The wind in my hair, the chill on my face the canyons surrouding us … pure bliss. If you have a heart for the water, a love of history and get a thrill when the wind is whipping past you – then this is for you! We took a leap knowing it would be a cool day and rented a boat. We looked around at a few different marina’s but because it is winter many of them are closed for the season. We ended up getting a boat from Wahweap Marina. It was not the nicest boat and it was almost impossible to get the gas into … but it served it’s purpose wonderfully.
We ended up heading east from the Marina towards Antelope and Navajo Canyons. The wind was extremely chilly and the children were bundled up in blankets, jackets, gloves and a few layers of clothes. When we slowed down and the sun was out it actually felt warm but with the sun behind the clouds and the boat speeding through the open waters the shiver was intense. Hence it was a day of coat on, coat off, coat on, coat off.
We were unsure all that we would encounter today or were not prepared for how majestically beautiful this place would be. If you don’t know the history of Lake Powell here is a brief bit from what I have read. The Colorado river used to flow through Glen Canyon in such a slow pace that many people would drift in tubes or camp by it’s edges. The canyons were full of narrows and slot canyons for exploring and held many ancient remnants such as hieroglyphs and dwellings. Beautiful trees and plants filled with butterflies, bees and other insects.
However, in 1966 the Glen Canyon Dam was completed and as it backed water into Utah it put much of the Canyon under water hundreds of feet in depth. With this water came the visual loss of what was left of the ancient world along with the slow moving Colorado River and the vegetation. Many locals have said the Colorado River was life and the Lake is death. What depth there is in that statement.
As a newcomer to Lake Powell there are a few lenses in which I can view this place. First it’s from a lens of sadness at the loss of the past – covered and maybe gone forever. Secondly it’s at the beauty that is now seen in the Lake. The vast amount of water among the beautiful canyon walls, and the slots you can explore via kayak. Thirdly from the feat of the construction of the dam. It is the second largest dam on the Colorado with a primary purpose of generating electricity. That is amazing!
No matter which lens you choose to see Lake Powell with, we had a blast and so will you. We ventured into Antelope Canyon, Labyrinth Canyon and Navajo Canyon. The views were spectacular, and the lake was extremely calm and peaceful. We found a few slots we and in some we were able to venture prety far until we could go no more. I even spotted what I thought was a wolves face with a ship fighting a storm carved into a canyon wall. So so beautiful.
This adventure did not include hiking but the views were spectacular. Breath taking. I stopped a few times and stared into the depth of the waters, and thought of the past. What was below and what is now above. Both are beautiful and both have meaning. I want to honor them both.
