The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...
- Thread starter JamesTXSD
- Start date
HI Casey,
Nice to hear from you - hope all is going well for you two in KW! Getting warm there these days?
So far, Big Red has been a stabilizing force for the boat, and turning into the wind was the right move. The rain has quit, occasional sun breaks, and the wind has eased off to a steady 30 or so, gusting to 51 right now... the boat has been a-rockin'! Most of the RVs have pulled in their slide-outs; even the big coach next to us was rocking earlier. The only folks outside are those chasing stuff they didn't bring in. :wink: The NWS is forecasting a High Wind Warning into the evening.
After all the running these past few days, some "forced relaxation" isn't bad. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim
Nice to hear from you - hope all is going well for you two in KW! Getting warm there these days?
So far, Big Red has been a stabilizing force for the boat, and turning into the wind was the right move. The rain has quit, occasional sun breaks, and the wind has eased off to a steady 30 or so, gusting to 51 right now... the boat has been a-rockin'! Most of the RVs have pulled in their slide-outs; even the big coach next to us was rocking earlier. The only folks outside are those chasing stuff they didn't bring in. :wink: The NWS is forecasting a High Wind Warning into the evening.
After all the running these past few days, some "forced relaxation" isn't bad. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim
On the road again; I just can't wait...
We're heading out this morning, after 5 days in the beautiful Black Hills. Wild Blue is anxious to get back in the water and my feet are getting itchy. This is as long as we've spent in one visiting place since Boot Key Harbor this winter. It was fun to see old friends, visit our former business, and explore a bit as tourists instead of locals.
It's been interesting visiting with folks as they stroll by the boat; seems that they almost always have questions... and that's from folks who are already the wandering types. We've given tours and set more than a few folks thinking about a change in travel mode.
A couple hours before we head out, we're still in the "this one or that one" discussion stage: I'm thinking Yellowstone (we've been there plenty, but it's cold this time of year), Joan is leaning towards Flaming Gorge. We'll probably be posting from Flaming Gorge next. :wink:
There is a lake south of us called Angostura where we used to have a slip for our sailboat. Angostura is an old Indian term meaning: overpriced slips. Yesterday a gruff ol' guy was asking about our boat; it felt more like an interrogation than a discussion. At one point, he asked, "You ever take it to that lake, what's it called, Agnostia?" I asked him, "Is that the lake for sailors who doubt the existance of God?" Seemed pretty funny to me, but apparently I was a party of one. :twisted:
The tent is down, time to clean up then get rolling. It's a beautiful early summer day in the Black Hills: crisp air, a few puffy clouds, lots of sunshine, and no wind. This place was our home for 29 years... lots of good memories here. If it had warmer winters and more water, we'd probably still be here. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We're heading out this morning, after 5 days in the beautiful Black Hills. Wild Blue is anxious to get back in the water and my feet are getting itchy. This is as long as we've spent in one visiting place since Boot Key Harbor this winter. It was fun to see old friends, visit our former business, and explore a bit as tourists instead of locals.
It's been interesting visiting with folks as they stroll by the boat; seems that they almost always have questions... and that's from folks who are already the wandering types. We've given tours and set more than a few folks thinking about a change in travel mode.
A couple hours before we head out, we're still in the "this one or that one" discussion stage: I'm thinking Yellowstone (we've been there plenty, but it's cold this time of year), Joan is leaning towards Flaming Gorge. We'll probably be posting from Flaming Gorge next. :wink:
There is a lake south of us called Angostura where we used to have a slip for our sailboat. Angostura is an old Indian term meaning: overpriced slips. Yesterday a gruff ol' guy was asking about our boat; it felt more like an interrogation than a discussion. At one point, he asked, "You ever take it to that lake, what's it called, Agnostia?" I asked him, "Is that the lake for sailors who doubt the existance of God?" Seemed pretty funny to me, but apparently I was a party of one. :twisted:
The tent is down, time to clean up then get rolling. It's a beautiful early summer day in the Black Hills: crisp air, a few puffy clouds, lots of sunshine, and no wind. This place was our home for 29 years... lots of good memories here. If it had warmer winters and more water, we'd probably still be here. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Some months there are a lot of afternoon thunderstorms on Flaming Gorge. You might want to investigate and schedule accordingly. It's been a while since I have been there so I disremember exactly when is the worst time for storms. It's a beautiful place, though. Suggest you put in at Lucerne rather than up by the dam as it is less steep and there's more parking for your rig.
