River Explanations and Launch, First Day
Before we actually get into our five rafts, Matt (head guide) has a few instructions and explanations. (More will follow later.)
- Life jackets have to be worn by ages 12 and under on this particular stretch of the river. Everyone will have to put them on at a certain point.
- If you have to urinate, you indicate (with a smile) that you need a "smile" break and jump into the river as soon as the guide finds a good spot to drift.
- Each person would get a large zip-lock bag with a dinner, plate, fork and spoon it it (no knife as promised) along with a souvenir cup at camp tonight. This is used for every meal and after washing it off, it is to be packed in your big blue bag for use at the next meal. There was a routine for cleaning: four buckets were placed in a row and everyone was responsible for washing their own. First, you scraped all the food particles into the garbage bag; then clean in Bucket #1's cold soapy water; clean in Bucket #2's hot soapy water; rinse in Bucket #3's hot water; and rinse again in Bucket #4's bleach/water mixture. Wave your plates in the air to dry, put back in your plastic bag and PACK! (Josh managed to come home with his plate in his bag during all the rush of packing after the trip.) ...View image...
fast briefing
We start out by motoring, two rafts tied together with boys on the green raft (Amber rowing), and us girls on the yellow raft (Ashley rowing). The other three rafts are tied together carrying three fathers (each with a small child), a few other couples and friends, and one other family - grandparents, parents and three children - a total of 21.
Desolation and Gray Canyons are a registered National Historic sites. This region was covered by shallow Lake Uinta, 35 million years ago and further downriver at Rock Creek Ranch, the canyon is a mile deep. The current and debris from the Green River flows into the Colorado River system, and the Green is very brown from all the sand churned up by the rain.
Our guides are Matt, Joshua, Erin, Amber and Ashley and they concoct chicken salad wraps, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, chips and chocolate chip cookies which we eat on the rafts today. Each raft carries huge containers of water and lemonade and we are encouraged to refill and drink constantly. The food is really good and after lunch, the guides started rowing. ...View image...
Whenever we swam or "smiled" off the raft, it was hard to get back on. ..View image... "ex-Marine" hurt his knee, I needed a "butt" lift, and everyone ended up with scrapes and bruises. This section was flat and we floated along seeing: bighorn sheep, ...View image...wild horses, went through some little "riffles" (small waves), "hoodoos" (rock formations that were undercut and made amazing shapes), and lots of sandbars because of the low water levels. One grandchild panicked on a sandbar when she kept drifting away from the boat and excitement brought on a River Safety lecture. Primarily, "If you fall in, turn on your back with feet pointed downstream and float." Matt said there was also a possibility of bears in our camp at night and directed us to bring all snacks down to the kitchen in the evening to be locked up. Now I'm nervous!
on the sandbar
Other important info was: everything brought into, and on the River, must go out. This included all waste that went into the "Groover" (the portable potty). (A more detailed description to follow later on.) The "groover" got its name during the '70's when no toilet seats were used on top of the box to sit on. So, big grooves were left on your body while sitting..thus the name "groover."
Matt also told us to be prepared for lots of mosquitoes the first two nights. More good news and the day is only half-over....
