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Trip Schedule & Information:
Dates:
On hold for now (due to 2 year old terrorist)...
Information / What to Expect:
Lake Powell is an incredible setting for recreation and
relaxation. But, a few
things to keep in mind:
- Group Effort
- At the start of the trip, houseboat loading, orienting, and departing takes
about an hour of group effort.
- At the end of the trip, houseboat cleaning, refueling, docking, and unloading
takes about 2 hours of group effort once we have arrived back at the Wahweap
marina.
- Except for the Captain (me!), we are all equal, and a group effort
is required.
Everyone has to help
out with some tasks. Expect to share some work -- cleaning up,
helping to beach and secure the
houseboat, cooking, etc.
- Typically, one couple or person will take primary responsibility for
preparing
dinner each night. This task rotates each night.
- Rules & Suggestions
- Do not put anything in the toilet except biodegradable toilet paper.
(No feminine products, paper
towels or
tissues in the toilet -- it will clog it up...)
- Avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer doors too often in hot
weather. These
are cooled by propane,
and they don't
cool down inside as rapidly as your
electrical frig at home.
Keep stuff that
will be accessed often (sodas, beer, etc.)
in the ice chest.
- Everyone is invited to drive the houseboat once we are out in open
water --
after some instruction from the captain. -
No smoking on board.
At night, if you wish, you can take your mattress to
sleep
up on the top deck of the houseboat. It is cooler on summer nights, and incredible
sleeping under the stars.
Congeniality: Being on a houseboat with a small group in relatively close
quarters means that everyone needs to be easygoing and friendly -- even downright
mellow. Even so, people differ, and a times people might
disagree about plans and priorities -- as to be expected.
If you are unhappy about something or someone, either compromise or try to resolve it
privately. If you need some time alone, a swim or short walk will put you in
total isolation in a natural setting.
If you want to skinny dip, or tan in the buff, find a secluded spot away from the
houseboat to obviate the possibility that someone might feel uncomfortable.
Playing music: If someone is playing music too loud for you, just
ask
them nicely to turn it down a notch.
(A good idea: bring a pair of head phones for your CD, MP3, or tape player -- rock out without worry.)
Houseboat anchoring / de-anchoring -- these are potentially stressful times.
Be helpful and pay attention to hand signals, obey the captain, and
stay cool if he/she barks orders at you (i.e., don't take it personally).
As usual, there is the possibility that some
things might not go well
- The weather can get hot (upper 90s or even 100+) on summer days, but it is
usually comfortable
and warm at night. Swimming or lounging
in the lake is a good way to keep cool. Wet down your clothes if needed to keep
cool. Bring a spray bottle to mist yourself.
Thunderstorms are a possibility, but are fairly
infrequent. They usually pass over quickly, but can be briefly
intense.
Houseboat systems might malfunction. If so, we may have to spend
some time getting something fixed.
Someone might get sick or injured, and they may need to be shuttled
back to the marina.
SHARING EXPENSES:
Here's how it works:
- Houseboat trip costs will be shared equally by
everyone.
After the trip, we will tally up the costs (for food, gas, etc.), and
each adult will
contribute their portion, as well as an additional $125 to help to
offset the houseboat
maintenance and repairs fees.
Additional info:
- Jet ski or ski boat expense pot.
If someone brings their
own jet ski or ski boat, we will set up a separate expense pot for that. Each person who wishes to share use
of it during the trip
will contribute $100 to the expense pot for gas/oil expenses. At the end of the houseboat trip,
what remains in the expense pot
will be
refunded equally (minus $50 per person that will go to the owner to
help to offset their general
maintenance and repair costs).
Additional info for power
boat or jet ski owners:
- If the houseboat is scheduled to depart on a Sunday,
you might consider arriving on Saturday. Your boat can can be launched from
the launch ramp on Saturday afternoon, tied up to the houseboat, and we can be
ready to go earlier on Sunday. You can spend Saturday night either on the
houseboat or ata hotel/motel in nearby Page, AZ.
- Gas transfer pump. There are no
marine gas stations out on the lake, except the one at Dangling Rope Marina at mid-lake. To refuel
boats or jet skis, we will need a gasoline transfer pump (hand operated is much safer than
an electrical pump) to transfer gas from the houseboat gas tanks.
For example, see this
gas siphon pump
or see this
Han-D Pump.
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- If you bring a sailboat, or a non-inflatable kayak, you get a $100 credit
from the houseboat expense pot if you are willing to share usage.
