 They found in one another what author David Lavender calls a mutual sedation for the lonely, restless questing that was eating out their insides.Harry had recently fallen in love with the lower Colorado River through Grand Canyon, and invited White on a different sort of adventure, to demonstrate that in the event of a boating accident, it would be easier to float downstream than hike out.So in late June 1945, they made their way up river from Diamond Creek at mile 226, and plunged in the current, running at , and "swam" down to Lake Mead.