Warren
Warren
eace:It was a beautiful drive, heading towards Flaming Gorge. Coming over the hills from the north, we were surprised to see quite a covering of snow on the higher peaks! A quick check of the themometer showed 81º and 6700' elevation...
We pulled into the marina area, bought an access pass at the store ($5 for 16 days, includes the ramp and parking - what a deal!). The first order of business after getting Wild Blue launched was a stop at the pump-out station... it's been almost a week since we were on the water, and the tank was getting up there.
From there, we made arrangements for a slip for the night at Lucerne Marina ($18, includes electricity). I parked the truck and trailer while Joan got things arranged in the boat. After most of the past year at sea level, the higher elevation here had me huffing and puffing (I'm sure it will do the same to Wild Blue, too)... and I thought I was in pretty good shape. :crook
I made the inevitable trip back to the truck to get what we forgot (solar shower) and got to practice my heavy breathing again. By now it was late afternoon, so we decided to stay close. We plan to head down towards the dam, through the canyons, so I hope to have some photos to show off the area.
The wind had come up pretty good by the time we were ready to bring Wild Blue into the slip. Molly picked that time to hop up on the dash, and she is not a particularly small girl. I wrestled her down in time to give it some reverse and make an "interesting" arrival. No harm, no foul; it just wasn't our most elegant docking. We celebrated our survival with a sundowner in the cockpit and kicked back to watch boats come into the ramp area.
I was visiting with the dock manager and in comes a C-Dory! Well, on closer inspection, it was a "cousin": a Cape Cruiser.
I hustled over to the ramp to meet these nice folks. George and Jenice (I hope I spelled that right) are just down right swell people. They tried to buy a C-Dory, but couldn't find one in stock when their timing was right. Their boat, Sea Quest, is a fine looking vessel. We visited for quite a while and, of course, the C-Brats came up. George was concerned about visiting here with that OTHER boat, and I let him know that as long as he didn't do the "my boat is better than your boat" routine, there wouldn't be a problem. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that he is not that kinda guy. So, when you see him on here, give him a warm welcome. (After all, we have welcomed folks with boats that aren't even distant cousins to hang out. :wink These are good people.)
I have a slow connection, that I expect will go away when we head into the canyons. Joan has supper cooking (including cake for dessert!), Molly is sound asleep on the v-berth, and all is good with Wild Blue and crew. I'll post more when we can.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
PS - Hi Warren; I didn't seen your post until I just signed on. Lucerne seemed to me to be a good central location. Nice place. It's supposed to be windy tonight and tomorrow (20-30), but no mention of thunderstorms. Should be nice the next few days.
We pulled into the marina area, bought an access pass at the store ($5 for 16 days, includes the ramp and parking - what a deal!). The first order of business after getting Wild Blue launched was a stop at the pump-out station... it's been almost a week since we were on the water, and the tank was getting up there.
From there, we made arrangements for a slip for the night at Lucerne Marina ($18, includes electricity). I parked the truck and trailer while Joan got things arranged in the boat. After most of the past year at sea level, the higher elevation here had me huffing and puffing (I'm sure it will do the same to Wild Blue, too)... and I thought I was in pretty good shape. :crook
I made the inevitable trip back to the truck to get what we forgot (solar shower) and got to practice my heavy breathing again. By now it was late afternoon, so we decided to stay close. We plan to head down towards the dam, through the canyons, so I hope to have some photos to show off the area.
The wind had come up pretty good by the time we were ready to bring Wild Blue into the slip. Molly picked that time to hop up on the dash, and she is not a particularly small girl. I wrestled her down in time to give it some reverse and make an "interesting" arrival. No harm, no foul; it just wasn't our most elegant docking. We celebrated our survival with a sundowner in the cockpit and kicked back to watch boats come into the ramp area.
I was visiting with the dock manager and in comes a C-Dory! Well, on closer inspection, it was a "cousin": a Cape Cruiser.
I hustled over to the ramp to meet these nice folks. George and Jenice (I hope I spelled that right) are just down right swell people. They tried to buy a C-Dory, but couldn't find one in stock when their timing was right. Their boat, Sea Quest, is a fine looking vessel. We visited for quite a while and, of course, the C-Brats came up. George was concerned about visiting here with that OTHER boat, and I let him know that as long as he didn't do the "my boat is better than your boat" routine, there wouldn't be a problem. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that he is not that kinda guy. So, when you see him on here, give him a warm welcome. (After all, we have welcomed folks with boats that aren't even distant cousins to hang out. :wink These are good people.)
