing and your boat is tied right at your door.

We are planning Powell in September and dragging the boat from Texas behind our new to us motorhome. I'm hoping some if you are in the vicinity because I am not certain of launching with the bus!

Anyway, just wanted to say welcome to the forum and put a plug in due both jetboats and Jetboaters.net!

 

[DawgDaze]

Welcome to the forum @Willard Ivins .. My wife and I are Socal residents too. We are close to Lake Elsinore and Lake Perris which are both pretty shallow with this water drought. The deepest part of Elsinore is about 10 ft right now. Haven't had the Nauti Dawg out this season yet but when we do , we may head out to Parker or Havesu. Powell is on our bucket list but not sure if it is in the cards this year yet. Anyway WELCOME again and hello to @ instagrm and @txav8r !

 

[Willard Ivins]

@DawgDaze,

Thanks for the welcome, I am down in that area fairly often, visiting friends. Your boat is perfect for Lake Elsinore's current condition, and the Yamaha is exactly the way to go to have fun anyway If I get one of these soon enough, I definitely will be out at Havasu / Parker, like I used to with the Four Winns before. Powell would be awesome to make this year, which I'm not yet ruling out.....

 

[tdogg]

So did anyone pick a date for this Lake Powell get together? If given enough notice I'm sure we can make a long weekend and meet up. I'd be tent camping with my family. September is the month to visit Powell. The weather is beautiful, the water is still warm, and the monsoons are waning.

Given the water is rising at about 0.5 ft per day right now I'd bet the Castle Rock Cutoff will remain open all season. Here is a good website to check water levels, fuel prices, etc...: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/

We typically like to motor up near Dangling rope and camp wherever we find a nice beach. That way we are close to gas and are far enough upstream to do some decent exploring. We typically don't head back to Wahweap/Stateline until we are headed home. Thus we bring enough food/water/beer to hold us for a long weekend (around 3-4 days usually). With the little ones if we try to stay longer it usually backfires anyway so we settle for the long weekends.

I don't think we are going to find a beach that will house everyone in one spot (barring camping along Lone Rock beach or maybe in Warm Creek). There may be a handful of spots that will allow beaching of more than few boats in one spot but it's isn't the norm. One of my requirements when picking a camping spot is for their to be a sandy beach so if needed I can beach the boat (if the weather turns). I typically don't beach the boat at all (anchor bow out and tie off the stern to stakes) but if you've been to Powell you know the weather can turn quickly and having the ability to beach the boat is required in my book. I also like to be off the main channel in a cove to protect you (morning and/or evening sun) and the boat from the threat of big water.

I'd be happy to attempt to answer any questions as Lake Powell is in my back yard and I spend most of my boating time exploring it.

Cheers,
Toby

 

[txav8r]

We will be there in September. We are staying in the Wahweap campgrounds and will not stay out but we will make it up lake to Rainbiw and Dangling rope at least once. Maybe you will be there during our stay.

 

[DawgDaze]

We are taking the Nauti Dawg out for the first time since we were blessed with her. Lake Mohave at the end of July . It's going to be a great time. @ txav8r are you guys going to Powell with a group of people?

 

[txav8r]

Howdy @DawgDaze ! No, but a few may be there during our timeframe. I think @sysinu had a possibility of houseboat availability then. We are staying in the bus at the wahweap campgrounds. Matter of fact, we are on our 4th of 5 day trip to Buena Vista CO and back! Bus is amazing!