Lake Badwater

There is not supposed to be a lake in Death Valley. But there was a large one there, and people were amazed to see it. People came out to kayak, to surf (sort of), to windsurf and to wade and swim. We wanted to get a radio controlled submarine and put a shark fin on it.

(The lake is supposedly actually known by its ancient name of Lake Manly.)

The last day we went out to take photos while wading in it. It really was a mile wide and a few inches deep. However, as I was heading out, I suddenly fell into quicksand, up to my hips. But no further, so with poles I got out. It was the first complaint of quicksand in Death Valley they had heard about at the Ranger station.

(1280 x 960 - 89K) Couple watches sunset at Badwater
(1280 x 845 - 127K) Sunset at Badwater		(1280 x 853 - 125K) Surfer dude brings in his board after paddling around Lake Badwater. The stores sell a popular "Surf Death Valley" T-shirt featuring a skeleton on sand. This guy made it real.
(1280 x 853 - 83K) Surfer dude contemplates the sunset, his board back on his truck.		(1280 x 853 - 69K) Kayakers explore Lake Badwater
(1280 x 853 - 101K) Panamint mountains reflected in Lake Badwater, with flowers		(1280 x 853 - 40K) The full panamints with Lake Badwater reflections
(683 x 1024 - 51K) Telescope peak in Lake Badwater		(683 x 1024 - 38K) K. with Telescope Peak
(1280 x 853 - 120K) The tourists walk out from the Badwater visitor station to wade in the lake.		(1280 x 853 - 72K) K. photographs lake Badwater
(1280 x 853 - 93K) Visitor station and mountains behind it reflected in lake.		(1280 x 853 - 46K) Another wide angle. To her right is where I fell in the quicksand.
(768 x 1024 - 106K) I stand in shallow Lake Badwater to take photographs -- and say I did it.		quicksand.jpg (1200 x 871 - 121K) Walking back from wading in the 6" deep lake, I suddenly plunged in quicksand up to my hips! Nearby tourist Diane Sims took this photo. We had trekking poles for mounting the cameras and I used them to push myself out.