Mead Madness 2000 - part 1 by [gary]
Go to part 2...
Mary and I have gone to Lake Mead in April for our Anniversary (and my birthday) each year for the last Eleven years, and I have been going there for 20 years... so you'd think I'd have no problem planning this trip, wouldn't you??? Well, it seems no matter how far ahead I try to plan, before I'm REALLY READY, all of a sudden I'm suppose TO LEAVE TOMORROW... This year we're also using our annual "Mead Madness" to kick off the Trailer Sailor's new on-line E-zine... and that creates MORE EXCITEMENT, as we'd love to have a "picture perfect trip"...But to understand what we're up against, let me give you a little back ground on Mead herself. The ancient Indian cultures that lived in the area long before the Dam was built, believed the SPIRITS lived there... as they could hear them screaming from the canyons. Well, that was the wind funneling thru as it does to this day... but now it's full of water... lots of water, and plenty of rocks. The area is completely desolate with the exception of the marinas; so once you head out you are ON YOUR OWN. When Mary was flying in, a woman seated next to her remarked that from the air, the area looked "almost primeval"... Yep, that's Mead. The essence of Mead Madness is to present the sailor with these conditions, and risks, and see how they manage it.
What are the RISKS you may ask???? Well, let me tell ya about just a few... I've seen the surface of the lake BOILING with 8 foot chop, and winds that blow a 200 lb man TO THE GROUND... I've seen her blow rocks UP HILL and SHRIEK my rigging AFTER she rolled the boat ON HER SIDE... WHILE I WAS BEACHED, AND INSIDE OF IT... When she chooses, she blows 100... she can explode to 40 in a heartbeat...she's formed by the same force that built the GRAND CANYON... and she's the SAILORS equivalent to a rafting trip thru the rapids. You have one way in, THE BOAT, and only one way out (besides the rescue helicopter,) THE BOAT AGAIN. If she THROWS you ashore you'll have to survive in the hull till your chopper shows up... providing the rattlesnakes don't get you first!!!! At Lake Mead you are playing for KEEPS, she shuffles... YOU DEAL... So, I'll invite you all into my log of events as they happened... you can sit back and relax while the Madness unfolds. It's a story about preparation, about planning, and about fitting as much into the adventure as time will allow...
Time out is... 1618 hours on Friday 4/21... We have had TONS of trouble with the van. The plan was to have it serviced PRIOR to the trip, and have the oil changed so that it would be nice and fresh to pull a thousand plus miles, thru the hot desert winding mountain road to Lake Mead and Las Vegas. Well, the mechanic put the fix to it all right... and now it has this "motor stalling" problem. I liken it to a "vapor lock" when you are driving, and the engine just begins to sputter and wants to DIE. The mechanic said, "I think it will work... but won't guarantee that it's fixed... GOOD LUCK, and DON'T BLAME ME". That helpful encouragement cost me $400.00 bucks, and I am leaving tomorrow with the boat all our gear inside. If it breaks on Highway 93, you might as well be on MARS. I am nervous, but not letting them see me sweat. The Captain must remain COOL AND COLLECTED at all times... its just getting a little HOT OUT HERE, that's all.
Packing... WOW... I have stuff laying everywhere. Each room has it's own special pile. In the bedroom I have my clothes laid out for BOTH phases of the trip. We are doing 3 days in Vegas before going to the lake, so this requires separate packing for the "Vegas Experience". Boat clothes are in the boat bags, in the bathroom are the sundries and towels, the living room has the boom with the main sail on it, foulies, and lifejackets and sea-boots. Moving on to the kitchen is the cookware, plates, glasses, cups, stoves, BBQ, food storage bins of every size. The den has outboard, stereo, tapes, CD's, tools, parts. The garage has the gas cans, spare tire, 4-way, big jack, and boat battery. THIS WHOLE HOUSE HAS TO FIT IN THE BOAT.
The boat and trailer have been a constant maintenance and chore for the past two months. I put a new "cedar wood" liner in the boat, changed some of the rigging, did some keel work, painted the hull, polished the deck, and did the trailer maintenance. I had to do all this in the mornings before work, or in the HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON. Now, I have packed it to the brim with all the things needed to do a week out away from it all... and I do mean AWAY. I'm just concerned that when it slides off of her trailer that she will go STRAIGHT TO THE BOTTOM due to her overweight. We'll have to see, cuz I've opened the stable door and she's about to be set FREE. Time out... 12 noon 4/22/00... place your bets Ladies and Gents... will they make it or bust?????
Highway 93 is known as one of the worst in the country. The good news is that they are FIXING IT... the bad news is now that BAD ROAD... is UNDER CONSTRUCTION... with delays and bumpy detours ahead. We have no choice as it's our route, we will be going up that ole road, following the little white line no matter what lays ahead. It's also EASTER WEEKEND and they have the signs lit up saying to expect delays... perhaps I'll have time to hunt for bunny eggs.
