SaddleBrooke Nature Club members rode the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake.
JoAnn Waddell
On March 16, thirty-five members of the SaddleBrooke Nature Club boarded the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake. Canyon Lake is one of four reservoirs created by dams on the Salt River. It is located on The Apache Trail behind the Superstition Mountains.
The weather was perfect for the hour and a half nature cruise. And a nature cruise it was! The boat had just reached the other side of the lake when, as if on cue, a family of bighorn sheep was spotted browsing on the mountainside. The family consisted of several sheep including young ones. Shortly after that a magnificent Bald Eagle was seen on a pinnacle standing on its enormous nest. It is no wonder why that regal bird is our national symbol!
As the boat quietly glided across the water, the captain described the geological formations the passengers could observe along the way. Several water birds were seen including American Coots and Canvasback, Common Merganser and Mallard ducks.
One of the highlights was hearing Johan Sebastian Bach play his Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. To explain this phenomenon, the captain turned our attention to a rock formation that profiled Bach with hands extended as though playing an organ. Then the sound system on the boat played the music. It was a captivating moment to say the least.
All good things must come to an end. The picture you see with this article is of SaddleBrooke Nature Club members who participated in the Dolly Cruise. After the cruise they posed in front of the steamboat.
SaddleBrooke Nature Club meets the second Monday of the month at 4:00 p.m. in the Coyote Room downstairs at HOA 1. For further information about the club check our website www.SaddleBrookeNatureClub.com.