Float in the GSL at 35 knots

A lot of locals and visitors always ask about the best place to "float" on the Great Salt Lake. Access to the lake is rather limited - there are only a few places where you can even get close to it. But aside from access, you really want to be able to wash the salt off you before heading home. The ONLY place to experience floating in the lake and THEN washing off afterwards in fresh water showers is at Bridger Bay on Antelope Island. And now that there is a new concessionaire on the island, you can not only float on the lake, but zip along at 40 mph too. Or pedal or paddle. He also provides bikes (the PeeWee Herman cruisers) that allow you to see the island and its wildlife from the road. Gonzo boat rentals provides kayaks, pedal boats, bikes, a pontoon boat (which you can rent) and jet boats (which you can zip around on, on your own). All of them are seen on the attached YouTube video. Gonzo Boat Rentals is located on the west end of the causeway at the island's marina. There is a $9 per vehicle state park entrance fee to cross the causeway. If you get salty "floating" in the lake from all the spray, the showers are just over the hill at Bridger Bay. Outside showers are free - and ambient temperature. The building also provides private shower stalls, where you can wash off in hot water - but bring your quarters! (Just like a car wash.) Antelope Island is a wonderful experience when you visit it in your car... but now you can see it from an entirely different perspective, and at prices that will surprise you. Check it out, and give them a call at 888-878-8002 or call Dave directly at 801-698-6288.

Play in our backyard.

I grew up on the San Francisco peninsula - less than 15 miles from "The City". It's one of the most romantic, and visited cities in the world. It was so close, yet we "avoided" going there because of the traffic, the number of people - and the fact that where we lived was even nicer, in our minds. I could possibly get around in a car, but I couldn't tell you where the BART station is, or how to get to the stadium where the Giants play (Candlestick is a no-brainer... it's right on the freeway). Similarly, my sister-in-law grew up in Montana, but had lived in SLC for over 20 of her adult years before she traveled to Moab for the first time, and promptly fell in love with it. Another friend has grown up in SLC (60 years), and she's been all over the world - but she also, has never been to Moab. Then again, I'm sure that there are many people who live in Orlando, who've never been to Disney World. Or New Jersey, and have never set foot on Manhattan. Lived in L.A., and never swam in the ocean. And so on. In Davis County, we have our own "famous" place that many of our residents have never visited. Antelope Island is the largest island in the lake. It has received the designation of "State Park", because it has a fascinating history... not just in terms of written history, but geologically as well. Bison, or American Buffalo were introduced to the island in 1893 - and today, the state manages a herd of over 500 of these amazing animals. In nature, there are many more males than there are females. However, on the island, the ratio is closer to 1:1. A result of this ratio there are many calves born each spring. In fact, the herd can grow by nearly 50% - which means most of the females have little ones. There are 40 known and natural springs providing water to the larger mammals that live on the island. Other animals include mule-earred deer, mountain sheep, pronghorn and the coyote. Most of the grass is a non-native, but invasive "cheat-grass" (also known as "junegrass" and "downy brome")- which has little nutritious value to the animals that eat it. As a result, the state has determined that the bison herd needs to be thinned back to 500 each fall - and the process begins all over again. The northern end of the island is developed - the ranger's home is found on the top of one hill, and the Visitors Center on another. And the park offices, as well as the bison pens are located here. A snack bar, with fresh water restrooms and pavillions for lunches is found at Bridger Bay. Likewise, campers can pitch a tent or park an RV in campsites at Bridger Bay or at White Rock Bay. A marina greets guests as the cross the 7 mile causeway from the mainland. But as on drives south on the paved road that runs down the east side, there's a fence just past the ranger's house. From there on, nothing has changed in millenia - with the exception of Fielding Garr Ranch, which is about 13 miles down the road - and almost directly across from West Bountiful. For the most part, the island is a big "desert" island. There are few trees, and little shade - (hint: where there ARE trees, there's often water). If you look at the island for what it is, you'll come away amazed at the diversity of animal life, the beauty of the Wasatch from across the water, the renowned sunsets, the solitude, the views from Frary Peak of the west side of the island, or on the silly side - the opportunity to get IN the water, and say that you've "floated" in the Great Salt Lake. How many of your neighbors can say that? The DACVB calendar keeps you up to date with the latest presentations by park rangers, there are events at the ranch inon Memorial Day, and at White Rock Bay on Labor Day weekend. Go to TripAdvisor.com, and see the dozens of positive reports of people who have been there - many of whom are not even from Utah. (Weed out the mediocre, as hicks that can't appreciate nature). It's so close, and yet far away. Do yourself a favor: If you haven't been, get out there and explore it.

