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HELLO MEMBERS

By Gary Yantis, Manager

Spring is a great time of year on Lake Powell. The days are usually warm, but be prepared for the occasional spring storm with the accompanying wind and drop in temperature. Yes wind – set your anchors well and secure items on your craft to keep them from taking flight. Bring your fishing poles to catch the big fish. When you tire of fishing, take a hike. Hiking during spring’s cooler temperatures is very enjoyable. Exploring the shores, and canyons provide another pleasurable opportunity on the lake. Take along some munchies, water, and camera, (also a cell phone and VHF radio for safety) and have a great day. Binoculars are also handy.

As the temperatures increase and the sun begins putting out more heat, rattlesnakes may be seen anywhere on the lake that you may be hiking. When in rocks or brush, move more slowly, watch where you are putting your feet and listen closely for that rattling or buzzing sound that signals danger. When climbing with your hands, placing them on rocks above you can be risky. Rattlers like to sun themselves on ledges as the temperatures begin to warm. You will hear many sounds that will startle you into thinking there is a rattler lurking nearby. They likely will turn out to be false alarms, but when that sound is really a rattlesnake – you will know it! No question! Rattlers are normally not aggressive, but lay coiled while rattling and wait for you to leave. Heed their warning though! Get too close or aggravate them, and they will quickly teach you more than you want to know.

Marine businesses in Page have made some changes during this last year:

• Jerry’s Marine:  A longtime service and storage facility located on Aqua Avenue has closed their service department. However they continue to operate their storage facility.
• Outdoor Sports: Yamaha  and Myacht dealer, returned to their former location on Vista Avenue this winter.  Antelope Travel and Recreation on Coppermine was their home for the last few years.
• Skipperliner: Closed in late May, 2010 when the parent company filing bankruptcy. With short notice, the doors were locked and most of the customer’s boats were removed.  The site remained stagnant until this spring when the remaining boats and all other accumulated equipment were removed from the site.
• Bulldog Boat Repair: New business last year on Vista Ave. Owners Jay and Cathi Phelps were the prior managers of Skipperliner and continue to specialize in Skipperliner repair. They provide enthusiastic and high quality service in their new business.
• Energy Marine: Owned by Trent Sutherland, 9formerly with ARAMARK in Boat Brokerage) has opened a houseboat management and repair location on Haul Road.

The Castle Rock Cut was nearly dry at 3609 feet of lake elevation in mid April, but as the mountains started to give up their snowpack, the lake began to rise. By May 1^st, the Cut already had over three feet of water. The lake has begun its annual cycle of spring water runoff. Upstream of Lake Powell, some of the drainages in the Colorado River watershed received up to 125% of their average snow this last winter. That is good news for Lake Powell and also Lake Mead. Powell’s water level is predicted to top out this summer at 3643 feet elevation. Due to an equalization formula between the two lakes, Mead will receive a higher percentage of the runoff this year than normal.

Steve Carothers has rejoined ARAMARK, now as the new Wahweap Marina General Manager. Steve previously held the position of General Manager at the Antelope Point Marina. The position at ARAMARK was previously held by Mike Walsh. (In early March, calls to or inquiries about both Walsh and uplake GM Kerry Mystrom yielded this response. “He is no longer with ARAMARK.” Carothers has filled the Wahweap position, and I am told that the uplake position will be covered by Chuck Fortin. In addition to the Wahweap Marina, Carothers responsibility also includes the Wahweap fuel dock, boat brokerage and the Dangling Rope Marina. Although a few of our members had compliments for Walsh, most are rejoicing at the change. He did accommodate and assist the socials that the Club held at the marina. However, I have no doubt that Steve will create a more pleasant environment and a much better relationship with the marina customers.

For several years while Steve Carothers held the GM position at Antelope Point, he was very generous toward my requests for the Lake Powell Balloon Regatta events. He has provided up to 4 houseboats, ferry boats to and from the houseboats and canyon tours, for up to 200 balloon pilots and crews for an afternoon. (All free of charge for the event.)  Unlike other large hot air Balloon events, we do not pay the pilots to come to Page. The afternoon on the lake has been one of the main attractions to entice the pilots and crews to continue to make this Page’s biggest annual event. In recent years we have capped the event to around fifty balloons. However due to the popularity of the event, this year we are increasing to 60 balloons. The generosity of the Page businesses and individuals help to make this popular event possible. Visit us in November to watch the event, or better yet, participate in this celebration surrounded by the picturesque setting of Page and Lake Powell. You may become a volunteer crew member by email or by contacting me at the Yacht Club office.

