Lake Powell Houseboat '94 Episode 2: Bobcat Cove

Hell Houseboat
a lake powell houseboat adventure

(EPISODE II)
Bobcat Cove

Bullfrog Basin Launch to

click thumbnails to see the big picture

The site we chose for our first night on Lake Powell was a small cove on the south side of the main channel. The color of the water was deep tropical blue, the redrock sloped gently into the depths casting an orangish glow to the water's edge. We were barely docked before everyone hit the water for an afternoon of swimming in the clear warm Colorado River water. This was a scenic wonderland except for one visually jarring note. Both Homer and Jack wore those hideous skimpy bikini things you usually see only on the extremely fit, or Canadians wearing accompanying black patent leather shoes. Durango chose to swim au naturel, a much more aesthetically appropriate attire, all things considered. After a lengthy swim Durango decided to climb the redrock cliffs to get an overview while sitting in the lotus position meditating.

Durango spent a long time on the above cliff communing with nature...

All the swimming and hiking and communing with nature made us very hungry. Lulu, a self-described gourmet chef, organized the preparation of the evening's feeding. Hamburgers. Jack and Durango had some trouble lighting the propane grill, it finally erupted into flame with a loud explosive noise that made us a bit concerned since earlier in the day we saw a burned out hull of a houseboat being towed up the lake towards Bullfrog. The burgers were ready for eating at about the time the sun dipped behind the canyon wall, suddenly shadowing us...

Above we see Lulu burning burgers on the explosive grill...that is Jack cowering off to the left...

Darkness seemed to come early on Lake Powell. Obviously there was no TV on board, so as the stars slowly twinkled into view Homer decided it was bedtime. It was about 7 o'clock. Homer said his biological clock was still on Pacific Time, not Mountain Time.

When it was pointed out to Homer that it was only 6 o'clock Pacific Time, that info didn't seem to make him any less sleepy. So one by one, except for Durango, the mind numbed co-floaters dragged their mattresses and sleeping bags onto the roof deck and crawled into their cocoons. Durango stayed below, fuming and appalled that he was onboard with a bunch of virtually elderly people. Finally Durango climbed topside and delivered a poignant soliloquy intended to shame the narcoleptic boors out of their somnamulence. He then went back below and continued to enjoy the sights of the night in solitude...

As Durango sat solo in the dark he heard a noise from above, then a racket in the galley, then Jack and Lulu popped out of the sliding doors, drinks in hand. They'd decided to stay up with Durango. We sat and talked and marveled at the clarity of the stars, the surprising density, the milkiness of the Milky Way. A full moon lit the landscape, we could see deep into the water unlike daylight with its obscuring reflections. Odd splashes were discovered to be fish jumping up at bugs, we beamed our flashlight into the water and were shocked at the various types of fish, some very big, and so so many. The moon continued it's march across the sky, slowly setting behind the same canyon wall that took the sun a few hours before, but when the moon set, a spectacular blue glow erupted across the entire perimeter of the canyon, the blue moonset lasted for several seconds and then we were in absolute total darkness, except for the light of millions of stars and a couple planets. It was time for bed...

Durango chose to sleep inside, it was windy and it did not sound appealing sleeping by so much snoring. The boat rocked and banged against the shore. Durango could not sleep. He tossed and turned and cursed the Lake Powell Info Packet for not mentioning that no pillows were on board. And then sleep came, a short sleep. Then Durango was awakened by a noise, he called out 'is that one of

you?', and then he saw a pair of beady reddish eyes staring back at him. Durango let out a scream like a scared old lady. The form of a large cat slinked out the sliding doors, looking back once, then running. At that moment someone came up from behind. Homer. Durango let out another scream, perhaps mistaking Homer for some sort of monster in the dark. Much fun was made of Durango, accusations of hallucinations, of hysteria, many rude remarks. Durango did not sleep anymore that night, but the next morning when Wanda climbed off the boat the first thing she saw was giant paw prints in the sand! Durango was vindicated and hailed as a hero for saving everyone from a wild bobcat attack...

Morning in Bobcat Cove, no wind, no waves, no wild animals in sight...

And so this is how this cove became known as Bobcat Cove! A week later a plaque, with a Killer Bobcat on it, was purchased at Grand Canyon and given to Durango in gratitude for his heroic fight against the wild animal of Bobcat Cove...

Bullfrog Basin Launch to

Bobcat Cove to Rainbow Bridge to

Skull Cove to Bloody Bat Cove

Moki Dugway Moab Arches National Park

Canyonlands Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion Monument Valley

Grand Canyon Mexican Hat