Glen Canyon and Lake Powell

Monday, August 22nd -  We had scheduled a boat tour of Lake Powell that would take us into Antelope Canyon by water.  It was a short, picturesque drive to the marina, and after a short wait, we were off. During our wait, we saw a road runner, who posed for us on the walk.  Shortly after this photo was taken, he leaped out and grabbed a lizard! On the way in to the marina, we passed several very large houseboats being towed out by truck.  This area is well-known for houseboats, and many rental opportunities are offered.  There is a lot of water to cover- Lake Powell is 185 miles long and has 1960 miles of coastline, more than the coast of California.  The water is a lovely pale blue (when the sun is out) and the contrast with the orange and white rocks of the shoreline is beautiful.  There are lots of opportunities for recreation, with boating, water skiing, kayaking, etc.

     There are several interesting features on the lake, including a rock formation known as The Castle, the "bathtub ring", and the dam, which is one of the highest in the United States.  Although the dam produces electricity, its main purpose is water storage.  The bathtub ring, a distinct white band around the reservoir, was caused back in the early 90's when the water level in the reservoir was much higher than normal.  When the water finally receded, it left a white ring from leached out minerals on the rocks.  Visible in the distance were the 3 chimneys of a Navajo-owned coal-fired electric plant.  The plant produces more electricity than the dam, and is considered the cleanest coal-fired plant in the country.  They use a low ash coal, and have installed scrubbers and other equipment to accomplish this.

     It was beautiful going into Antelope Canyon, colorful rocks on each side of the boat.  We were unable to go in as far as usual, as the water level on the lake was lower than normal.  On the way back in to the marina, we could see the boat ramp- the widest one we had ever seen- guess to accommodate the big houseboats.   A great trip!  My only regret was not getting into the slot canyon.

     Following the boat trip, we had a great lunch overlooking the lake, than back in the car for the 2-3 hour trip to Monument Valley.