I have a slow connection, that I expect will go away when we head into the canyons. Joan has supper cooking (including cake for dessert!), Molly is sound asleep on the v-berth, and all is good with Wild Blue and crew. I'll post more when we can.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
PS - Hi Warren; I didn't seen your post until I just signed on. Lucerne seemed to me to be a good central location. Nice place. It's supposed to be windy tonight and tomorrow (20-30), but no mention of thunderstorms. Should be nice the next few days.
Keep the post coming when ya can Jim. Enjoying the virtual trip with you and crew. The photo out of the windshield of the truck has me excited about my trip to Oak Harbor and back in about 2 months. Can not wait to see the open ranges again. Terry (Last Dance) from NY should be with me for the run.
Be safe.
Byrdman
Be safe.
Byrdman
Cutty Sark
New member
I used to go to the Flaming Gorge area all the time, when I lived in Utah, Unbeleivable scenery just beautiful, and good fishing to boot. The Green River that is on the other side of the dam is one of my favorite flyfishing spots around. Of course we only saw small parts of the lake by canoe, but truly a cool area. How was the tow in, I remember some steep switchbacks in the area?
Sark
Sark
El and Bill
New member
We have two posts on our excursion through Flaming Gorge -- one that discusses history of exploration, with photos by the Powell Expedition and our more recent photos:
http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/flaming.htm
The second posting is about the geologic history of Flaming Gorge.
http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/flamingrks.htm
Have a great trip, folks --
http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/flaming.htm
The second posting is about the geologic history of Flaming Gorge.
http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/flamingrks.htm
Have a great trip, folks --
We are cruising by the Cedar Springs Marina and have a signal, thought I'd post an update. What an amazing place! I have shot hundreds of images, scads of videos. The scenery is beautiful, the navigation easy. I will try to post some images into our file in the next few minutes.
The wind came up yesterday afternoon, but we were running with it most of the time. We saw fewer than 10 boats all day. Stopped for the night at a boat camp with courtesy docks. Just before dusk, another boat came in, and we made some new friends... and Molly got to play with Widget the bagel dog (part beagle, part bassett). More to come when we get a connection.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
The wind came up yesterday afternoon, but we were running with it most of the time. We saw fewer than 10 boats all day. Stopped for the night at a boat camp with courtesy docks. Just before dusk, another boat came in, and we made some new friends... and Molly got to play with Widget the bagel dog (part beagle, part bassett). More to come when we get a connection.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We Are Up Sheep Creek... Monday, June 11th. The folks in the boats next to us came to the docks early - as in before 6:00. Not a particularly quiet bunch, either. We cleaned up, had breakfast, and headed out. Flaming Gorge is another large reservoir, this one created by a dam on the Green River. Like Lake Powell, the terrain is rugged canyons. Unlike Lake Powell, there is a lot of trees and greenery here. It is also much smaller than Lake Powell... but, as we were to find out, equally as beautiful in its own way.
Flaming Gorge is located on the Wyoming/Utah border. The lake on the Wyoming side is surrounded by rolling hills and scrub brush. The Utah side has the shear canyon walls, and winding waterways.
The first unique area we came to was Horseshoe Canyon: a narrow canyon with steep walls, red rocks, and green trees... it is a striking contrast in colors. Joan drove most of this stretch while I went out on the bow to shoot photos and videos. Absolutely breathtaking! We even saw two eagles, but they were too far away to get a photo.
Then it was on to Kingfisher Island. There is a boat camp here, with a courtesy dock... you can tie off there and haul your camping gear up on the island. Kingfisher Canyon on one side of the island was just as pretty as Horseshoe, with more gray slate than red rocks.
On the other side of Kingfisher Island is Sheep Creek Bay. We were told that this is a good area to see Bighorn Sheep, but they must have had the day off today. This area turned from steep canyons to rolling mountains. There was even a boat ramp back in there, with limited trailer parking. Back along Kingfisher Island, we turned down Hideout Canyon... it was named this because it was the hideout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Much like the sheep, we didn’t see Paul Newman or Robert Redford anywhere. Again the canyon walls rose a thousand feet from the water. Each turn gave us another gorgeous view.
