Grand Canyon Journals - Part 8: Day Two On the River

April 7, 2000

It was a beautiful night sleeping under the stars and just a sliver of a moon. The temperatures only dipped into the upper 60's, so sleeping inside a sleeping bag was just too hot. I ended up sleeping on top of it along with the scorpions and other desert fauna. I awoke up with the first streaks of gray that would not become light for yet another half hour. Despite being a paying client, I helped the crew when possible, as it is not my nature to sit around while other people wait on me hand and foot. I still ended up doing my fair share of sitting and watching our two wonderful cooks prepare a breakfast of sliced melons, toasted English muffins, eggs and slabs of bacon.

I had packed my gear before the others had awaken so after breakfast while everyone else was packing, I wandered around camp satisfying my shutterbug desires. I helped load the two baggage boats and then caught a ride with Bronco in the boat "Phantom." The first rapids was Big House Rock Rapids named for the very big rock the size of the house sitting right in the middle of the rapids. If that wasn't exciting enough, the outside of the tight bend where the water pushes us is strewn with boat eating boulders. The first wave we hit went right over my head and took my breath away with its forty-six degree temperature. Gasping for breath, I still managed to throw myself towards the downstream gunnel just as we hit the second wave sideways to prevent capsizing. It worked and we were able to escape the clutches of the river for the first time this trip, but certainly not the last.

We drifted through several smaller rapids like Long Indian Dick rapids named by two river guide geologists who capsized there boat below the rapids and had plenty of time to look at this interesting geographical feature as they swam to shore before stopping at North Canyon for a chance to stretch our legs. I hiked up into the canyon maybe a mile before getting rim-rocked by some red heavily striated walls surrounds a deep scum covered pocket of water. It has been extremely dry this year so the wild flowers aren't as plentiful but I still managed to find quite a few Turpentine, Dogweed, Brittlebush and a few other cactus flowers. By the time I got back to the boats, the sun was well in the sky and the canyon world was heating up like an oven. I hung out in the scant shade until lunch was over and we pushed off into what has been termed the Roaring 20's.

Long Indian Dick

There were rapids every half-mile and straight shots but the drops were big and the waves were huge. We ran through a couple big ones, Hansbrough-Richard (named for two men who drowned there during the Stanton expedition) and Cave Springs Rapids before we eddied out at Vasey's Paradise. At Vasey's, there is a large spring exiting the cliffs on river white and cascading through lush growths of poison ivy, mosses and ferns into the river. Among the flora, such fauna as squirrels, ducks, goldeneyes, canyon wrens and numerous other birds roamed at their leisure. It truly was a paradise in a desert if I have ever seen one and just downstream of the proposed Redwall Dam where exploratory digs were done but no dam was ever built.

Soon we stopped at Red Wall Cavern, which is a huge carved out hollow at the base of the cliffs next to the river with one of the most magnificent white sand beaches around. The cavern is so huge a regulation sized softball diamond could fit within it. Unfortunately for passers-by but fortunate for the cavern, no camping is allowed here which keeps it in very pristine condition. We stayed for only a few minutes before pulling out and making our way to our camp for the night at a place called Fahrenheit 451 located on the south side of a bend in the river on a narrow strip of sand at the base of a sheer bluff and said to reach such temperatures during the summer months.

Redwall Cavern

I helped unload the boats and then walked as far upstream as I can to watch the river until a supper of grilled salmon steaks, rice and a spinach/mushroom salad was ready for consumption. It was so funny to see a bunch of old people rush to eat and jostle each other to get a good position in line. I think they are so used to eating at four o'clock that when they eat at a decent time like 6 o'clock they are starving. The crewmembers are too polite and so I am forced to go through the line before they themselves can go through.

After supper, I joined Bronco for awhile to watch him fish for some of the rainbow trout that can be seen along the sheer cliffs but they must have eaten their supper too as they weren't biting on the flies that he was putting out. When the stars came out and the fire started up, I spent quite a bit of time talking to Nick who is paddling one of the baggage boats. He got his start in the boating business up on the Salmon River in Idaho and now has made a job of it for the last five years. He is my age and makes considerably less money but in my opinion, has considerable more wealth when it comes to job satisfaction and experiences.

The last person drifted away from the fire and I waited only a few minutes before heading out into the dark to find my stash of gear left on a fine patch of sand secluded among the tamarisk and rocks. Laying down on the tarp, I can see the Big Dipper crossing upstream, Orion crossing downstream and a sliver of a moon just hanging around in the middle. Counting Big Horn sheep would not be necessary and soon I was still to the world.