Outdoor Recreation

With a shoreline nearly as long as the eastern coast of the United States, Lake Powell offers endless adventure. A sailor aboard a 22-foot Catalina (ABOVE) cruises Padre Bay, while a sailboat and a houseboat (BELOW) find quiet campsites in an inlet near the mouth of the San Juan arm of the lake. BOTH BY GARY LADD We were zooming down one of the scores of side canyons of Lake Powell, the only sound the hissing of the boat's hull through the water, our white sails filled with a fresh breeze that swept us past spectacular red cliffs and caves. Then there was another sound: a low moan that seemed to arise from a canyon that was opening to leeward. "Trim in and be ready to jibe," I called to my wife, Jackie. In the next instant, the wind stopped then jammed into us from the opposite direction. We eased the mainsheet quickly, our starboard rail already burrowing beneath the water. "Welcome back to Lake Powell," Jackie said, smiling and shaking her head. "The lake of surprises." The two of us had sailed in the notorious meitemi winds of Greece, the dreaded winter bura on the Dalmatian Coast of Yugoslavia, the autumn maestral of the western Mediterranean, the numbing winds of Denmark's Kattegat and Skattegat, even during a tornado watch off the Florida Keys. But nothing had surprised us as much, or as often, as the whims and wiles of Lake Powell's Chinook winds of spring. The surprises of Lake Powell aren't confined to the winds, however. Where else on Earth, in a length of some 186 miles, can you explore 96 major fjordlike side canyons, marvel at such fabulous rock formations as the world's largest natural-rock span, natural amphitheaters, water caves, and rock windows; see plunging waterfalls; witness the passing of golden eagles and desert bighorn sheep; and experience history through ancient petroglyphs, Navajo rock art, and Anasazi ruins?

These attractions are available to folks with trailered sailing boats all four seasons of the year just be careful of the spring Chinooks.

There are four launch sites: Wahweap Marina near Page at the west end, Bullfrog Marina and Hall's Crossing Marina about 50 miles upriver, and Hite Marina another 30 miles farther east.

For supplies, there are the San Juan Marina on the San Juan River arm, and Dangling

WHEN YOU GO

Stan Jones' Boating and Exploring Map of Lake Powell locates its 96 canyons, launch sites, and places to obtain supplies, along with color photos, descriptions of special sites, and a historical review of the area. The map is available for $4.00 from Stan Jones, P.O. Box 955, Page, AZ 86040.

utdoor Recreation WHIMSICAL WINDS DELIVER A CRUISE YOU WON'T FORGET

Roosevelt Lake Marina some 25 miles east of Wahweap. But sailing in Arizona is not restricted to Lake Powell. There is Lake Mead, "where you have either no wind or are blown off the lake," according to one sailor.

And there are the smaller lakes for another kind of sailing. Roosevelt Lake Marina, for example, stores 250 sailboats, many of which compete in regattas, often with as many as 60 boats. There are fall and spring racing series, organized by the Arizona Yacht Club out of Phoenix, telephone (602) 971-4511; and the Roosevelt Yacht Club out of Tucson, telephone (602) 327-1599.

The regattas alternate between Lake Roosevelt and Lake Pleasant, where the lower canyon walls sometimes produce less fickle winds. Even the smaller lakes, such as Saguaro and Canyon, provide a magnificent panorama of scenery for the crews of smaller boats.

But remember: not all surprises are pleasant. Unexpected winds and choppy waves can be dangerous for a small boat, and unmarked reefs may pop up when the water level is lowered. Desert-lake sailing can be a challenge, especially on Lake Powell. But it also can be a sailing experience you'll never forget.

Houseboating on Lake Powell: Join photographer Jerry Jacka, his writer wife, Lois, and the Friends of Arizona Highways, April 21-25, on a houseboat exploration of the lake with a shoreline nearly as long as the Atlantic Coast. For information and to make reservations, telephone the Friends Travel Desk, (602) 271-5904.