We turned into Carter Creek Canyon, having been told this was another good place to see Bighorns. No joy again, but we saw more eagles, this time close enough that they are more than a dot in the photograph. With our binoculars, we could see them perched on a nest. At the far end of the canyon, it narrowed down into a creek with white water rapids flowing at us... yeah, we knew this was as far as we were going here.
Back out into the main channel and then down Eagle Creek... yep, we saw some. Joan made us lunch while we motored along. We were cruising slow, around 6 knots most of the time, so Molly got to have lunch, too.
Then through several miles of the Red Canyon to our destination for the day: Jarvies Boat Camp. The day had started out calm, but the predicted winds of 20-30 were coming up as we approached the camp. Not another boat in sight. In fact, we saw fewer than 10 boats all day. We made a pass by the docks to figure our best approach. The docks are rocking pretty good, and the wind is quartering off them. On our second pass, we pulled up and tied off. There were now whitecaps in the bay off the docks. Not a lot of protection here, but the winds are predicted to go more north, so it should be better as the day goes on.
We walked up into the camp... not a single camper to be found. There is a self-registration, but no envelopes or instructions. We’ll figure something out. The temps are comfortable right now, in the upper 70s, but it is supposed to get chilly tonight... our Wallas heater is going to get a workout. With plenty of daylight left, Joan settled into the cockpit to read, while I got my log up to date and downloaded the images we shot today... over a gig of stills and a couple dozen video clips. Thank goodness for digital - if we were still shooting film, this would have been a very expensive day.
Before dusk, another boat approached the dock. We gave them a hand tying off, and got to meet more nice folks: Bill and Bobbi are from Denver and are traveling with their dog, Widget, onboard their Larson 290. After visiting for a while, we traded boat tours, and drinks and snacks in the cockpit. Widget wanted to play with Molly, but Moll wasn't so sure of the "bagel" dog (part beagle, part basset)... there was no hissing, scratching, or biting, mostly just staring.
After dark, the wind died off and the sleeping was good. No internet, no phone, no tv, but the Sirius always comes through.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Flaming Gorge is located on the Wyoming/Utah border. The lake on the Wyoming side is surrounded by rolling hills and scrub brush. The Utah side has the shear canyon walls, and winding waterways.
The first unique area we came to was Horseshoe Canyon: a narrow canyon with steep walls, red rocks, and green trees... it is a striking contrast in colors. Joan drove most of this stretch while I went out on the bow to shoot photos and videos. Absolutely breathtaking! We even saw two eagles, but they were too far away to get a photo.
Then it was on to Kingfisher Island. There is a boat camp here, with a courtesy dock... you can tie off there and haul your camping gear up on the island. Kingfisher Canyon on one side of the island was just as pretty as Horseshoe, with more gray slate than red rocks.
On the other side of Kingfisher Island is Sheep Creek Bay. We were told that this is a good area to see Bighorn Sheep, but they must have had the day off today. This area turned from steep canyons to rolling mountains. There was even a boat ramp back in there, with limited trailer parking. Back along Kingfisher Island, we turned down Hideout Canyon... it was named this because it was the hideout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Much like the sheep, we didn’t see Paul Newman or Robert Redford anywhere. Again the canyon walls rose a thousand feet from the water. Each turn gave us another gorgeous view.
We turned into Carter Creek Canyon, having been told this was another good place to see Bighorns. No joy again, but we saw more eagles, this time close enough that they are more than a dot in the photograph. With our binoculars, we could see them perched on a nest. At the far end of the canyon, it narrowed down into a creek with white water rapids flowing at us... yeah, we knew this was as far as we were going here.
Back out into the main channel and then down Eagle Creek... yep, we saw some. Joan made us lunch while we motored along. We were cruising slow, around 6 knots most of the time, so Molly got to have lunch, too.
Then through several miles of the Red Canyon to our destination for the day: Jarvies Boat Camp. The day had started out calm, but the predicted winds of 20-30 were coming up as we approached the camp. Not another boat in sight. In fact, we saw fewer than 10 boats all day. We made a pass by the docks to figure our best approach. The docks are rocking pretty good, and the wind is quartering off them. On our second pass, we pulled up and tied off. There were now whitecaps in the bay off the docks. Not a lot of protection here, but the winds are predicted to go more north, so it should be better as the day goes on.