Take a ride back in time

Utah is a pretty equestrian place. There are a lot of people who own their own horses, and many who have "horse properties" - where families live in the 4000 sf home, and the horses get a couple of acres. We're exposed to horses regularly.
However, there are still many among us who rarely get a chance to go horseback riding. Or when we do, we "rent" the horse, and follow nose to tail as less-than-spirited horses trudge along trails that they've traveled hundreds of times.

On Antelope Island, things are different. R&G Horse and Wagon provides outfitter-led rides across the plains of the island. If you take your own horse out there, you must stay on the trails. However, when you ride with R&G, they'll ask you where you want to go, or what you want to see - and away you go, across belly-high grass and well off the trails. There are mountain sheep in the rocks above the plains that a trained eye can point out to you. There's also an unmolested herd of mule deer that roam the island without concern of hunters or predators. The pronghorn are numerous, and often visible on the ride. Of course, the highlight is when you can get within a few hundred yards of some of the range bison. It kind of brings to mind the old cowboy song "Give me a home where the buffalo roam, and the deer and the antelope play".

It's actually a step back in time. If you notice, all of the improvements on Antelope Island are on the north side of the island. That includes the campsites, the Island Buffalo Grill, the marina, the Visitors Center, and the beach with showers. This was done on purpose. The southern end of the island is the same as it's been for hundreds,thousands, and even millions of years - with the exception of the road that leads 2/3rds of the way down the east side of the island to the Fielding Garr Ranch. The ranch is the oldest Anglo structure in Utah that is still on its original foundation. Everything else is just as Nature made it. A stop at the Visitors Center will point out that some of the rocks found on the island, are some of the oldest in the entire world.

All of this "desert island" beauty is available for you to see from the saddle of your own horse. Rates are $50 per hour, $75 for 1.5 hours,and $100 for a two hour ride. Children are welcome to ride, but they must be 6 years old. The horses are calm, tame and many are "movie stars" - as Ron, the outfitter, is often asked by Hollywood producers to provide horses to the stars. The DACVB makes reservations up to 48 hours (2 days) before your ride. Give us a call to make a reservation or to get more information(888)878-8002 or (801)774-8200

Discover Davis Area - on Google Maps

Photography has come a long way in a short time. Many digital cameras now have GPS chips in them to identify where a photo was taken. When uploaded to a site like Google Maps, the photo actually shows up near where it was taken.
This helps you to review photos of areas that are of interest to you. If you're going on a trip, you can preview photos of your destination. If you want to tour Davis County, click on Google Maps and zoom in to see photos of the area that have been posted by others.
When you enter the Google Maps site, type in the area of interest. One or more boxes will appear in the upper right corner of the screen. You can toggle between "Map" view and a "bird's eye" view by clicking "map" or "satelite". As you roll over this box, another box appears with more options. You can click on "photos" or "video" and if there are any of those uploaded, small photos will appear on your screen. Click on any of these, and they'll get bigger (or play, in the case of video). If you don't see anything, zoom in a little closer (not too close) and more of these photo-squares may pop up.
Of course, you can also do street view too. If the street that you are interested in, has a yellow line generated by the computer on it, this means that it is ready for "street view". In the upper left corner, you'll see a little orange "man" or icon. Roll over him, left click with your mouse, and drag him onto the yellow line to get a view from the street. You can rotate that view 360*, right or left, up and down. You can also zoom in and out. Google Maps is a lot of fun. Play around with the different settings and options to find those that are most interesting to you. You can also get traffic reports, look up bike paths, and even see live webcam photos or video when available. Enjoy!

Does the Great Salt Lake Freeze?

According to Wikipedia, salinity of water is measured by parts per thousand and not by percentage. However, they also have charts that convert PPT to a percentage. The ocean is made up of many salts and minerals, and it is said to be water and 3% to 5% of these "solids". They write, "The salinity of the lake's main basin, Gilbert Bay, is highly variable and depends on the lake's level; it ranges from 5 to 27% (50-270 parts per thousand).[4] For comparison, the average salinity of the world ocean is 3.5% (35 parts per thousand)[25] and 33.7% in the Dead Sea. Great Salt Lake's waters are slightly enriched in potassium and depleted in calcium.[4]"

In any case, I always assumed it was pretty salty and I didn't think it would freeze. I took a group from the eastern US out to the island on Friday after a day of skiing, and I was surprised to see a pile of ice about 100 - 200 yds long on the north side of the causeway. It was kind of late, long past sunset, but I took a photo with my camera phone anyway.