At Wahweap, other things are in the works.  A new marina store complex may have already passed all the approval necessary for the construction to get underway.  It will not be constructed at the present store site, but likely close to the boat rental location near Stateline, then floated into the marina location. That will allow the present structure to remain in place during this summer season. Most of the construction which will actually take place at the marina is planned for next winter, when the old store buildings are removed and the new building complex is floated into place. That is assuming it is completed by then, as planned.  See the artist conception in this issue. The new facility is to provide a better variety in groceries and boat accessories in a display area. A deli with a full kitchen will be on site to provide casual dining. Takeout to carry back to your boat will also be available.

Back to Steve Carothers; he received baptism by fire in his new job at Wahweap within the first week after arriving. We visited briefly on the Wahweap dock as the fire subsided in March that destroyed five boats. During the fire he and his crew were busy removing boats from slips, some on fire and others to prevent further damage. Yacht Club Commodore Mike Makowski and I met later with Steve, partially to discuss the marina’s ability to adequately provide first response to boat fires. Steve explained that they supply first suppression response until the National Park Service arrives and takes command. They continue to relocate boats and assist the NPS as needed. I was on site at that fire to observe the assistance which was provided by ARAMARK. Their construction and dive crew, along with Steve and his marina crew were relocating boats and battling the fire. (My grandson, Austin,  was on that dive team.)

At Bullfrog, the RV spots are being moved down into the main campground area, and some changes to the restrooms are underway. They are finishing the two new slip complexes and depending upon future funding, two more may be planned for next year. Club member Paulette Welch reports that the slip electrical problems seem to be a thing of the past. Over the past several years, many boats owners with boats in slips had contacted me with complaints of electrical and electronic equipment damages. So, I passed those complaints on to the appropriate managers and requested that the electrical service be upgraded. It took a while, but Chuck Fortin, Marina Manager, responded last fall that the replacement of electrical service equipment they had completed would fix the problem at Bullfrog. Recently he stated that they have not had any new complaints about electrical problems.

Halls Crossing Marina suffered about 400 feet of frozen waterlines during that last hard freeze that passed through before winter slowly faded away. The water system is fixed and Fortin says they are ready to greet the boaters as they return for their fun on the lake.

Information gathered for this column can be no better than the individuals that are willing to respond to requests for updated material. I thank all those in various positions from companies and agencies that are willing to share information. One such person that has been especially helpful is Dean Crane, VP of Engineering for ARAMARK. He is set to retire at the end of May. My thanks go out to you Dean, for your help through the years and hope you have a long and pleasant retirement! (He did say he was going to do some consulting to keep him occupied.)

The Utah State Parks provides us this reminder: Each year their Utah State Park Rangers inspect thousands of boats and find that more than 60 percent don’t have proper safety equipment on board. Before heading out on your first boating trip this season, take a few minutes to check your boat and equipment to ensure it is safe and ready for the water.

We have already had one drowning on the lake, caused by a canoe tipping over near Bullfrog. The 21 year old drowned in eleven feet of water only fifty feet from shore. He was not wearing a life jacket. Wear your life jacket. Be alert also to the dangers of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.  Do not let your guard down against the unseen danger from exhaust and faulty appliances. Change the batteries in your CO detectors and keep swimmers out of the water while boat motors and generators are running. Don’t let you or your guests become another fatality!

If you boat at other locations, PLEASE do not transport quagga mussels or other invasive species back to Lake Powell. The battle to protect Powell from quagga mussel contamination continues. Clean, Drain & Dry Your Boat and Equipment. Lake Powell remains Mussel Free!

Contact the office to store your houseboats, cruisers, PWCs and also RVs in the Yacht Club storage yard. It is lighted, secure and you can work on your boat with personal access 24 hours a day. Reserve your space by contacting the office at 928-645-3992, or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .