Wednesday 20th July.

Wednesday 20^th July.  Day 4.   Mile 30.5-47.5   Saddle Canyon Camp

Only 2 rapids today:

36-mile Rapid (3),  President Harding Rapid (4),

It was almost 6 miles to our first rapid today.  I slept rather badly, woke about every hour.  Eventually got up at 4.30 for the call of nature and again met Mitchell on the way back.  These 2 guys, Doug and Mitchell, are certainly to my mind the most normal of the Americans, both fairly quiet and not extroverts at all (well, maybe Mitchell is a little extrovert but in the nicest possible way!).  At our first campsite we found ourselves on the periphery of the campers with Doug and Mitchell (all the others knowing from previous experience where it was best to pitch their tents) and on the next morning Mitchell had said he found it difficult to sleep because he had forgotten to bring a camping pillow.  I offered to lend him my spare one, which he accepted.  After using it for one night he offered it back to me but I assured him I did not need it and he gratefully held on to it for the rest of his holiday, giving it back to me before he hiked out at Phantom Ranch. We struck up a good bond with the 2 of them and often managed to get in the same raft – I found Mitchell fascinating to listen to as he was a good orator and very knowledgeable on many subjects, not least the British Royal family!!  He knew all their birth dates, line of succession to the throne, intrigues and scandals……!!!  As a thank you for lending him my pillow, Mitchell brought tea or coffee to my tent every morning as soon as the coffee conch was blown, usually 5am. Thank you Mitchell, it was perfect and very welcome!

The river run today was very gentle with long stretches where we just drifted.  Kevin had to go in a different boat today – Julia and I went with Glen, who told jokes constantly.  Glen allowed Doug to “ride the bull” on one of the rapids, which meant he sat on the front of the raft with his feet in (or almost in) the water, holding onto a strap with one hand.  Julia wanted to do it at the last rapid of the day (President Harding Rapid, grade 4 at mile 44) but Glen said it was too dangerous- then we looked back at the raft following us and saw that someone was riding the bull – Julia was not amused and Glen was so apologetic!!

Not long after setting off in the morning we stopped at Redwall Cavern, a huge cave with a half moon roof.  Glen showed us some amazing fossils there and we had time to wander around and explore.  We also passed a very small waterfall oozing from a crack in the limestone which had left deposits like stalactites which formed a cone on which ferns and orchids were growing. 

At lunchtime we stopped at mile 39 where, many years ago, engineers had tunnelled into the side of the canyon to see if they could build a dam (the proposed Marble Canyon Dam site).  We also saw an old wooden bridge high up on the right hand side of the canyon, not crossing the river but crossing irregularities in the canyon wall, obviously on some old trekking route.

We arrived at our campsite at about 3pm, unloaded the oar boats, set up our tents and then some went for a hike up Saddle Canyon to a waterfall.  We could see the start of the trek from the campsite and it looked exposed, steep and with the path on a L-R slope (as well as ascending), so I decided to stay in camp. J & K went but K came back early because of the exposure (sheer drop and steep scree slope to one side) and whose who made it all the way said it was a steep trek.  After supper of pulled port burritos we had a very interesting and informative lecture on the stars and planets from Glen.  I went to bed at about 8pm but the camp was very noisy for a while with the youngsters hitting the beer and wine, as well as the spirits they brought with them.  A light rain for a short while helped to cool them and the air temperature!  I slept much better and even had to cover myself with my sheet at some point!  A very large, pale grey bat flew through camp during the evening – right between people sitting round the circle.  We were told it lives off scorpions which it will pick off the ground and eat.