Lake Powell

The idea of a multi-family vacation is always a bit terrifying. It’s challenging enough managing a single family vacation, what with mood swings, conflicting itineraries, museum ‘speed-walkers’ vs. ‘museum ‘read everythings’, and ‘early risers’ vs. ‘late nighters’….to mention just a few. However, throwing good sense to the wind in favor of family togetherness, we planned a Jensen family vacation to Lake Powell in 1993 (I believe).

We reserved a large houseboat (sleeps 12+) plus a small speedboat for water skiing that we towed behind. The Florida Jensens could not attend, but that left Mike, Eileen, Captain Ron, Don, Donna, Colin, Emily, Rick, Lou, Kelly, Kris and Brandon. It was loaded with food, beer, water toys, and a 6-person tent that we set up on the top deck. A secret weapon smuggled on board was a water balloon ‘sling shot’ that could launch a water balloon 400 feet! Lou got a hand water pump from REI and we assembled about 500 ecologically-correct, biodegradable, water balloons. An hour into our journey, the launcher was brought out and water balloons filled….much to Mike’s horror. He was still new to the Jensen clan!

Our first targets were other houseboats. As our accuracy improved our reputation on the high seas deteriorated. One time, we came along side another house boat and launched our balloons only to have them fire back at us with a water cannon!  Great fun!!   Once, we saw a houseboat coming up behind us, so we slowed to let it get in range. “Oh boy! An easy target!” We let fly a couple water balloons that fell just short of the boat when Ron noticed that it was actually a Police Launch! We received a mild warning and they sailed off. Mike was not happy! We put the launcher away….but only temporarily.

On our third day, we found a great cove to anchor for the night and had just tied up when two other houseboats came in and anchored right across the bay from us. It was a wedding party, and they were noisy and loud late into the night. They ignored our requests to hold it down since we had youngsters trying to sleep. They finally passed out asleep on the upper decks of their boats around 2 am. They were clearly ignorant of our reputation as pirates, and had no idea of our secret weapon!

In the early morning hours, we made water balloons, started our engines and circled our boat around so that we came across their bow and launched balloon after balloon in high arching patterns that rained down upon the sleeping enemy. They were screaming and swearing and yelling for us to stop, but we kept on firing. “Paybacks are hell!” (Jensen Family motto....or is it "Bump Nana!"). Mike was hiding below deck.....