If no one brings a jet ski, ski boat and/or kayak for the trip, but a
group of us wants to share the cost and expenses of renting one in Page,
AZ, we can
discuss doing this and make arrangements before the trip. (See the
jet ski rentals at DooPowell, as
well as the other rental links on
the "Links" page).
Alcoholic beverages are not included in the expense pot -- it is BYOB.
Leftover food is
divided among the (surviving :-) crew at the end of the trip.
If you bring personal food or supplies (a “private stash”) of any
kind, that’s fine. Just keep it with your stuff, or mark it as yours if
you put it in a public place.
WHAT TO BRING:
Clothing:
Most people bring too many clothes for
a summer houseboat trip. You probably won’t need more than 2
swim suits for the trip.
Light, long sleeve shirts and long pants help provide sun protection.
Add a few T-Shirts and 3 pairs of socks, thongs, tennis shoes, and
hiking shoes, and you should be set.
Clothes can be washed by hand with biodegradable dish soap on
board (or in the lake).
Footware:
- In-water footware: Water
shoes (sometimes called "water socks") are
great to protect your
feet at the lake because they are made to get wet. An old pair of
tennis shoes, that you don't mind getting wet and dirty, is good to
bring too.
- Hiking footware:
Bring hiking shoes if you plan to take long walks or hikes.
- On the houseboat:
Thongs are usually most comfortable.
If the trip is scheduled for September or October, evenings can get
cool, so bring some extra clothing, or a pair of sweats, that you can
layer on.
Definitely bring:
- Sun protection:
- Sun Screen Lotion:
Bring lots of SPF 30 (or higher) waterproof sunscreen lotion.
Sun
Clothing:
sun hats, sun clothes (light colored and lightweight, but long sleeved shirts
and
long pants), swim shirt, dark glasses. Bring a couple pairs of hats and
sunglasses (they sometimes accidentally end up at the bottom of the lake).
Consider buying sun protection clothing with an SPF of 30 or above. See:
SunClothingEtc.com,
SkinSavers.com,
Coolibar.com,
SolarEclipse.com,
SpFashions.com,
NoZone.ca
Sun Shade:
If you want to sit out on the beach, consider getting a
Sunstopper Sun Shelter.
Also bring a beach towel.
Small flashlight (one that uses 2 AA batteries).
Batteries for whatever you bring that uses them. Rechargeable
batteries are good, too.
Bathroom stuff: Towels, shampoo, toiletries, meds, etc.
Bedding: Sheets, pillows, blankets (or sleeping bag). If you are
flying in, you can purchase these at WalMart in Page (or arrange to have someone
buy them for you before the trip). In summer, you don't need a
blanket, just
a sheet (it rarely gets below 68 degrees at night).
For more restful sleep: ear plugs, eye mask blindfold (especially if
you are not used to the bright light of daybreak), a battery operated
"white
noise" sound generator if you are not used to the sound of absolute
silence. You might consider getting a
Chillow pillow -- helps
to keep you cool while sleeping on warm nights.
For July or August trips, bring a water spray bottle that you can use to
spray yourself down when you get too hot (especially good on hikes).
Portable CD, MP3, or tape player (that can run on batteries) with headphones
for private listening. There is also a CD player on the boat, and
we will be bringing a pair of battery powered speakers which can take input from CD and MP3
players.
Satellite radio if you have one. (E.g.,
XM Satellite Radio or
Sirius Satellite Radio)
Camera & film.
If possible, bring a comfortable ski or life vest (even if you are
only going to use it for lounging in the water). There are the
bulky, orange life vests on board, but they probably won't appeal to
your fashion sense and you won't look good in the photos...
Note: You may wish to wait to buy
some of the above items at the Wal-Mart in Page, AZ the day before the trip
(saves trying to pack some of this stuff for a flight or a road trip).
Optional stuff to consider
bringing:
- Reading you always wanted to get to, but didn't have time: books,
magazines.
- Guitar, harmonica, tuba, etc. (but, only if you play well!).
Karaoke machine
(but only if you sing well!).-
Games: if you have a
favorite game, bring it along (there are several
games already on board
the houseboat). - Telescope or binoculars. The night sky is
spectacular -- you'll see planets,
the milky way, shooting stars, and if you have a keen eye, satellites
passing overhead just after dusk. Even when we are anchored at night
in a narrow slot canyon, even that tiny patch of sky still has more
stars in it than the whole sky at home.
- Walkie-talkies if you have a set, or handheld VHF/marine radio.
- Cell phone (but there is only Verison on the lake
itself, and
then
only if you can see Navaho Mountain, and if you have an analog "Tri-Mode" phone).