We talked to Ron Taylor, the park ranger, and he said that this is not uncommon from year to year. We were NOT experiencing ice floes from rivers. The water from inlets flows into the lake, and instead of mixing with the denser salt water, it floats on top of it. We have had some bitter cold temps in January, and apparently that water solidified - a little over an inch thick. Then, the strong winds that we had, blew the ice onto the causeway, and in some cases, large sheets of the ice crawled up and over the chunks below it forming another single layer.

Ron also said that his asst ranger had taken the state boat to the south marina that day, and that in some cases he was acting as an ice-cutter as he powered through ice on the south end of the lake. I was fascinated.

Playing tour guide, I wanted to show the guests the brine shrimp that are so plentiful in summer. I wasn't too optimistic, but I tried to "fish" for some at the marina docks, but the water there also had about 1/4" of ice on the surface. I scooped a stryofoam cup into the water, and though I didn't find any live shrimp, there were a couple of dead ones well-preserved and floating in the water.

The bison cooperated for photo-ops, and were out in force, and we got to see some pronghorn as well. There's always something to see on the island, but now if anyone ever asks you if the lake freezes, you can say that it does. And here's the pictures to prove it.

Antelope Island becomes a movie star again in 2010

Movie making is serious business (even comedies) - and everyone knows that Utah has long been a place for some serious, and not so serious flicks and television shows.

The Davis Film Commissioner is our own John Wilson, who has passed a rigorous test to earn that title. His responsbilities include helping film producers and location scouts with site selection, promoting Davis County as a "stage" for filming, and also housing cast and crew for the filming duration once they decide to film here.

One of the most recent films is called "For Robbing the Dead". It is the story of a fellow named Jean Baptiste who was employed as a gravedigger, but arrested in 1862 for robbing up to 300 graves - or rather - burying people in their birthday suits, after removing clothing that he felt was of value. Although the clothing was found stored in an orderly fashion, it seems that he could have starred in a modern-day episode of "Hoarders". He had no excuses; he wasn't profiting from the "haul" - he simply "did it". Little is known of the actual facts, but summaries of his case are found here or here and elsewhere (just do a Google search).

In any case, it was felt that he would be lynched if he was released, or killed if he went to prison, because the crime was so heinous for its time. For instance, BY had to reassure the religious that their loved ones would not be nekkid and hunting for fig leaves upon their resurrection. For his own safety, he was exiled instead to a deserted island in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. Some feel it was Antelope Island, others feel that he was banished to Fremont Island.

It wasn't until 2010 that someone decided to make a film about the experience. John helped with the scouting on Antelope Island, and found lodging for the crew here on the mainland. (If you remember the first "Superman" movie, Margot Kidder (Lois Lane) is one of the stars).

The film will be called "For Robbing the Dead" - and a number of trailers can be found on YouTube and Facebook. Use "FRTD" when searching.

Stay tuned for more flicks, TV shows and commercials as John brings more "show business" to Davis County. If we need extras, we'll put out a casting call.

Lake Levels of the Great Salt Lake - Oct/2010

The following information is courtesy of the Antelope Island Volunteers: The current (October 2010)elevation of the lake's surface is 4193.8' above sea level. It has dropped a foot in the last year. This is the lowest that it's been in the last 10 years. Yet, it is still 2' higher than it's all time lowest elevation(4,191') recorded in 1963.
The lake has receded so much that the island itself, along with Fremont Island, Egg Island (just below the Visitor Center), and White Rock are all accessible on dry land.
This is the first time in memory that there are no boats in the marina. And there are only 2 slips in the marina that have more than 2' of water.
Since recording began in 1850, the lake's highest level was reached in 1866 and 1984 when the lake hit 4,212' above sea level. That means it rose 21' in the 21 years between it's low point (1963) and high point (1984). And it's dropped 19 feet in the last 26 years.
Because the lake is so shallow, when the water level changes, so does the surface area. In fact, it increased by 46% between 1963 and 1984 when it went from 1,686 square miles to 2,456 square miles.
The lake is dynamic, and it's volume fluctuates from year to year, and season to season. It's entirely possible that it may change again next year. Stay tuned to see what happens!