Fair and Clear, Air 83-88˚, Water 77˚, E at 7 to Calm
We had a nice 40 minute swim off the beach east of Rock Canyon Marina to no wake buoy.

Air 94 º, Water 77º, Humidity 24%, Fair and Clear, Wind Calm-NE 6

We beached just around the north side from Hot Springs Landing Cove. Ed forgot something, we were close enough to go back for it. We swam almost 1/2 mile over to an outcrop. Rocks just below the surface of the water served as a place to rest. Small fish swam around our feet. Back at the boats we hydrated and snacked, before the short trip in the boats back.

A good swim, Air 89º, Water 74º -Out before noon, we swam out from east of Rock Canyon into the lake, 10 minutes and back to shore, repeat and enjoy. It was easy going on the water as the traffic was light this early in the day.

Hot, a little hazy, Fair and Clear, Air, 94 º, Water 75º, Wind Vrbl 3-E 8, Humidity 20%

It was quiet on the lake this morning, the water smooth. Yesterday at the same time during a calm, the water undulated with the constant churning by hundreds of propellers powered by combustible engines. In the distance the buzz of a few personal water craft interrupted the ambiance. We did a shore to shore swim after beaching the boats.

As the lake lowers we will have to look for another place to swim as the ratio of algae is increasing. There will still be some coves where the river flow clears algae build up, the pleasure in the search and discovery will motivate us to get out on the water, even during these three digit days.

Air 86-91º, Water 74º, Humidity 26%, Wind Calm to E 6.
A couple of weeks ago this out crop was underwater, now a sand ridge connects it to the mainland.

The motivation was to get on the water and back before noon as the traffic on the lake was picking up already. Rock Canyon, in weeks past offered considerable space to swim behind the No Wake buoys unmolested by power boats, however, now campers are using whatever beach space available for a tent and boat. In addition. there were ten boats trolling for fish while we were there. As we were leaving, though, we noticed we had inspired two fisherman to abandon their rods and reels for a swim.

On the way back was personal water craft swarmed like hornets. Have you noticed that power boat operators are doing the same maneuvers as Sea-doo type water riding machines? It also appears that the riders are quite methodic about seeing how much punishment, as close to shore their water ride can take. At any rate we had some near misses between No Wake areas we traverse, even though we stayed as close to “Hazard” warning areas as possible.



There seems to be more young people either for the day or overnighters than years past. Some chose this area for a float party.

The wind was from the SE at 12-14 mph, it was still in the 90’s cooling from a 3 digit high, the humidity barely 2 digits. We went to an emerging outcrop island, and swam ten minutes into the lake and returned, as the sun fell. The setting sun was reflected on the clouds over the Fra Cristobals as we made our way back to the landing.

The clouds built up a bit, shortly after we put in, the winds built up from SSE 21-24 giving the water an unpredictable chop. We crossed over to the other side of Hot Springs Landing to the nearest vacant beach, stood there in 93°F, 10% Humidity. the sun setting, trying to size up the situation, then plunged into the the rough water chop. It was cooling, but not one of the more pleasant swims. When we returned, a pontoon boat filled with revelers, parked on the ramp continued their party oblivious to everything but keeping their glasses filled.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 (a.m.) Fair, Clear, Air 84º - 94º on bow of boat, 74º Water, Humidly 32%, Wind NE 7-9 Between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. winds were up to 25 mph with Gusts to 41. The surface water was 10º cooler than last evening.

Up from where we beached our boats we found evidence that members of U.S.A.’s idiocracy had been by. Perhaps they thought plastic bags of trash would be left unmolested by windstorms and coyotes until expected campsite trash pick-up service removed it. Perhaps they thought those large metal containers on the way out were storage lockers. This amount of trash is dispersed for miles by wind and water around the lake for your viewing pleasure. It also is the cause of death by choking and obstruction by species that share the water and land with so-called intelligent primates.

We took a brisk swim from one side to the other - the water clear. On the way back we made our way through hundreds of grebes feeding in Hot Springs Cove. You might be able to make out the grebes if you click on the photo.

Air 92º, Water 84º , Humidity 8%, - swimmers, houseboat, Wind SSE 7-12 mph

Another Monday where we waited for the traffic to thin before we went out for a swim. After a day of thermometer bumping up against the 100º mark, the surface temperature of the water was as warm as the T or C pool. A trio of 20 somethings swam from the adjacent beach out to toward a houseboats with a dozen or so young people aboard. The latter had a camp on the Cow Camp beach. As if on cue we all headed back at the same time. With darkness at hand we hadn't take the boats far away from the landing, a lovely way to end the day.

Air 90º, Water 84º 8% Humidity Partly Cloudy, Wind SSE 5-6 mph

Above: The Artist His wife, Kim, early self portrait


On this very hot Sunday we drove to Monticello to the Pharrwest Galleries for the owner’s 30 year retrospective. Jordan Pharr’s early affair with marble, was brazenly displayed - the polished surfaces projecting horizontally through space. As the relationship moved through the decades the dense hard metamorphic noir belge turned into musical scores in the form of choreographed wall installations and huge wall hangings. A giant god’s worry bones looped here - there abacus lines of marble calculated this man’s life cycle. Marble hung playfully or occupied small diorama tableaus. AND much much more.

Back at the lake, most of Sunday’s water recreating throng were gone when we put in and rowed/peddled across the way to a beach where we enjoyed a sweet swim out to a just now emerging outcrop and back.