We walked up into the camp... not a single camper to be found. There is a self-registration, but no envelopes or instructions. We’ll figure something out. The temps are comfortable right now, in the upper 70s, but it is supposed to get chilly tonight... our Wallas heater is going to get a workout. With plenty of daylight left, Joan settled into the cockpit to read, while I got my log up to date and downloaded the images we shot today... over a gig of stills and a couple dozen video clips. Thank goodness for digital - if we were still shooting film, this would have been a very expensive day.
Before dusk, another boat approached the dock. We gave them a hand tying off, and got to meet more nice folks: Bill and Bobbi are from Denver and are traveling with their dog, Widget, onboard their Larson 290. After visiting for a while, we traded boat tours, and drinks and snacks in the cockpit. Widget wanted to play with Molly, but Moll wasn't so sure of the "bagel" dog (part beagle, part basset)... there was no hissing, scratching, or biting, mostly just staring.
After dark, the wind died off and the sleeping was good. No internet, no phone, no tv, but the Sirius always comes through.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Tuesday, June 12th. Up early and took Molly for a walk on land. The views from Jarvies Camp are a great way to start the day. With the high cliffs to the east, the sun slowly unvieled the cliffs to the west. After a hardy breakfast, we visited with our new friends and then parted ways. We explored to the back of Jarvies Canyon, then turned towards the dam. Again, we kept our speed to around 6-7 knots, enjoying the scenery and the flat water.
The dam isn't impressive from the lake side, but there is an interesting bridge down another finger nearby; we motored up to have a closer look. Then cruised past some exposed rocks, with 370' of water on the other side - these canyons were deep and steep before the dam.
The sky is blue and the water calm enough for some nice reflection type images. We took our time winding back down the main channel, and exploring all the side channels. When it got close to lunch, we found ourselves at Eagle Creek and motored back into it as far as we could get. We anchored with the aft end of Wild Blue close to the rapids of the creek spilling into the lake... the sound of the rushing water was so soothing, I felt the need for a nap. Joan felt the need to clean something: she cleaned the cockpit floor and the windows. I got the better part of that deal.
Lunch with the sound of the rapids in the background...
When we came out of that channel, the wind was building down the main waterway. We picked up the pace a bit (no so fast as to miss any photo opportunities), and pulled into Hideout Boat Camp; a bit more developed than Jarvies: this place actually has a campground host who lives in a houseboat. Their young daughter ran to our boat to look at the kitty in the window. When she asked if she could go inside the boat, I looked up at her Mother... "If it's OK with Mom?" Mom nodded, and Tracey climbed right in to get to know Molly better. The boat camping is interesting here: you can stay on your boat ($10) or in a campsite ($18.00). So, for $8 less we can stay in the comfort of the boat? Tough decision. :wink:
The sky grayed up, a few raindrops fell; the wind didn't let up, but the sky cleared. With the bow into the wind, we enjoyed the sunshine's return in the cockpit. As the sun went down, an antelope wandered by right at the water's edge. A great way to wrap up the day.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
The dam isn't impressive from the lake side, but there is an interesting bridge down another finger nearby; we motored up to have a closer look. Then cruised past some exposed rocks, with 370' of water on the other side - these canyons were deep and steep before the dam.
The sky is blue and the water calm enough for some nice reflection type images. We took our time winding back down the main channel, and exploring all the side channels. When it got close to lunch, we found ourselves at Eagle Creek and motored back into it as far as we could get. We anchored with the aft end of Wild Blue close to the rapids of the creek spilling into the lake... the sound of the rushing water was so soothing, I felt the need for a nap. Joan felt the need to clean something: she cleaned the cockpit floor and the windows. I got the better part of that deal.
Lunch with the sound of the rapids in the background...
When we came out of that channel, the wind was building down the main waterway. We picked up the pace a bit (no so fast as to miss any photo opportunities), and pulled into Hideout Boat Camp; a bit more developed than Jarvies: this place actually has a campground host who lives in a houseboat. Their young daughter ran to our boat to look at the kitty in the window. When she asked if she could go inside the boat, I looked up at her Mother... "If it's OK with Mom?" Mom nodded, and Tracey climbed right in to get to know Molly better. The boat camping is interesting here: you can stay on your boat ($10) or in a campsite ($18.00). So, for $8 less we can stay in the comfort of the boat? Tough decision. :wink:
The sky grayed up, a few raindrops fell; the wind didn't let up, but the sky cleared. With the bow into the wind, we enjoyed the sunshine's return in the cockpit. As the sun went down, an antelope wandered by right at the water's edge. A great way to wrap up the day.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Jim, how's the water level at Flaming Gorge? When I was last there, many people were concerned about having enough water to permit boating through the narrow canyon connecting the dam area to the Lucerne area (I've forgotten the name of the canyon and the areas it connects.)
