Keyhole comes alive!

  She suggested it, so away we went.  Thanks to my soon to be wife, Keyhole canyon would be this day's destination.  Away she and I went off on another desert adventure!  This little canyon isn't too far from Nelson's Landing and after probably about 2 hours of looking, we found it.  We'd taken several wrong turns out in the desert but eventually ended up in the parking area right at the canyon's mouth.  We got out and immediately upon entering the small canyon, we saw the petroglyphs and pictographs all over the rock walls and boulders.  Although we had plenty of water, it was the hottest part of the day so we kept our exploration short.  After taking several pictures we found ourselves back in the truck and bouncing slowly but happily back to "civilization". 

  My brother was intrigued with the story of our little excursion.  We had to go back!  In the late afternoon of the very next day, the three of us arrived.  While it was still hot, the wind and cloud cover made our explorations much easier and a lot more fun!  This time, Keyhole seemed to come alive in the now setting sun!  The bees were all over the place not in swarm like numbers but they definitely let us know they were there!  Still, we explored on.  We found a cave with a large pitted stone "table" inside.  Crawling to it's back end, my brother and I observed the red pictographs deep within.  "BOOM!"  The thunder cracked across the sky and actually vibrated the walls of the small cave!  What incredible acoustics!  There was a storm coming and it was time to leave.  As we crawled back out of the cave, the now darkening sky greeted us.  As my girl and I walked toward the truck, my brother yelled "Come Here"!  "Gila Monster"!  We ran to him but just before she and I arrived, the beast made it's escape.  After a short and in vane search, the bees found us once again. 

  Both my brother and girl got stung!  He on the lower back, she on the knee.  My girl had had enough and decided to head back to the truck while my brother and I explored for just a little longer.  As she headed back, she yelled "Snake!" My brother said, "She said snake!" Off we ran through bushes and gravel, we wanted to see the snake!  We arrived just in time to watch it speedily slither into the boulders and brush!  My girl had stopped to look at her sting.  She bent over to do so and there it was just about two feet away from her shoes!  How cool is that!?  The slithering reptile appeared to be a Gopher snake and my brother and I gave chase as it sped off into the thick undergrowth.  After a brief search, it began to sprinkle and the wind picked up.  It was now definitely time to go.  We had to be very careful and quick while getting back into the truck because of the very angry bees!  Twice the three of us had to get back out because they'd gotten inside! 

  After getting rid of the fierce little bombardiers for the last time, we jumped in post haste!  Slamming the doors as the little guys pinged themselves off the windows in their violent quest for a way in!  We made our way back to the highway as the sunset finally gave way to darkness.  With wind howling we found ourselves in the middle of an intense downpour, a desert car wash!  This really was an incredible little foray into the Nevada outback!    

Diving with dad and an unusual buoy

  Kingman wash on a hot early summer afternoon.   That's where I would meet my dad and brother for this latest adventure.  As I headed out to meet them, the phone rang.  My dad had forgotten his regulator!  Fortunately I was still close enough to my parents house that the turn around/pick up wouldn't take too long so back I went.  Just about 20 minutes later I had the regulator and was back on the road.  No big deal and besides, everybody at one time or another forgets something when it comes to diving.  Finally I was with them on the beach. 

  This would be my father's first time back under in three years and just like my brother, I looked very much forward to getting in with him.  Now began the hard part, the gear up!  For someone who hasn't been diving for a while, this can be quite a challenge and for my dad......it was! My brother and I "walked" him through the process of setting up his reg, tank and BCD, and it was next time for the wetsuit "wrestle".  With some strain and effort and a lot of help from my brother, he was finally suited up and ready to enter the water and of course I took pictures!

  As they walked in, I stayed back to finish my own gear up.  I was knee deep in the water when they yelled that my dad had forgotten his mask.  Back I went.  With mask in hand, I trudged back in once again now thigh deep.  They yelled again!  This time they'd realized that they did not have his weight belt!  I laughed and once more headed back to my brother's truck.  This time with weight belt firmly in hand, I headed back out towards them.  I was waist deep when I was informed that my dad didn't have his hood!  I headed back to the truck for the third time.  Having grabbed the hood, I stopped at the water's edge.  Before heading further in, this time I asked if they were missing anything now?  They weren't and after a few laughs we were together and ready to submerge.  Sometimes diving is quite a workout! 


  After a buoyancy check at the surface and a few weight adjustments with my dad, he and I dropped while my brother finished his gear assembly.  I wanted to make sure that my dad was comfortable in his gear and that it worked properly in very shallow water before the three of us continued.  After doing so, my brother met us again and we kicked out about a couple hundred feet to our drop point.  Visibility was very low so my brother brought up the rear while I led with my dad staying between us.  We eventually came to an instructor platform and hung around there for several minutes.  My brother decided to stand on his head on the platform and in doing so, his j-valve became stuck in the chain link that makes up the platform.  He was stuck!  I watched briefly as he worked to free himself.  I knew that he was in no danger and that if he was alone, he could safely get out of the situation which he now found himself in.  Because I was there, I helped pull the chain link off of his valve and shortly, away the three of us went following a navigation line to a very special site! 

  As we slowly ascended, the excitement mounted and I pointed upward!  We followed the chain, finally popping our heads above the water.  It was then that we showed him!  The giant phallus bobbed gently on the surface, a buoy painted to look like a penis!  That's right!  In Kingman wash there is a huge floating penis....and now you know!  By the way my father almost bumped his head on the bottom of said large floating penis buoy on our way back up!  All in all, this was a very good day and dive and pater familius did very well throughout!  I really hope it's not another three years before his next dive!