- Powell Electronics
(928-645-6664) in Page
rents
Verison analog cell phones
for use on
houseboat trips.
A cell phone signal booster
will increase chances of getting a strong connection.
But check
with us first -- we may have
already arranged to have a cell phone on the houseboat.
- Another option is to consider renting a satellite phone for the week
(costs
about $40/week and up, and about $1.50 a minute for phone time) -- see
OutfitterSatellite.com,
GlobalCellularRental.com or
WorldCell.com.
Internet connection using wireless phone:
if
you have a laptop and need
internet access consider getting broadband wireless phone service and
the
Aircard. This is 15 times faster than dial up and as long as you have
digital service you can get access and has a large coverage range across
the country. For Lake Powell as long as you can see Navajo Mountain you
will have this service. See:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=planFirst&action=viewPlanDetail&sortOption=priceSort&catId=409
If you have
Sprint mobile broadband, you might check to see if they have
service in the area.
GPS (if you have one) -- we'll have one on board too.
Laptop computer (if you can't leave work at the office...)
DVDs (movies can be played on our laptop computer on board).
Wet suit (if going in late September or October).
Water toys (blow up water mattresses, float toys, kayaks, etc.).
Day pack / fanny pack for hiking.
Electrical power on board:
- There are standard 110v electrical outlets on
board, but they
only operate when the generator is on (which is not
too often
because
the generator is very noisy).
- Houseboat 12 volt outlets (like a car cigarette lighter) run off of
the
houseboat battery and can be used most anytime. We'll have
on
board a 12v to 110v converter, but that uses up the houseboat
battery pretty quickly, and won't run with anything that uses
too much wattage (like a big fan).
- Battery powered speakers -- we will have a pair on board that can
be used with MP3, CD or tape players. (You don't need to bring
bulky speakers).
Stuff that is already on the
houseboat:
- Marine radio.
- CD player & Radio.
- Maps of Lake Powell.
- Board games.

...and they said "no man is an island."
HELPING TO KEEP THE HOUSEBOAT CLEAN:
Mud and sand:
Tracking sand onto houseboats can be a
nagging problem. To keep sand
and mud out of the houseboat,
dunk your bare feet in the water as
you walk up the gangplank. Remove shoes, and put them on the boat
by the gangplank. Wwe might put two square plastic pails of water
at the top and bottom of
the gangplank. The routine when boarding is this:
dip
your feet (with water shoes/socks on) at the bottom of the gang plank,
then
walk up gang plank to the deck and take off the water shoes/socks.
Dip bare
feet in the water pale there, and either stay barefoot or switch to
thongs
or shoes on
the houseboat. Make a rule to leave all water socks or
shoes on the front deck for
best results.
That is, you should have a pair of shoes or thongs that you
only use on
the houseboat -- never off the houseboat in the sand or water.
After dinner clean up
and dish washing:
This task will be rotated each
evening.
Trash:
Please clean up trash quickly and put it in the
trash bin.
SAFETY (don't wanna scare
anybody, but
just in case):
- If assistance is needed, call for help on marine radio channel
16. Turn on the marine radio -- it automatically goes to channel 16.
In a serious emergency, say "Emergency. This is the
My Little Runaway Houseboat at (give location)...."
and state what
kind of assistance is needed. If possible, use the GPS and give
the GPS
location coordinates. At the very least, identify the houseboat
location
by reference to the Lake Powell Map. The operator will tell you to
switch to
another radio channel number for additional communication.
(If you can get a signal on a cell phone, you can always try 911.)
- Flag down a passing houseboat or speedboat if assistance is needed.
- Know the location of the first aid kit.
- Stay out of the water while houseboat engines are running.
- If you can't swim, wear a light life vest at all times when on the houseboat.
- Whenever the electrical generator is running
(once or twice a day for
about
45 minutes), beware of potential carbon monoxide
sickness/poisoning. (You'll know when the generator is running
-- it is loud.) When the generator is running, and for 15 minutes thereafter,
do not swim anywhere near the houseboat, and especially not under the houseboat
(between the pontoons). Several people who have made that mistake have drowned at Lake Powell. Also, the rear sliding door should be
kept
shut when the generator is running so that fumes do not enter the houseboat.
- Before diving into the water -- always check the water depth first!
- Unless you are a very strong swimmer, it is a good idea to always have
some
type of floatation device with you while in the lake (swim vest, inflatable
water mattress, boogie board, etc.).
- Do not hike or swim alone.