Warren
Warren
Hi Warren,
Judging by the "bathtub ring", the water level doesn't appear to be down much... 8-10 feet would be my guess. When I'm able to post photos again, you will see. No one that we've talked to here (including several people at the Lucerne Marina Store and on the docks) has mentioned low water. The "shortcut" is an area that allows you to bypass Horseshoe Canyon (although it is so gorgeous, I can't imagine wanting to bypass it... well OK, if you lived here and saw it all the time, but come on, it's only another 3-4 miles, and how's that for a run-on sentence??); there was 8-10 feet of water in the bypass. Other than that, most of the time the water was over 100'. The deepest we saw (towards the dam) was well over 300. The one shoal area we saw (near the gorgeous red cliffs that make a large bend) was well marked with two bouys... and there was still over 40' of water near there.
So, plenty of water here, and we'd highly recommend Flaming Gorge for any C-Dory folk. Love that combination of beautiful water, winding canyons, wildlife, and spectacular scenery.
And for Sark - we've run into the same group of about 5 boats from California who are fishing here... and they say the fishing is great! I know the area south of the dam is supposed to be a prime fly fishing area, as well. There are some good size cruisers in the marinas, but most of the boats we've seen out on the lake have been smaller fishing boats.
Best wishes,
Jim
Judging by the "bathtub ring", the water level doesn't appear to be down much... 8-10 feet would be my guess. When I'm able to post photos again, you will see. No one that we've talked to here (including several people at the Lucerne Marina Store and on the docks) has mentioned low water. The "shortcut" is an area that allows you to bypass Horseshoe Canyon (although it is so gorgeous, I can't imagine wanting to bypass it... well OK, if you lived here and saw it all the time, but come on, it's only another 3-4 miles, and how's that for a run-on sentence??); there was 8-10 feet of water in the bypass. Other than that, most of the time the water was over 100'. The deepest we saw (towards the dam) was well over 300. The one shoal area we saw (near the gorgeous red cliffs that make a large bend) was well marked with two bouys... and there was still over 40' of water near there.
So, plenty of water here, and we'd highly recommend Flaming Gorge for any C-Dory folk. Love that combination of beautiful water, winding canyons, wildlife, and spectacular scenery.
And for Sark - we've run into the same group of about 5 boats from California who are fishing here... and they say the fishing is great! I know the area south of the dam is supposed to be a prime fly fishing area, as well. There are some good size cruisers in the marinas, but most of the boats we've seen out on the lake have been smaller fishing boats.
Best wishes,
Jim
Back in civilization and a broadband signal... here's a look at some of what we saw:
The link to the photo folder with more Flaming Gorge images is:
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _album.php
Also, photos have been inserted into the posts on the previous page.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
The link to the photo folder with more Flaming Gorge images is:
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _album.php
Also, photos have been inserted into the posts on the previous page.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Wednesday, June 13. We were up early and out. The lake was like a mirror as we cruised north into the Wyoming side. The terrain here is still pretty, but levels out to more rolling hills with snow-capped mountains in the background.
As we cruised north, under a pipeline suspension bridge, we could see a half dozen fishing boats. I slowed back to about 5 knots and could see something in the water ahead... it appeared to be a kayak, so I asked Joan to check. She looked, put down the binoculars and said, "It's a moose."
"Really?"
"Yes, really... here, you look."
Sure enough. The lake is about a half mile wide right here, and he was making good time heading across. Now, I know what kind of distance you're supposed to keep from whales, but I've never seen anything published about keeping distance from a swimming moose.
We moved ahead at idle, keeping our distance. About half way across, the moose slowed its pace... not good. It popped it's head further out of the water and looked towards either shore... and then headed in the original direction. The shore on that side was 200' cliffs... straight up. I have to say, that it didn't look good for the moose. When he got closer to the cliffs, he turned south and swam to a very small cove where there was just enough rocky shoreline to climb out. I had no idea that moose were such strong swimmers. In 55º water. Just like having our own National Geographic special!
