Lake Powell 2009 - Dungeon Canyon
Lake Elevation 3640
The Launch
Well once again the Dooley Crew headed out to Lake Powell and board the Purple Moon. We had to go in June this year because of issues with our children's school starting earlier then normal. Not a big fan of Lake Powell in June. The water is a bit cold for our pansy asses.
Earlier in the year we purchased a new Tahoe 228 deck boat and hence no more renting a ski boat at Powell. The drive to Powell was non adventurous,
for we luckily sent in both our Excursion and Tahoe into the shop before we departed and had both serviced. The Excursion had some minor fixes here and there, nothing to complain about for a paid for 2001 with 160,000+ miles. But the Tahoe had a hub that went bad! Luckily the mechanic caught it and fixed it before we left. He informed me that I should check my bearings every year and repack every other year if I continue to use the boat as much as I do. Evidently the bearings, if they leak, acquire water when the trailer is put in and then bam you can have bad bearings real quick!
"Don't mind the blow up doll, a good friend of ours, Brady, who usually travels to Lake Powell couldn't make it this year for he joined the Air Force. So we taped a picture of his face to the doll and had him with us in one way or another." Gongrats Brady and good luck in the Air Force we miss you!
Earlier in the year we purchased a new Tahoe 228 deck boat and hence no more renting a ski boat at Powell. The drive to Powell was non adventurous,
for we luckily sent in both our Excursion and Tahoe into the shop before we departed and had both serviced. The Excursion had some minor fixes here and there, nothing to complain about for a paid for 2001 with 160,000+ miles. But the Tahoe had a hub that went bad! Luckily the mechanic caught it and fixed it before we left. He informed me that I should check my bearings every year and repack every other year if I continue to use the boat as much as I do. Evidently the bearings, if they leak, acquire water when the trailer is put in and then bam you can have bad bearings real quick!
"Don't mind the blow up doll, a good friend of ours, Brady, who usually travels to Lake Powell couldn't make it this year for he joined the Air Force. So we taped a picture of his face to the doll and had him with us in one way or another." Gongrats Brady and good luck in the Air Force we miss you!
We arrived a day early at Powell in hopes of finding a GREAT spot the day before we get the Purple Moon by using our new Tahoe. We drove all the way up to Rock Creek, Dungeon Canyon, Wetherhill and to Dangling Rope and could not find a thing. On the way back we went into Face Canyon for the first time but there too every little thing was taken. So we drove back to Wahweap with all our equipment.
On the way back I realized that our new ski boat will show a 1/2 a tank while under way but when you stop the tank was almost emptied! A true newbie mistake. Yikes, so we headed over to Antelope before going back to Wahweap. While at Antelope we noticed the Red Wings and Penguins game had started so had to get a beer in that great bar of theirs and watch the first period of Game 7. Go Penguins!! During the day Sara came to me and wanted me to look at her arm. She was bit by a dog a couple of days before the trip and it had started to swell, get red and had heat! So when we arrived back at Page we drove her over to the Emergency Room. It was classic, not one soul in the waiting room and they said they were busy! This is definitely not LA. She was in and out in only 45 minutes with some antibiotics and a prescription for the rest of the week.
That night, as usual, the Purple Moon was waiting for us all cleaned and ready for us to begin our fun week. We loaded up the Purple Moon and then went shopping for our week of groceries. Once we were all settled in we fell asleep to a nice cool evening.
On the way back I realized that our new ski boat will show a 1/2 a tank while under way but when you stop the tank was almost emptied! A true newbie mistake. Yikes, so we headed over to Antelope before going back to Wahweap. While at Antelope we noticed the Red Wings and Penguins game had started so had to get a beer in that great bar of theirs and watch the first period of Game 7. Go Penguins!! During the day Sara came to me and wanted me to look at her arm. She was bit by a dog a couple of days before the trip and it had started to swell, get red and had heat! So when we arrived back at Page we drove her over to the Emergency Room. It was classic, not one soul in the waiting room and they said they were busy! This is definitely not LA. She was in and out in only 45 minutes with some antibiotics and a prescription for the rest of the week.
That night, as usual, the Purple Moon was waiting for us all cleaned and ready for us to begin our fun week. We loaded up the Purple Moon and then went shopping for our week of groceries. Once we were all settled in we fell asleep to a nice cool evening.
Purple Moon at Dungeon Canyon
The next morning we were awakened by the staring of a diesel truck and got ready to depart down to the lake. We got some great shots of the Purple Moon being launched and we soon drove through the Castle Rock Cut and off on our vacation. We could not find a good spot at Rock Creek, one was OK, it was the same as last year, but some campers were really close to that spot and they had a dog. Didn't want to deal with a loose dog crapping all over the place so we settled on Dungeon Canyon. Please follow park rules and leash your dogs. We love them but not their waste!