- Avoid heatstroke & sunburn. On hikes, be sure to bring enough bottled
water and a water
spray bottle. Wet down clothes, or get in the water, if you get
over-heated. It is a good idea to wear a light, long sleeve shirt, and lightweight long
pants, that you can wet down to keep cool -- and for sun protection. If
anyone gets symptoms of heatstroke (hot skin, rapid pulse, headache, nausea, not
sweating) immediately wet down their clothes and get them into the shade.
- When on a hike, jet ski, or ski boat excursion, bring along a portable
marine radio
in case you need to call for assistance. If one is not
available, bring a compressed air horn or whistle. The
distress signal to use with the air horn or whistle is the S-O-S Morse code: short-short-short
(pause), long-long-long, (pause), short-short-short. Pause for
a couple minutes, then repeat.
- Fire -- be sure you know how to turn off the propane tanks, and know the
location of the fire extinguishers.
- Life vests -- know where they are. The houseboat is virtually
impossible to sink (which is also what they said that about the Titanic... ), but you may need to throw a life vest if someone falls overboard.
- Also see the National Park Service's:
Staying Alive--Boating Safety
- Watch it with that water gun. You could put somebody's eye out with
that.
Should you wish to skipper your own houseboat:
If you would
like to skipper your own houseboat
(e.g., if you want to bring along a group of additional friends/family, etc.), we might organize a caravan of
houseboats to explore the lake together. Houseboats can be rented from
Aramark, the official Lake Powell concessionaire.
A 48' houseboat costs
about $3,000 - $4,000 for a 4 - 5 day rental (up to about $800 less if you
book thru Costco travel).
Costco sometimes has a deal on a 46' houseboat for about $1,600 for 6 days.
However, to reserve a specific week, typically rental houseboat reservations must be made well in advance (up to a year), although it is possible to get on a
waiting list for a specific week.
Lake Powell
Boating also rents houseboats, ski
boats, and jet skis -- but you have to launch and retrieve yourself at the boat ramp using one of their launch vehicles. Another option to consider is renting a
patio pontoon boat or
cuddy cabin boat
from
Skylite Boat Rentals, again, you have to launch and retrieve yourself using one
of their launch vehicles.
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WEATHER -- WHAT TO EXPECT:
As you can see below, the typical
high temperature in July is quite hot -- typically
in the mid to high 90s
(sometimes over 100),
with low temperatures in the evening
of about 70. It is usually
desert-like dry heat (low humidity), and a swim in the
lake is a good way to
cool down. By mid-August, the high temps start to become
a bit
more comfortable. Typically starting mid-September the low temps at night
become cool enough to start layering on clothing on top of a T-shirt.
The lake water temperature is in the
mid 70s or above from July through September
(up to 80 in August!).
The October average water temperature is 67 (cooler,
but still swimable).

Average Daily High
Temperature (oF) |
Jan. |
Feb. |
Mar. |
Apr. |
May. |
Jun. |
Jul. |
Aug. |
Sep. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
42 |
51 |
58 |
68 |
80 |
91 |
97 |
94 |
85 |
71 |
55 |
46 |
Average Daily Low
Temperature (oF) |
24 |
30 |
36 |
43 |
53 |
62 |
69 |
67 |
58 |
47 |
35 |
27 |
Average monthly
Precipitation (inches) |
0.47 |
0.43 |
0.73 |
0.34 |
0.43 |
0.20 |
0.47 |
0.67 |
0.54 |
0.78 |
0.59 |
0.71 |
Average Lake Surface Water
Temperature (oF) |
46 |
46 |
54 |
54 |
64 |
71 |
77 |
80 |
75 |
67 |
61 |
51 |
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See more weather
links.
LINKS TO GENERAL HOUSEBOATING INFORMATION:
Houseboating 101
Houseboating 101
(for the Wildwind Houseboat)
Personal Watercraft Safety Tips
Tips from Greg's Showtime Houseboat website
WAIVER OF LIABILITY:
In consideration for permission to board My Little Runaway, I
understand and
agree that the houseboat My Little Runaway owners are
not responsible for
my health and well-being. I understand that being
aboard a houseboat on
Lake Powell incurs certain risks of loss, including,
but not limited to, property
damaged, lost overboard, or stolen; and certain
risks of injury or death. I agree
to indemnify and hold harmless the houseboat
owners for loss, damages, or
injury resulting to me or my property in
connection with my traveling aboard
My Little Runaway or any
companion speed boat, jet ski, kayak, or equipment
used with My Little
Runaway.

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