Lake Powell, one of the biggest lakes in North America, is surrounded by tall canyon walls filled with screams of delight and happy memories. The lake is huge and indescribable, so I will go deeper into describing one finger (a finger is a break or channel off the main river, almost like a long cove), Last Chance.

Last Chance is an area of joy and delight for many lake enthusiasts. This area is 25 miles up the lake, surrounded by canyon walls towering 300 feet high. Boulders surround the bottom of the cliff face, making me feel at peace as I stare in awe at the amazing surroundings. One hundred or more houseboats litter the shoreline, each trying to find the best spot to camp for the next week, and speedboats pull riders in every direction they please. It is complete chaos, but through this chaos is where you find the order of it all — the perfect waves rolling against the rocky shore. Happiness and bliss fill the air. The shining sun rises above the horizon, bringing an overwhelming heat and light to the surrounding areas of the lake, making the water pleasant to relax in. When the light hits the water, it glistens. The sparkling turquoise water is cool and refreshing to the people on the boats. As refreshing as the water seems to some, it is vital to survival. To the big, ugly catfish with long whiskers living below, it is home to them; they make an appearance every so often by jumping out of the water and creating a big splash as they flop back into the lake.

The sandstone in the cove is as red as the rocks in Sedona, with the blues of the water complimenting the rock faces. The rocks in the back of the finger have unexplainable white dots that pop against a topaz orange landscape. Kids climb up the rocks and jump off into the water, just to repeat the process all day long. The water drips off their suits to give the rocks a dark maroon color. The water has fallen 30 feet in the past year, exposing new rocks, revealing a fresh look to theentire area, and creating new adventures for everyone to explore. Some rocks sit shallowly below the reflective water, and frequentlly collide with the bottoms of passing boats. This brings forth a feeling of uncertainty while traveling around the lake, keeping drivers’ heads up in fear of hitting them and damaging their boats. The rocks give a sense of peacefulness, while also putting everyone on edge. Overlooking the shores, the giant cliffs remind everyone how small they are.

The small people of the boats give life to an otherwise ordinary cove on Lake Powell. They bring chaos and color to the cove. While the cove has life in the water, the life outside the water is rather bland, with its light green bushes and shrubs. The people bring the cove to life, all with one goal — to enjoy the other people and the cove as much as they can in a week. They laugh, splash, explore, yell, and relax. New people come to the cove every week to enjoy it, then leave it until they can come again. This almost rapid rotation of people coming and going gives the cove its sense of purpose. The cove brings happiness to the humans of the boats. The humans of the boats are like the cove’s heartbeat, beating in as they come into the cove and beating out as they leave, completing the heartbeat. The people of the cove show it love and compassion as a heart does in a human. The humans give the cove life; in return, the cove gives the humans adventure.

Miniature canyons were formed from water carving into the amazing rock. They travel back hundreds of yards, creating an eerie feeling of not knowing how far they end. Early in the morning, the water is as still as a mirror showing a perfect reflection; the water seems incredibly innocent. In the afternoon, however, the wind picks up, and the water turns to white caps, no longer bringing the feeling of innocence, but instead one of uncertainty. The wind whistles through the canyons, blowing sand everywhere; and as the storm comes up the lake, rowdy waves throw around small speedboats and houseboats, leaving behind a loud clanking of fiberglass against steel. At first, just a trickle forms, which transforms into full rivers of rain flowing down the rocks. Lake goers hear the aggressive tip-tap, tip-tap on the top of the roof as they hide inside from the crazy storm out by the bay. Lightning fills the sky over the bay with a boom and crash. Last Chance turns from a place of serenity to a storm of fury, pounding every point of the finger.

As night sets on the lake, the cove changes yet again as the clouds retreat and turn everyone’s attention to the night sky. Millions of stars emerge as the sun goes down — the Big Dipper, Orion’s Belt, even part of the Milky Way becomes visible in the blank canvas of a pollution-free sky. Occasionally, loud bangs go off and paint the sky with ribbons of color. The people in the houseboats often host firework shows. They are usually followed by yells and screams of delight and appreciation for the fun sights. The night is filled with laughter from the various houseboats teeming with people enjoying the beautiful weather. Sometimes, heated conversations break out, and you can hear them a few houseboats away.

Around 11:00 p.m., the people of the boats retreat to their beds from the long, eventful day to prepare for the next. The peace of the lake is restored. The lake is large and beautiful, with harmony at its source; a perfect balance of chaos and tranquility, shouts and silence, rocks and water. Last Chance is a place of transformation in one’s life.