We drove the Purple Moon into a nice sandy beach and got the anchors in quite smoothly. Then we unloaded the Wave Runner and blew up the tubes for a week of fun in the sun.
We drove the Purple Moon into a nice sandy beach and got the anchors in quite smoothly. Then we unloaded the Wave Runner and blew up the tubes for a week of fun in the sun.
Talent Show 2009
Once again Stephanie planned a great talent show for all to enjoy! This year Brent Jr and his girlfriend Jenn won singing a great song. Hope you enjoy!
The videos below has some bad language. Be warned
Since it was so cold my children didn't want to go in the water all that much. So they wanted to do a spoof of I'm on a boat by t-Pain. Here is the video by my children and the original video by the artist, again be warned for bad language.
Dungeon Canyon in 2006 and in 2009
What a difference 25+ feet of wather makes. The pic on the left was from 2006 and on the right 2009
On Tuesday we drove our Tahoe up to Bullfrog. On the way we saw a boat a drift in the main channel about 3 miles from Halls Crossing. They waved us over and as I drove up I stated, "Nope sorry we don't have any beer!" They all smiled and said they do! It was a family whose engine was overheating. I tried to call in their problem into NPS but could not believe when no one answered, evidently our hand held radios were just not strong enough.
The father wanted to try to fix the craft so we informed him we would continue to radio in his problem to NPS. NPS finally answered our calls when we arrived at Bullfrog. They directed us over to Executive Services who informed us they would not go out and tow the boat unless the owner agreed to a $276 fee. Yikes. We assumed they had gotten help by now, but on the way back there they were still in the middle of the channel and still adrift. So we informed them of the fee and then offered to tow them back ourselves. We threw them a rope and towed them back to Halls. For payment we accepted a VERY strong Bloody Mary! We are always there to lend a helping hand to fellow boaters at Powell.
The father wanted to try to fix the craft so we informed him we would continue to radio in his problem to NPS. NPS finally answered our calls when we arrived at Bullfrog. They directed us over to Executive Services who informed us they would not go out and tow the boat unless the owner agreed to a $276 fee. Yikes. We assumed they had gotten help by now, but on the way back there they were still in the middle of the channel and still adrift. So we informed them of the fee and then offered to tow them back ourselves. We threw them a rope and towed them back to Halls. For payment we accepted a VERY strong Bloody Mary! We are always there to lend a helping hand to fellow boaters at Powell.
Stephanie at Rainbow Bridge
It was so cool that Stephanie actually agreed to hike to
Rainbow Bridge. She doesn't take the heat to well!
The next day a fairly large storm blew over Dungeon Canyon and the wind picked up. Then BAM! A large gust came from the south and just as quickly three rentals were blown sideways and one was blown completely off the beach they were staying at. We ran over to two of the rentals and helped them get situated enough to stay where they were during the storm and that we would be back as soon as the storm blew over.
When the storm ended we ran back over to the rentals and helped them get back to a 90 degree anchor to the beach. One houseboat to our east was only occupied by a lone female who did not know a thing about the houseboat. We anchored her boat back up and she offered a few nice cool Coors Lights while we dug in her anchors correctly! Remember to dig your anchors in atleast 3' It was our newbie mistake we made our first year and I will never repeat it.
When her crew came back they were very thankful and brought over a whole case of Coors Light. The Purple Moon did not move an inch! For 1) we were pointed due South into the wind, 2) we had our anchors in good with one on a big rock and the other 3 atleast 3 feet down in the sand and 3) we turned on our engines as soon as the storm started and turned our motors into the wind. And 4) we had very tight anchor lines with our truckers knot that we use.
Rainbow Bridge. She doesn't take the heat to well!
The next day a fairly large storm blew over Dungeon Canyon and the wind picked up. Then BAM! A large gust came from the south and just as quickly three rentals were blown sideways and one was blown completely off the beach they were staying at. We ran over to two of the rentals and helped them get situated enough to stay where they were during the storm and that we would be back as soon as the storm blew over.
When the storm ended we ran back over to the rentals and helped them get back to a 90 degree anchor to the beach. One houseboat to our east was only occupied by a lone female who did not know a thing about the houseboat. We anchored her boat back up and she offered a few nice cool Coors Lights while we dug in her anchors correctly! Remember to dig your anchors in atleast 3' It was our newbie mistake we made our first year and I will never repeat it.
When her crew came back they were very thankful and brought over a whole case of Coors Light. The Purple Moon did not move an inch! For 1) we were pointed due South into the wind, 2) we had our anchors in good with one on a big rock and the other 3 atleast 3 feet down in the sand and 3) we turned on our engines as soon as the storm started and turned our motors into the wind. And 4) we had very tight anchor lines with our truckers knot that we use.
Had another great family trip at Powell! And are always there to lend a helping hand.