Our daily routine is dictated more and more by the sun: we sleep when it goes away not long after 8 pm and arise not long after it does between 5 and 6 am.

Consequently our launch times are earlier than most groups on the river. This suits me fine as it allows us more chances to pick the best campsites and, better yet, a good shot at missing the worst of the almost-daily afternoon upstream winds.

I’m told this wind is caused by the vacuum created when the sun’s heat that has been absorbed by the vast area of rock surface all day long heads skyward. You literally can set your watch by it; 2 pm seems to be the most predictable time.

So this day were on the water by 8:30 am. Within a few hundred yards some of us stopped to search for what is left of a boat that was rowed by Bert Loper, a legendary Colorado River boatman who died in 1949 a few days short of his eightieth birthday about sixteen miles upstream. We found the rotting plywood that remains, wondered at its design and construction, took a few snapshots and were on our way again.

After passing through President Harding rapid about three miles downstream, we were carried along to yet another magical place known as Nankweap. At the base of the cliffs high above the right shore, the pre-historical people who lived here over a Grand of years ago made structure to store their grain.

The views from this lofty place are stunning-those in our group who made the effort on such a hot day were rewarded with some great photos and even better memories.

Not far downstream we went through a zone that seemed more like a zoo than anything else. We saw deer, a river otter and many types of birds with their young in tow.

We found the best campsite yet about fifteen miles from where we started, just below a fun rapid called Kwagunt.

The mood was light as we set up camp and once again thrilled to the nightly show of the sun orchestrating a sort of primordial fire dance of the infinite geologic features. We are gaining confidence-and we need it.