Canyon Lake, Part 1
Most people think of Arizona as one big desert. While that is true for much of Arizona, the state does have a few surprises such as Canyon Lake, one of four lakes formed by the damming of the Salt River. There is a marina there which is also home to Dolly Steamboat offering sightseeing and dinner rides on the lake.
To mark the end of summer vacation from school, my little buddy, Johnny and I drove out to Canyon Lake and hopped on board Dolly Steamboat.
It was a hot August day but the beautiful scenery of Canyon Lake made us forget the temperature. They do offer beverages and snacks on board — we took them up on water which was free, of course.
Dolly Steamboat is somewhat of a misnomer — I believe it actually does not use steam for propulsion — most likely diesel. Also, the paddle wheel appears to be decorative — I could not find a drive mechanism to turn it — it appeared to me that an underwater propeller moves the boat along and the paddle wheel moves as the boat passes through the water. Still, it's a fun ride.
The vegetation on the banks is quite picturesque — perfect for photography.
And going up the sides of the canyon are reminders that we still are in Arizona.
On the port side, we could see a public boat launching ramp together with a couple buildings — the one on the water appears to be a boat house and the one on the land is probably bathroom facilities.
Beauty is all around — such a pleasant setting.
All of sudden the captain caused me to wake up from my daydream as he announced that there was a Heron just ahead. He told us to hurry to get our photos because the bird will usually fly away as the boat approaches.
Unfortunately, I was at the back of the boat with no time to move all the way forward. I did the best I could using the zoom lens but wished I could have been up front. Next time I'll know where to be at the beginning of the cruise.
Wonderful rock formations had everyone tilting their heads back to catch the views.
Now that looks like a proper canyon wall. Love it.