Our loose plan for the day was to sight-see, pull out, and head south towards Brent and Dixie's home. Oh, and somewhere work in a shower. Say what you want about "keeping it simple", but it's nice to have a water heater and shower onboard... until the water pump quits. :crook Yep, we had plenty of water in the tank, 6 gallons of nice hot water in the water heater, and no way to get it out. Back to the simple life: we added hot water to the solar shower, hung it on top of the boat, ran the hose into the head, and each got our shower. (no photos available)
Back at the marina, we made a visit to the pump-out station and loaded Wild Blue back onto her trailer. It doesn't take long to make everything road ready; while I finished up securing the bimini, Joan made lunch, and we hit the road.
We decided to stay off the Interstate and took the back mountain roads. Big Red chugged right on up several thousand feet where we were able to get one last magnificant overview of the scenery around Flaming Gorge.
The drive across mid-Utah is beautiful... canyons, mountains, high desert, reservoirs, lush forests. Coming down one mountain, there were 10 switchbacks on an 8% grade; the signs counted down each switchback, each turn giving you another great view (keep your eyes on the road!). From Vernal to Price, and then on to our friends in Richfield.
It was like coming home: Brent and Dixie were waiting for us and guided us to our parking spot in the shaded driveway. They even held supper for us. We spent the evening laughing and talking... catching up and telling plans for the future.
When we leave here, Wild Blue will stay while we make a run to Arizona to visit our kid. Then, it's north for more fun on the water.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
As we cruised north, under a pipeline suspension bridge, we could see a half dozen fishing boats. I slowed back to about 5 knots and could see something in the water ahead... it appeared to be a kayak, so I asked Joan to check. She looked, put down the binoculars and said, "It's a moose."
"Really?"
"Yes, really... here, you look."
Sure enough. The lake is about a half mile wide right here, and he was making good time heading across. Now, I know what kind of distance you're supposed to keep from whales, but I've never seen anything published about keeping distance from a swimming moose.
We moved ahead at idle, keeping our distance. About half way across, the moose slowed its pace... not good. It popped it's head further out of the water and looked towards either shore... and then headed in the original direction. The shore on that side was 200' cliffs... straight up. I have to say, that it didn't look good for the moose. When he got closer to the cliffs, he turned south and swam to a very small cove where there was just enough rocky shoreline to climb out. I had no idea that moose were such strong swimmers. In 55º water. Just like having our own National Geographic special!Our loose plan for the day was to sight-see, pull out, and head south towards Brent and Dixie's home. Oh, and somewhere work in a shower. Say what you want about "keeping it simple", but it's nice to have a water heater and shower onboard... until the water pump quits. :crook Yep, we had plenty of water in the tank, 6 gallons of nice hot water in the water heater, and no way to get it out. Back to the simple life: we added hot water to the solar shower, hung it on top of the boat, ran the hose into the head, and each got our shower. (no photos available)
Back at the marina, we made a visit to the pump-out station and loaded Wild Blue back onto her trailer. It doesn't take long to make everything road ready; while I finished up securing the bimini, Joan made lunch, and we hit the road.
We decided to stay off the Interstate and took the back mountain roads. Big Red chugged right on up several thousand feet where we were able to get one last magnificant overview of the scenery around Flaming Gorge.
The drive across mid-Utah is beautiful... canyons, mountains, high desert, reservoirs, lush forests. Coming down one mountain, there were 10 switchbacks on an 8% grade; the signs counted down each switchback, each turn giving you another great view (keep your eyes on the road!). From Vernal to Price, and then on to our friends in Richfield.
It was like coming home: Brent and Dixie were waiting for us and guided us to our parking spot in the shaded driveway. They even held supper for us. We spent the evening laughing and talking... catching up and telling plans for the future.
When we leave here, Wild Blue will stay while we make a run to Arizona to visit our kid. Then, it's north for more fun on the water.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Thanks, David. We are having fun, and keeping a journal here is part of that. We always appreciate the kind words.
Steve - Both still fishing and trolling. Most of the fishing boats we've seen here have downriggers. Trout (all different kinds) is what they talked about... you know my limited knowledge about fishing. :wink: Brent and Dixie may take us fishing while we're here... well, Joan will be fishing, I will be watching and learning.
Best wishes,
Jim
Steve - Both still fishing and trolling. Most of the fishing boats we've seen here have downriggers. Trout (all different kinds) is what they talked about... you know my limited knowledge about fishing. :wink: Brent and Dixie may take us fishing while we're here... well, Joan will be fishing, I will be watching and learning.
Best wishes,
Jim