Dear Party Goer,
Update 10/16 : The boats we were going to use are being pulled off the lake for refurbishing on Nov. 1. The next best option of the boats remaining is a 59 foot Wanderer and a 46 foot Expedition. I have tried to get the floor plans to transfer to this page but for whatever reason it isn't happening. To see floor plans (and pictures of the boats) use these links -
46 foot Expedition
59 foot Wanderer Main Deck
59 foot Wanderer Top Deck
If the "government" remains "shut down" entrance fees will not be collected. But if you have a National Park pass bring it anyway, you never know what will happen.
Also, due to heavy rains for a few days in the past week, the lake has come up more than a foot and as runoff from Colorado continues to drain into the lake over the next couple of days it is likely to come up a little more. Expected lake level for the trip has now gone up to +/-3544. The pictures below are from Wed. Oct. 8 and show LL3544.
Number of people seems to have settled in at 14.
And finally, fuel prices are now up to $6.46/gal.
All else remains as stated below.
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Congratulations! You are on your way to Becky's 70th Birthday Lake Powell Houseboat Trip. Be prepared for wonders beyond imagining. The adventure begins and ends at the Wahweap Marina's Stateline Boat Rental Loading Dock {not State Line Ramp - that's a different thing, pass it by}, about 6 miles north of Page, Arizona. Leaves Nov. 2. Returns to same on Nov. 8. Written directions and map below.
Expect the first hour or two to seem hectic and confused. That's normal. You have just traveled a long way and are being thrown into a new environment with a bunch of people most of whom don't have any more of a clue what's going on than you do. So, stay calm, be happy, listen to the instructions and by the time you've finished lunch everything will be wonderful.
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Some of us will be there early (staying in Page the night before) to get boat paperwork and check out done when the rental office opens (9:00am MST) and to start loading the boats. Anyone who wants to be there at that time is welcome. Anyone showing up later can find us on the boat flying the Albanian flag.
NOTE: For those coming from out of state and who have not been there before, I would like to clear up a possible point of confusion. Wahweap Marina is very large and while it is true the rental docks are physically located in Utah, (by about 150 yards) all of Wahweap Marina, at all times, operates on Arizona time. Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time (MST) year round; we DO NOT change to daylight savings. All times stated are MST. This is especially pertinent because the rest of you will be confusing yourselves yet again at 2:00am Nov. 2, so, get it right (or expect no sympathy from me).
Cell phones will only work if we are in line of site with the tower on top of Navajo Mt. (or the tower above Page). If your phone has wifi it will also work, though it may be slow, especially when all the Navajo are watching TV in the evening. Also the farther up lake we go the more the marine band radio relies on Navajo Mt. Depending on the time of day and where we are on the lake, we could be up to 15.5 hours from emergency medical care.
Average time for sunrise during our trip will be 6:54am, sunset 5:24pm. Full moon peaks at 6:19am Wed. Nov. 5.
In general, the first week of Nov. is sunny, clear and warm with highs around 65-75, lows around 45-50. Sudden weather changes, while not likely, can raise or lower these temperatures by 10-15 degrees and inclement weather on the lake, especially if windy, can seem cooler than actual temperatures. Likewise, sunny weather can seem warmer than actual temperatures. We strongly recommend you rely on layering (layering means normal daily clothing that you will already be bringing with you, worn overtop of each other) to adjust for changing temperatures rather than a single heavy garment. On the positive side of poor weather, storms can make for some spectacular water falls.
All nights are spent tied to shore with boats tied side to side. There is gangplank for getting off and on the boat. The boats are equipped with galley; bathroom, with hot and cold running water and shower; heat (for unusually cold weather); a 12-volt with inverter for a (non heavy load) AC electrical system with outlets and a 110-volt generator sparingly used while underway for recharging batteries.
Boats will travel separately in narrow places but tied side to side in other places to conserve on the $6.37/gal. fuel. I hope to get into The Escalante and check out the possibility of going under Gregory Arch. That will depend on fuel consumption, which will be monitored along the way.
A few things to keep in mind when packing: first, there is a limited amount of storage space, second, if you forget something it is forgotten for the entire week (we return to the marina only at the end of the week), third, there is a limited amount of storage space. That's just how boats are.
Sheets, blankets, pillows, towels (not in unlimited quantities) and wash cloths are provided on the boats. If you want to bring a beach towel it can't hurt.
Things you might want to consider bringing:
- Light fanny pack or daypack with two, one-quart, leak proof water bottles or equivalent.
- Light over the ankle hiking boots or sturdy athletic shoes (well broken in) plus an old pair of tennis shoes or river sandals for shallow wading (or helping with anchoring).
- Brimmed hat or visor cap.
- Sunscreen and lip balm.
- Neck cord for eyeglasses.
- Light rain suit and/or water-resistant outer garment.
- Light jacket or wind breaker or maybe just that rain suit. (If you tend to be cold all of the time maybe even a warm hat and gloves).
- Medications.
- Other personal gear you might find useful: pocket knife, sunglasses, flashlight, toiletries, reading material, camera, binoculars, swimming suit, bandana, fishing gear, (licenses are available at the marina or in Page) note paper and pens; ear plugs are recommended for non-snorers.
- For Kayaking, swimsuit or other clothing you don't mind getting wet. We have sit-on-top self-bailing kayaks, you will get wet. Water shoes of some sort. Think in terms of sun and wind protection. Light long-sleeved (I don't even own a short sleeve shirt) and long legged clothing can be more comfortable than bare arms and legs. Wear glasses instead of contacts.
Daily chores for kayak include loading and unloading of kayaks.
And speaking of daily chores, be prepared to participate in daily chores including meal preparation and washing dishes. Cleanliness and orderliness are next to godliness in maintaining such tight living quarters. We are all in the same boat.
Since the time when the map and directions shown below were originally printed the entrance fee at Glen Canyon has gone up to $30.00 (if you have a National Park or Golden Age pass bring it) and the boat rental office has been moved from land to the dock. There is also a larger perminant sign at the road before the parking lots pointing to the new location of the boat rental office. And look for the large Albanian flag.
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