The water level of the lake was down, and our first view of the lake was appalling. "No bigger than Lake Arthur" I said, and worried that there would not be enough to see. But Powell is a trickster, and what looks like a solid wall moves aside to reveal another canyon. And while the receding water prevented us from going down some canyons, it also bared features that had been drowned since the Glen Canyon dam was built.

We saw one beautiful vista after another. Each night, we pulled into a new cove or canyon to rest for the night, in the morning explored with a "little hike", or with a kayak. We saw the "Hole in the Wall" where the Mormon pioneers descended into the canyon with 80 wagons and their families and cattle. We saw the Rainbow Bridge. It was a wonderful trip. We were with a group of congenial people (Elderhostelers almost always are) and, while there was little privacy, we jostled and danced around that problem. This time we had a cigar smoker, but he kept his dirty little habit confined to the roof of the boat where it did not offend us non-smokers. We saw corners of Lake Powell we never would have found on our own. Our guide was knowledgeable and funny and a perfect host. In short, this was a trip I would recommend highly.

More photos can be seen on photos.yahoo.com/tcomden and can be downloaded or prints can be ordered from the service which is fast, reliable and not expensive.