All goes well till the first vapor lock happens 50 miles from Hoover Dam, at 1700 hours, and the van just quits. I am sitting by the side of the road looking at myself in the rear view mirror asking... SO, NOW WHAT CAPTAIN??? Well, I open the hood. It's a GUY THING I guess, thinking that there will be some MAGIC SIGN under there that sez "Touch it here and it's fixed". I look for several minutes and don't see any such sign. I close the hood and get back behind the wheel. The little beads of sweat VANISH as it STARTS RIGHT UP...like nothing happened, and off to The Dam I go... wondering if it will stall WHILE CROSSING THE DAM. That would be DAM UGLY.
I have no such problems and cross Hoover Dam at 1800 hours sharp. I've made it over the hump and am coming down into the City of 24 Hour Lights... smiling like I just won Indy. What a relief it is, to be over the towing with my wounded horse. I arrive at Eric Jon's and he is standing at the curb with a frosty. I LOVE THAT GUY, MAN!!!!!! He directs me to my "parking slip" and we begin immediately to... KEEP WORKING ON THE BOATS. All the problems getting outa town left me with some loose ends... and I'm out of the van and under the boat, putting some glass on the keel, and hooking up some wires to the VHF in the cabin. We work till after dark and then go to a Mexican Cantina for my 50th Birthday Celebration, with Mexican food and Margarita's flowing. I was born in 1950, and as a child would wonder where I would be when I TURNED 50, in the year 2000. I must say that I couldn't have planned a better spot than Las Vegas, just about to begin a Lake Mead Cruise. Fate did me well... Fate...and having some REALLY GREAT FRIENDS. Thanks guys.
Mary and her Mom fly in on time on Easter Sunday where we picked up the party (and parties) at the airport for several days of showing Mom the sights of Las Vegas. She has never been, and
as you can imagine she was STUNNED. Las Vegas has a way of overwhelming you with extravagance, and Mom had light bulbs in her eyes and a smile on her face the whole time. I'm really glad we got to share that part of the trip with her. Both Mary and Mom are Roddenbury fans, so the Star Trek Experience virtual reality ride in the Las Vegas Hilton... was high on the list of things to see and do. After that "Experience" the plane ride home for her must have been a bore.
During Moms stay the van begins acting up with a vengeance, as if to remind me "You ain't splashed that boat yet, Captain Sweatless". Mary and I decide to take the thing to the dealership and see if they can fix it, while we rent a car for the "Vegas Daze" that we are spending with Mom. I call Eric that evening and he says "Come on over tonight and I'll take a quick peek, and see if maybe I can fix it". Mom heads for her room to rest her sore legs and feet, while we go to Eric's place. The van DIES THREE TIMES JUST GETTING THERE. I'm at the end of my rope with this problem, and start thinking of perhaps a cliff with a brick on the accelerator!!! Eric, in his ever-cool fashion... pops the hood, removes the air intake, and reaches inside and REMOVES A PIECE OF CELEPHANE. He turns to me, smiles... and says "Here's your problem"... shuts the hood and we go inside for a beer. The van hasn't so much as hic-upped since, and my forehead has remained quite DRY as a result. Thank you very much.
A few days' later, Mom hits the jets... her trip is over now, and we are looking forward to some REAL Madness. We hit the supermarket and started provisioning. Mary was in charge of the store, as Eric and I are finishing up on the boats. How much can you fit in a boat that is ALREADY LOADED TO THE GILLS????? Well, about $170.00 dollars of supplies later.... I'm EVEN MORE concerned about the sinking at the launch ramp.
Wednesday 4/26/00... morning finds us heading to Calville Marina and will be meeting up with Justin and Edith aboard "Just Right" their Vagabond 20 that Justin built himself. I have been in contact with Justin thru E-mail, and some phone conversations, but this is our first meeting. We pull into the lot and there he is... just finishing up on his rigging. We exchange greetings as I hop out and begin to rig MAR~GAR~ETA. The reason for the "rush" is anticipated RECORD HIGH TEMPS of 107!!! Justin has a thermometer in his boat that registers 120... and it's PEGGED. I get the rig up and standing and we set off to the bar for a tall cold... something. While we are cooling off, into the marina comes this sailboat. We are watching her approach the docks when it becomes apparent that it's Scott and Ellie aboard "Finally" their Beneteau First 26 that they trailered up from Phoenix to Temple Bar Marina on Tuesday. Now, we are three. Eric had mentioned to be on the lookout for a Mac 26X with a buddy of his named Barry. Soon after "Finally" arrives, we notice a 26X launching, and send down a welcoming committee. Sure enough, now we are four. The heat gives us a break as the temperature drops at sundown. We launch "Just Right" and "MAR~GAR~ETA" into Lake Mead from the glow of a desert sunset and to my astonishment... SHE FLOATS.
