Havalina
Escalante-Class Member
In January and February, I might see one boat in five days at GHB. The only idiot is the bright red helicopter who like to skim the water, until he realizes that he is not alone.
Beach Bag mess
- Thread starter Michael Pyle
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BobT
Active Member
I'm pretty sure AP is privately owned *by the tribe.
BobT
Active Member
My name is Bob T*********. I’ve been coming to Lake Powell since the early 80’s. Living in Boise now I don’t get down as often as I’d like. But this July we are bringing our boat for 3 weeks at Page. I’m also a follower of Wayne’s Words since the 90’s.
I’m pretty sure you already know about this issue from other users. But given my upcoming trip and planned nights on the lake I’d like details on the rules for these monstrosities.
Is a beach now “reservable”?
If I pull up to a beach with a bag but otherwise empty (no evidence of people just out playing) can I be “kicked off” when the bag user arrives?
If I pull up to said beach can I use the bag to anchor?
What are my options if I’m on a beach and someone comes up and “claims” it as reserved? What exactly is the policy I can recite to them to maintain my camp? And will NPS respond to calls for help in case of a determined elitist?
I’m not leaving Boise until July 9. So we have some time. But I’d appreciate some answers by you or another that knows them. And if allowed I’d share them on Waynes Words.
Jerry Moyes owns it... but does owe the tribe a lot of back taxes
My thoughts on this… beach spots aren’t reservable… if It’s just the beach bags and no one/ nothing else is around, I say use the spot. Put in your own anchors and call it good. Don’t use the bags, if someone comes to use them, they can be drained and moved somewhere else by them.
The question I have after that is what if someone sets up a tent and chairs along with the beach bags? Is it okay to move in on that spot? What if it looks like they’ve been there for days without being used… etc. Lots of gray area with leaving anything on the beach.
Havalina
Escalante-Class Member
One is one to many, in my opinion.
If they are so offensive to everyone, why would you want to anchor to a beach with the bags?
sphoppie
Active Member
I saw about 6 diff ent spots last time we were out, 5 of them had boats on them.
Jackalope
Well-Known Member
APM has a crew that will "service" the houseboats. They go out and bring the boat in, clean and empty tanks and fill with fuel and water. Some time this will take a couple days, but after that they will take the boat back out and "usually" park it in the same spot. (hay, it looks like beach bags are staying on the beach when this happens).
I do not have an issue with this process. As I have see in the past, they leave a boat in the spot where the Houseboat was. We spend weeks at a time on the lake and I have seen the crews doing this very thing. Perhaps the boat that was bagged had an issue and needed service, more than 5 days. Yes I think they should remove the bags and NOT PIN, but you can see with the amount of "help" this could be an issue.
I do not have an issue with this process. As I have see in the past, they leave a boat in the spot where the Houseboat was. We spend weeks at a time on the lake and I have seen the crews doing this very thing. Perhaps the boat that was bagged had an issue and needed service, more than 5 days. Yes I think they should remove the bags and NOT PIN, but you can see with the amount of "help" this could be an issue.
BobT
Active Member
It's not the offensiveness of the bags, though they are. It's the idea that someone can call out a beach from L.A. Or even have one reserved days before they even get there. It's long been the case with "free" uncontrolled camp sights that they are FCFS. If this were allowed to continue and therefore expand no one could show up and take their boat out and go camping.
BobT
Active Member
They should not be allowed to park boats on a beach waiting for renters. Those boats should be in the Marina waiting for their customers. Once underway if the staff wants to "scout" a beach in a runabout and reserve it for the houseboat enroute, well that would be what we all do. Skirting the spirit of it all but ........
Squirrel
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
My thought is, if you use the beach bag for mooring your boat, you should bring it with you when you find a spot, deploy the bags, fill them with water, enjoy your time at the lake and when you leave you take the beach bags with you. Leaving them for the next boat which could be days out is just wrong. I see nothing good to come of this. Sq
Bill Sampson
Escalante-Class Member
Just found this on facebook................
My family just finished up a great week at Lake Powell. With the lower lake levels we actually found it more difficult to find good spots for the houseboat, but something that added to this greatly were the beach bags.
