Devils Day 9

Saturday, July 16^th, 2005

Had a steady stream of visitors from 8:45 to 6 pm. There were 10 tours and 33 visitors despite 10 kt wind and afternoon rough water. The main excitement of the day was 6 young campers leaped off the ledge by the east siphon house. I had already told them and their councilor that jumping from rocks was prohibited. They waited until they thought I wasn’t looking and leaped. I was in the tower and radioed “any ranger” from tower to report. I was rushing down the stairs to check their status when Island Princess cruise boat reported moments later that they had safely climbed aboard a zodiac below and were “high-tailing it” (in the words of one visitor) to their boat. I felt like going out and demanding they relinquish their Jr. Ranger badges I’d given them an hour before.

Note: The "siphon house" is a concrete bunker at the top of the rock ledge directly in front (100 yds) from the keeper's quarters. It reportedly housed a pump for delivering water to the dwellings. It is a popular spot for leaping into the lake which is frowned upon by the Park Service. It's about a 30 foot drop with no place to climb back up.