Tiff Mapel
Escalante-Class Member
Hi all,
We got back on Sunday night from our first trip out on our new houseboat. We took my mother and my friend Lauren and her two girls. My husband found us a great beach in the back right branch of Padre Canyon. After we got anchored, we enjoyed a swim off the back deck, and noticed 7 bighorn sheep across the canyon. What a treat! Not long after, a slew of jet skiers continually came by at full speed, passing the back of our houseboat and beyond into the canyon. The traffic finally quieted down at dark. Our neighbors around the bend into the canyon, "R Pleasure," played music into the night, and finally turning it off around 5:30am. So not much sleep that night. Combine that with the fireworks ALL OVER the bay. It was a noisy night.
The next day we toured up to Rainbow Bridge, and swam under the Lehi Arches. Took the kids to Dangling Rope for ice cream. What a great day! We got back to the houseboat around 4:30, and we were all wiped out from the day's adventure. The jet ski brigade was in full force. My mom decided to try the paddle board for the first time in her 68-year old life. She was in the middle of the channel behind our boat. There was only about 50 feet of water from the back deck of our houseboat to the other shore. Two reckless jet skiers decided to go full throttle past her and back into the canyon. They each passed about 10 feet to each side of her. Well, she fell off the board when their wakes hit her, and clung to the board. I was furious and had enough. I jumped on my board and confronted the jet skiers when they came back through. I asked them to slow down because we had paddle boarders and kids in the water. The entitled teenagers rolled their eyes and left.
Not long after, we were swarmed by three separate ski boats full of adults. They didn't make eye contact with us, and ignored our requests to slow down. They passed behind us on plane with their big wakes, making sure to rock our boat. Now, if this was purely coincidental, I don't know, but I suspect these were the parents of the reckless jet skiers. Who knows. It was disappointing that these adults condoned the reckless behavior of their children, and even came over to "teach us a lesson." Boy, that took the wind out of our sails after such a great day. We tried to call NPS on the radio, but we were too far back into the canyon. And it didn't occur to me to get pictures or video of these hooligans. My husband jumped in our little boat to try to follow them to see which houseboat they went back to.
That night, "R Pleasure" only played their music until 2am. They must have finally been getting tired. We pulled out the next morning, and headed for a much quieter beach. We stayed at the mouth of Padre Canyon. It was a huge crescent beach, with four other houseboats there. We took a chance. That was such a nice, quiet, restful night we awoke the next morning with tears of joy. So we learned an important lesson: Don't beach in the back of canyons where the water is narrow. It entices jet skiers to go exploring, and they do it non-stop. There is no peace.
Now, why am I relating this experience? Generally, we find people to be cooperative at Powell. They actually do slow down, or turn down their music at night if you ask them. In over 30 years of going to Powell, this was the worst most blatantly rude and reckless behavior I've ever seen. Do people think they have a right to disrupt other's experience? Do they feel they have a right to be loud? Sure they do. But, WE also have the right to enjoy Powell and get some peace and quiet. I don't think anyone who comes to Powell thinks, "I'm going to make someone's day completely miserable today." But it happens. Common courtesy has left the building.
I'll definitely be back. But I won't be going to Padre Canyon. That place is nuts.
Tiff
We got back on Sunday night from our first trip out on our new houseboat. We took my mother and my friend Lauren and her two girls. My husband found us a great beach in the back right branch of Padre Canyon. After we got anchored, we enjoyed a swim off the back deck, and noticed 7 bighorn sheep across the canyon. What a treat! Not long after, a slew of jet skiers continually came by at full speed, passing the back of our houseboat and beyond into the canyon. The traffic finally quieted down at dark. Our neighbors around the bend into the canyon, "R Pleasure," played music into the night, and finally turning it off around 5:30am. So not much sleep that night. Combine that with the fireworks ALL OVER the bay. It was a noisy night.
The next day we toured up to Rainbow Bridge, and swam under the Lehi Arches. Took the kids to Dangling Rope for ice cream. What a great day! We got back to the houseboat around 4:30, and we were all wiped out from the day's adventure. The jet ski brigade was in full force. My mom decided to try the paddle board for the first time in her 68-year old life. She was in the middle of the channel behind our boat. There was only about 50 feet of water from the back deck of our houseboat to the other shore. Two reckless jet skiers decided to go full throttle past her and back into the canyon. They each passed about 10 feet to each side of her. Well, she fell off the board when their wakes hit her, and clung to the board. I was furious and had enough. I jumped on my board and confronted the jet skiers when they came back through. I asked them to slow down because we had paddle boarders and kids in the water. The entitled teenagers rolled their eyes and left.
Not long after, we were swarmed by three separate ski boats full of adults. They didn't make eye contact with us, and ignored our requests to slow down. They passed behind us on plane with their big wakes, making sure to rock our boat. Now, if this was purely coincidental, I don't know, but I suspect these were the parents of the reckless jet skiers. Who knows. It was disappointing that these adults condoned the reckless behavior of their children, and even came over to "teach us a lesson." Boy, that took the wind out of our sails after such a great day. We tried to call NPS on the radio, but we were too far back into the canyon. And it didn't occur to me to get pictures or video of these hooligans. My husband jumped in our little boat to try to follow them to see which houseboat they went back to.
That night, "R Pleasure" only played their music until 2am. They must have finally been getting tired. We pulled out the next morning, and headed for a much quieter beach. We stayed at the mouth of Padre Canyon. It was a huge crescent beach, with four other houseboats there. We took a chance. That was such a nice, quiet, restful night we awoke the next morning with tears of joy. So we learned an important lesson: Don't beach in the back of canyons where the water is narrow. It entices jet skiers to go exploring, and they do it non-stop. There is no peace.
Now, why am I relating this experience? Generally, we find people to be cooperative at Powell. They actually do slow down, or turn down their music at night if you ask them. In over 30 years of going to Powell, this was the worst most blatantly rude and reckless behavior I've ever seen. Do people think they have a right to disrupt other's experience? Do they feel they have a right to be loud? Sure they do. But, WE also have the right to enjoy Powell and get some peace and quiet. I don't think anyone who comes to Powell thinks, "I'm going to make someone's day completely miserable today." But it happens. Common courtesy has left the building.
I'll definitely be back. But I won't be going to Padre Canyon. That place is nuts.
Tiff
Doug, I'm willing to bet that those were the same entitled jackwagons that were being rude and reckless to us. Where's a ranger when you need one?!?! Yes, boater safety exams should be MANDATORY for everyone who comes to Powell. 
