This lake Powell trip was the first on the Dock Potato. Trisha and I spoke all winter about how much we enjoyed Lake Powell and how much we enjoyed spending time there with our families. We ran into the dilemma that our families were too big to take with us tent camping on the lake. We were destined to be at Lone Rock or Stanton Creek where we could drive to. At that point in our lives we needed at least one other person in the boat to be an observer. Trisha didn't think a 5 year old made a very good observer. We decided that we would look into houseboats. I looked all winter long and come spring I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about them. We talked with Mark and Carolyn about partnering with us. They agreed and we drove down to Page, AZ in March to look at a boat named Dock Potato. We had discussed several different boats, but this one had the number of owners we liked. It allowed us to have 4 weeks a year on the boat. We got really lucky and have enjoyed the other 7 owners on the boat.
This trip we went down with Carolyn and Josh met us down there. We had our houseboat orientation as required by insurance. The guy from Lake Powell Marine was late and the whole thing lasted about 20 minutes. It's a good thing we were able to pretty much orientate ourselves. We ended up camping in Wahweap Bay. We just wanted to stay close because we weren't there very long. It was beautiful and warm for a mid May week. We camped on an open beach. Digging the anchors in sand in the heat was not much fun for Trisha and I. We decided to try and camp where we could anchor to rocks. As the trip progressed, we learned that you want the stern anchor lines on a pretty steep angle. If the angle is too shallow, when the wind comes up the boat tends to drift. I also learned that it is much better to use the engines to try to hold the boat in the wind. Man power just doesn't cut it holding the boat against the wind!!
The water was a bit chilly at 70, but that didn't stop us from enjoying it. I had to christen the slide, but after that Chaz loved it. JT skied forever. We were all amazed at how far he could go until I reminded people that he didn't have to exert much energy because we were the ones holding the rope in the boat. He is getting to be a very good skier and he loves taking up the water time.
While we were there we saw an awesome houseboat set up. They were on a beach with a slight slope and they had dug a slide into the hill that ended at the lake. They filled the hole with visqueen and had a pump pumping water up to the top of the slide. It look like fun.
We also spent a lot of time exploring the south end of the lake. I hadn't been to Wahweap for a lot of years so it was a lot of fun. The water was low so Castle Rock Cut was high and dry. We experienced Antelope Point for the first time. That really is an amazing facility.
JT skiing all around
Josh land a move
Looking back across the bay at Dock Potato
Trisha, skiing better every trip
The boys playing in the water
Setting the anchors in the May heat
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