Antelope Island State Park, Utah

Another primitive campsite, another vault toilet but this time we were surrounded by the mirrored beauty of the Great Salt Lake of Utah. The remains of the great inland sea stretched before us at our beachfront site, in the background the majestic snow covered peaks of the Wasatch Mountains rose all around encasing us in a surreal peaceful beauty that not even the numerous lake flies could distract us from. The kids headed down to the water while we pitched the tent. “Mom, we can’t possibly get into the water. It is covered in POOP!” Joe announced nearly an hour later. All Nate would say was, “AHHHH, STINKY! STINKY!” Hmmmm. So off we went on a hike up to Buffalo Point, climbing a smallish looking hill, that in reality was quite steep, rocky but beautiful. The top outcroppings covered in wild flowers and wild celery with moon like rocks jutting up and out. A café at the bottom of the trail sold icy drinks and buffalo burgers. Delicious! Next we hopped in the car and headed to the visitor center where we discovered that the water was NOT covered in poop, but algae and brine shrimp. It was however pretty odorous and definitely salty. “Can we swim here?” we asked the gal behind the counter. She looked quizzical as an older woman laughed. “You can’t really swim… but you can float, just don’t put your face in the water.” Okay, then. Off we went to put on our swimsuits and join the thirty or so other folks that were playing at the water’s edge. The salty content was shocking. We walked out about 100 yards and were still not quite waist deep, but we decided to give it a try. We each sat down and quickly lifted our feet up and WOW, with absolutely no effort we were floating along the surface of the water with our heads up. Now, I love the twins, but my body has never really recovered fully from the sheer size and volume of their collective pregnancy. My abdominal wall separated, and my last visit to the OB/GYN confirmed that only surgery could repair the inch wide damage. Since their birth, floating on my back is possible just not enjoyable. Ahhhh, but here no problem. We each drifted apart, effortlessly floating on a peaceful sea with the reflected beauty of the mountains and the snow surrounding us. It was spiritual somehow. I won’t try to explain it all here, but this is the place for me that calmed my soul… floating unrealistically in a sea of long ago, not needing to tread water or exert any energy beyond just being still and enjoying the beauty all around.
Okay, but was it stinky? Yes. Even as I floated in my calm, peaceful bubble of tranquilty I only had to gaze down to see countless little brine shrimp (think Sea Monkeys) and big chunks of slimy green algae floating serenely next to and over me. Hmmmm.