We have the pre-planned skipper and crew mixer on the docks that night, outlining our strategy to move the boats thru the narrows and into an anchorage for Thursday night. I do the best I can briefing the crews on Mead and her "ways" right down to her SNAKE COLLECTION on the seashore. We will be leaving in the morning 4/27/00 at 0700 hours sharp. This will give us a window of opportunity to get thru the 9 miles of canyon that is famous for funneling high winds inside. Plans, like the Mead winds are ever changing, and so the rule to be followed on this cruise is: MEAD RULES. Each boat is on their own should the "Madness hit the Fan", and the weather report is for winds to 30 on Thursday. We have the charts out... and the "good anchorages" are gone over along our route. The only problem is that the water level is at 1210 feet, and some of those coves will be looking different at that water level. We plan in the calms, to motor thru the cove areas to see with "our eyes" what presents itself. This way if we have to backtrack to find some protection we will have been in the cove a few hours ago and know where to drop our tackle. The plan is to keep the boats moving to the objectives, and use the calm periods to see as many of the coves on the lake as possible under power. That night some local sailors join us, and the docks are alive with "boat talk" and festivities well into the night.
0600 I'm up and moving. The morning is beautiful... and calm, just as I had wanted for our departure. The only thing missing is Eric and Amy aboard "Endless Summer", as they we're supposed to be here and launching this morning. Barry says he will wait and give them a hand when they show up. We really have no option on this, but call them on the phone... and get the machine. The boat radios are checked and we schedule "VHF check-ins" on each hour. We figure Endless Summer is on the way, and at 0700 sharp... we go.
THE NARROWS... Mead has this gauntlet that separates the Boulder Basin from the Virgin Basin known as the narrows. The cliffs are several hundred feet high and the water is several hundred feet deep. The rugged beauty of this crack in the canyon walls is spectacular, with the occasional Mountain Sheep standing guard and various birds of prey riding the air currents that are ejected from the canyon. That is precisely why we are going thru in the early morning... so not to be "ejected by the wind" that can howl at velocities exceeding 100 mph thru here at times. Today, we will motor thru without any trouble, with the only wind being right at the very end at a speed of 14 knots... according to Justin's handheld annometer... the REAL WEATHER MAN we soon discover is a ROBOT, and not part of ANY REALITY that has to do with our weather on Lake Mead. We give him the title of "The Liar" and listen to him struggling to forecast what happened YESTERDAY. He tries playing a game of Madness Roulette with us... saying "Winds 15 to 40"... SO WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN??? Genniker or Storm Jib??? We revert to using our instruments and watching the clouds... and ya know... we did a MUCH BETTER JOB.
Once out of the narrows we go beachcombing thru Middle Point Island and find no GRAND ANCHORAGE to be had. Some are so-so, but we set course to the Gypsum Reefs and will be crossing the Virgin Basin for the next few hours. Once closing on the Reefs, we go cove hopping thru the clear waters watching the house sized rocks passing just feet under our keels. Now we have the opposite problem... which one to choose, as there are so many. We pick the perfect spot, with excellent protection, a nice soft sandy beach, right inside the main coves entrance. It's behind a hill that will allow my VHF radio antenna to just peek over to transmit to the other boats when they come thru. We set out our shorelines and anchor the boats for the night. "Finally" took a day trip today to go and sail Hoover Dam, and said that they will be joining us later in the afternoon. We also are waiting for Endless Summer and the 26X with Barry aboard to come thru the crack. Till then, we will hike around, clean up the boats, have some lunch and relax. As we set up the beach, the wind makes its appearance and starts blowing white caps to about 20-25 percent on the Virgin Basin. We are now in her grasp, and she's letting us know that we haven't gone un-noticed.
The radios start to crack at 10 minutes past the hour... "MAR~GAR~ETA... thissss isss Endlessss SSSSSummer crackle crackle... followed by "MAR~GAR~ETA... this is Finally... we are just about to exit the narrows and Endless Summer is behind us... OVER...
We grab the mic and the conversation is that Finally is exiting the crack, and it's blowing hard over there. They want to know our location, our condition, and some GPS fix to get them to us, with the least amount of delays as the wind is picking up. I ask them about Endless Summer, and Finally states that they are behind them in the narrows and will relay any info back to them. Justin goes for his GPS, and we jot down a Lat/Long fix for them ... they repeat it... and then we relay that we are lying to the beach in the first cove inside the West Gypsum Reefs. Everybody now has the location, and all we can do is wait. Finally is reporting a mild hammering, and that they will be signing off till they get closer. I get a signal mirror, a hand held VHF, my binox, and climb the hill to scout for them. The view is great, but empty. No boats to be seen thru the whitecaps, which are now getting bigger and more plentiful. I try the radio and get no response... as I turn to our own beach I notice that it is full... with no space for them to get on with their FIXED KEEL... hummm.
On to part 2...
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