We went up in Face Canyon and there were more than a half dozen beach bags with no houseboats. I saw what I thought was a park ranger at the floating bathroom and went over to ask about the beach bags. It turned out to be an employee from Antelope Point marina.
He said that the beach bags are left on the beach and then the marina pilots out houseboats to the spots, anchors them, and then rotates them with new customers throughout the week.
We saw several days were there were no new boaters, just the beach bags. Antelope Marina has taken over Face Canyon (and others). They have all of the best spots essentially "reserved" indefinitely for their customers and just rotate people through.
I know that one solution is to just camp in the spot if there isn't a boat there, but I feel that something needs to be said to the National Park Service. I brought it up when we were leaving and they said that the entire lake is on a "first-come" basis, but I think it would be important to have our voices be heard on this.
My family just finished up a great week at Lake Powell. With the lower lake levels we actually found it more difficult to find good spots for the houseboat, but something that added to this greatly were the beach bags.
We went up in Face Canyon and there were more than a half dozen beach bags with no houseboats. I saw what I thought was a park ranger at the floating bathroom and went over to ask about the beach bags. It turned out to be an employee from Antelope Point marina.
He said that the beach bags are left on the beach and then the marina pilots out houseboats to the spots, anchors them, and then rotates them with new customers throughout the week.
We saw several days were there were no new boaters, just the beach bags. Antelope Marina has taken over Face Canyon (and others). They have all of the best spots essentially "reserved" indefinitely for their customers and just rotate people through.
I know that one solution is to just camp in the spot if there isn't a boat there, but I feel that something needs to be said to the National Park Service. I brought it up when we were leaving and they said that the entire lake is on a "first-come" basis, but I think it would be important to have our voices be heard on this.
Jackalope
Well-Known Member
Here is your answer to the pinned bags ...
wayneswords.net
"
2. An Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program is underway on Lake Powell: The Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program seeks to provide non-destructive anchoring methods that can provide viable alternatives to the growing illegal practice of securing houseboats using rebar and other types of metal pins drilled into sandstone along the shoreline.
The pilot program currently includes one commercial use authorization permittee, Beach Bags TM, offering alternative anchoring services. The following provides additional details about the Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program and Beach Bags TM:
NPS Weekly Low Water Update - 17/Jun/2022
Weekly Low Water Update June 17, 2022 Dear Partners: 1. Lake Powell Water Levels Continue to Rise: As of June 16, the lake had risen to elevation 3537.49 (feet above sea level). Boat ramps are fully operational for motorized vessels of all sizes in North Lake Powell at Bullfrog North and in...
2. An Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program is underway on Lake Powell: The Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program seeks to provide non-destructive anchoring methods that can provide viable alternatives to the growing illegal practice of securing houseboats using rebar and other types of metal pins drilled into sandstone along the shoreline.
The pilot program currently includes one commercial use authorization permittee, Beach Bags TM, offering alternative anchoring services. The following provides additional details about the Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program and Beach Bags TM:
- Beach Bags TM is an authorized out-of-park Commercial Use Authorization permittee (CUA) and a participant in Glen Canyon’s Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program.
- As an authorized CUA, Beach Bags TM must adhere to established CUA standards to rent, deliver, and/or install alternative anchoring equipment for park visitors on Lake Powell. This may also include piloting of park visitor vessels to anchoring locations. Their business begins and ends outside the park and does not authorize the holder to advertise, solicit business, collect fees, or sell any goods or services within the boundaries of the park.
- Beach Bags has been issued a six-month addendum to their CUA permit to evaluate their alternative anchoring equipment on vessels larger than 75 feet in length. While operating under this temporary addendum, Beach Bags is authorized to use “back pins” in conjunction with their water ballast bags on larger houseboats only in limited, designated areas. Holes resulting from “back pins” must also be repaired by the permittee (with materials currently under development).
- Beach Bags are also available for rent. Contact 480-504-0895, or visit beachbaganchors.com
- The Park welcomes applications from potential participants in the Pilot Program to facilitate additional alternative anchoring technologies at Lake Powell. For more information, contact [email protected].
- Please also see the attached news release for more information about the Alternative Anchoring Pilot Program or visit the park’s commercial use authorization webpage at: Vessel Services - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) For more information on safe and legal conventional methods for anchoring your vessel, please visit: Anchoring A Houseboat - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service).
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