Rafting Westwater Canyon

#130717-0136 Great camp at Black Rock 

Water, rivers and rapids.  I love it all and I just got back from a rowing trip through Horsethief, Ruby and Westwater Canyons on the Colorado River between Grand Junction and Moab. Ten friends in six different boats joined Sue and I for a five-day adventure. In the first two canyons, the river runs slowly with walls of slick rock sandstone except for a short section of black metamorphic rock where we camped the second night. The campsite is appropriately named Black Rocks #8. Day three when you hit Westwater, life changes drastically for five miles of rocking and rolling white water with named rapids such as Funnel Falls, Sock-It-To-Me and Skull.

#130719-0254   Macon Roland in Sock-It-To-Me

Skull had me worried a bit, for in the October of 2000 I was on the maiden voyage in my white-water dory. I christened it the Atchafalaya.  It is a beautiful wooden boat.  Skull has a fang rock that I bumped slightly and put a dent my new boat.  No worry for on this trip for I was in a fourteen-foot rowing raft which you cannot dent. I had a perfect run.  All six boats came out un-scared, except for one lost oar. In the desert heat, our rapid day was enjoyed with cool splashes and exciting rapid runs.

#130718-0199   Golden Eagle taking a bath

Our camps and camp cooking were awesome.  First night was at Rattlesnake Camp where we did not see a rattler, but had a drenching hard rain. It was a good wildlife trip, eagles everywhere. Coming around a bend in the river we saw a Golden Eagle bathing on the right bank. After shaking its wings it flew across the river just above eight wild Turkey and landed in a cottonwood. The Turkeys seemed to show no fear. Looking up and down the river we saw within 100 yards another Golden Eagle and two Bald Eagles perched in trees.  Many other bird species were seen as well as otter, beaver, lizards and snakes.  I am now looking forward to going back on October 2 to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for my Fall Colors Workshop.