The Grand Time

Tom's Journal

June 17, 2007 - Day 33

View A Different Day

We again awoke with the sun on our enormous beach and got on the water just after 8 am.

With mellow water ahead, I opted to ride on a raft for the first half of the day’s miles.

There is no combination of words I can use to describe what it feels like when the varying-and apparently competing-currents carry you along a path known not even by the water following it.

Combined with the way this place challenges all the senses, it is like the opposite of the (in my opinion) over-used term “multi-tasking”. If you can detach yourself enough from your own personal agenda, you just may be able to become aware of the magnitude that one or even two senses are stretched to the extreme.

We arrived at the confluence the with the Little Colorado River in the late morning, perfect timing to be in the hot desert sun while frolicking in its bright blue water a few hundred yards above its inevitable date with close relative, the mighty Colorado.

After great fun swimming and letting the mild current scoot us along some Disney-like features, we got on our way. The rapids were few and forgiving along this stretch-we soon made our goal of Tanner Canyon.

At this point, a trail from the top of the Grand Canyon reaches the river. We had been holding out hope that a hiker would meet us to carry out media holding our photos and this journal.

Instead we found only very hot rocks and no ability to use our satellite phone. Tanner also presents a rapid that should not be ignored, so I “geared up” and re-entered my kayak for the ride, which was a blast.

On the shore along the mild few-mile stretch to our destination we saw a small fawn with no Mommy in sight, and we hoped the best for this graceful little creature.

This is by far the widest the canyon has been since Lee’s Ferry. It allows we mere mortals at the bottom to have clear expansive views of the rim many thousands of feet above including the Desert View Tower, from which we were also being viewed.

Upon making about sixteen miles for the day, at about 3:30 pm we pulled out on the right side near some ruins of those who came a Grand of years before.

Not long after, the group who helped us push our boats out of the mud at Lee’s Ferry came floating by. Seems they were running low on canned adult beverages, so we happily replenished their supply. As my Dad would say, “friends come and go but enemies accumulate”. These folks will be friends for at least the next two weeks.
View A Different Day

Mile by Mile Photos

June 17, 2007 - Day 33
Mile 704 through Mile 720

May 16 2007 - Day 1May 17 2007 - Day 2May 18 2007 - Day 3May 19 2007 - Day 4May 20 2007 - Day 5May 21 2007 - Day 6May 22 2007 - Day 7May 23 2007 - Day 8May 24 2007 - Day 9May 25 2007 - Day 10May 26 2007 - Day 11May 27, 2007 - Day 12May 28, 2007 - Day 13May 29, 2007 - Day 14May 30, 2007 - Day 15May 31, 2007 - Day 16June 1, 2007 - Day 17June 2 - 11, Day 18 - 27June 12, 2007 - Day 28June 13, 2007 - Day 29June 14, 2007 - Day 30June 15, 2007 - Day 31June 16, 2007 - Day 32June 17, 2007 - Day 33June 18, 2007 - Day 34June 19, 2007 - Day 35June 20, 2007 - Day 36June 21, 2007 - Day 37June 22, 2007 - Day 38June 23, 2007 - Day 39June 24, 2007 - Day 40June 25, 2007 - Day 41June 26, 2007 - Day 42June 27, 2007 - Day 43June 28, 2007 - Day 44June 29 2007 - Day 45June 30, 2007 - Day 46July 1 - 13, Day 47 - 58July 15, 2007 - Day 59
The last day; The river’s end