I am up around 5:30.  There is a lot of Sacred Datura at our campsite.  It was not blooming last night, but all the blooms have fully opened this morning.  Breakfast is pastries and fruit.  We pack the boat and get on for our group picture taken by our neighbors.  On my prior raft trip, the jet boat came here and picked us up.  However, the level of Lake Meade has dropped since that trip and has now created a new rapid near the old Pearce Ferry landing.  The jet boat is unable to get upstream of the new rapid, so we have to drive about five hours to reach the jet boat.

Sacred Datura 5-9-2009 @ 5:48	Loading the boat 5-9-2009 @ 6:33	Our group picture 5-9-2009 @ 7:00

     We push off and say goodbye to our neighbors.  I then find out about an amazing story of heroism last night by Carolyn and Jake.  They were asleep on the boat when Carolyn thought she heard something go plop in the water.  She raised up just in time to see a head being quickly pulled downstream.  She yells to Jake about a person overboard and both jump off the boat.  Jake dives in the water while Carolyn continues running downstream just far enough to be able to pull the victim from the water.  The young lady is still semi-dazed and does not seem to realize where she is.  It turns out that she is a sleep walker and had been drinking heavily last night.  I hope she now realizes that she owes her life to Carolyn, who was diligent enough to raise up and investigate a noise she heard while sleeping.

Saying goodbye 5-9-2009 @ 7:03	Saying goodbye 5-9-2009 @ 7:03

     In about a half-hour, we come to our sister ship dead in the water.  The lower unit on their engine has failed.  We tie on to them and keep them in place while they change the motor.

Our sister ship dead in the water 5-9-2009 @ 7:25	Our sister ship dead in the water 5-9-2009 @ 7:26

     In about two more hours, we pass the Hualapai Helipad where some people fly in from Las Vegas, view the Canyon briefly, and then fly back.

Hualapai Helipad 5-9-2009 @ 9:21	Hualapai Helipad 5-9-2009 @ 9:21

     We then come to the Hualapai Skywalk, high on the cliff.

Hualapai Skywalk 5-9-2009 @ 9:44	Hualapai Skywalk 5-9-2009 @ 9:44	Hualapai Skywalk 5-9-2009 @ 9:44

     Just around the corner is the Bat Cave, which used to have a cable tramway strung from the cave to a tower on a hilltop on the other side of the river.  When operating, this was the longest tramway in the world at over one mile.

Bat Cave 5-9-2009 @ 9:53	Bat Tower 5-9-2009 @ 9:55

     Another couple of hours and we reach the Pearce Ferry Rapids.  This is the first rapids that Carolyn and Jake have scouted before running.  The rapids may look docile from these pictures, but with its right angle turn next to some rocks, they were plenty tough.  Jake does a perfect run and makes it look easy.

Pearce Ferry Rapids 5-9-2009 @ 11:38	Pearce Ferry Rapids 5-9-2009 @ 11:38	Pearce Ferry Rapids 5-9-2009 @ 11:39

     We unload our stuff and get on the jet boat.  Our sister ship then make the run through the rapids, pulls alongside, and loads their things on the jet boat too.

	Jet boat below the rapids 5-9-2009 @ 12:01

     We say goodbye to our crew and then we're off.  The engine on this jet boat has a real throaty sound and this thing absolutely hauls.  I like this boat driver.  He seems to only know two throttle settings: idle and full speed, mostly the latter.  We arrive at South Cove in about a half-hour, unload our stuff, and hop on the bus.

Jet boat at South Cove 5-9-2009 @ 12:54	Unloading gear at South Cove 5-9-2009 @ 12:54	Our bus at South Cove 5-9-2009 @ 12:55

     Box lunches and soft drinks are waiting on the bus for us.  The drive back to Flagstaff takes about four hours as we have to drop off our sister ship's passengers in Kingman and Williams. 

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