"And you really live by the river? What a jolly life!"
Come ride the bubble to the Delta, put the wind to your back...
Enjoy the warmth of Delta mode... sail back in your own time...
Spend the weekend, spend the week, stay the Summer!
| Departure: | Friday, July 2nd | . . . | Sail to: | Steamboat Slough | . . . | Return: | As you wish |
The 2004 River Rat Cruise will be starting on Friday morning July 2nd, to Steamboat Slough with an overnight stop at the Driftwood Yacht Club, just below the Antioch end of the Antioch Bridge. For any who can't make it on Friday, there will be a second start, using the direct non stop route, and each group will end up at the upper end of Steamboat Slough Saturday afternoon, possibly joining up around Rio Vista. 4.7 knot floods at the Golden Gate both days and the long holiday weekend should provide as much as could be expected. Starter both days should try and transit the Southampton shoal area around 10 a.m.
The Driftwood Yacht Club is a full service Club with slips, Bar Dining, River view deck, and a lot of other neat stuff, and they’re great people too. This stop will provide an opportunity for crew exchanges, drive up land cruisers, hanging out on board, on the river view deck, at the bar, at dinner, breakfast and all the camaraderie experienced in the past. This is the weekend following the Corinthian Annual Meeting and Boat Show. The Driftwood requests a head count for boats and dinner reservations at the beginning of the week, so the Boat Show will be the last chance to sign up for dinner. I'll try and contact those already not onboard for a final count that Sunday. Please mark your calendars now.
To sign up, contact: Bob Griffiths at (925) 254 9467, (925) 360 0826, bgriffiths@ifn.net
Flood Currents: Golden Gate - Friday 1135- 4.7, Saturday 1223 - 4.7 Carquinez - Friday 1420 - 2.0, Saturday - 1508 - 2.1
Communications: VHF Channels 68 for check ins and hourly, 14 Bay Traffic, 15 River Pilots Traffic, 9 Bridge Openings
Charts: 18652, 18661, and 18662
What to Bring: Awning, sun hats, sunscreen, cold drinks, ice, enough engine fuel, bug repellent, two anchors with rodes and extra line, and water sports gear.
Optional: Dinghy, swim ladder, crawdad traps, cheap dog food for trap bait, BBQ, GPS, binoculars, cell phone.
Getting There:
Note: To DYC take New York Slough at the Pittsburgh PGE Plant (stack) to starboard
The following is from experience and observation and not intended for substitute for good judgment and navigation skills, but just for the orientation of those not familiar with the route(s).
To Pittsburgh: Entering San Pablo Bay, Red No. 2 marks an obstruction. Skirt the East (Red) side of the ship channel to take advantage of the stronger currents in deeper water. This may not apply on the return, however. Sailing in this channel is a no-no. After Davis Point, stay well within the markers, alert for commercial traffic ahead and astern, allowing time for a safe passing. They are traveling fast, maneuvering to keep deep water, constantly changing course, are not always predictable, and have the right of way (Rule 9). Above the Martinez bridges there are vast areas of real estate, only exposed at low water, beware of birds walking on the water. It's vital that the next marks in sequence be confirmed as being correct, going from 1 and 2 to 3 and 4, and not 1 and 2 to 5 and 6 etc., flying the chute on a shortcut across the middleground can be a memorable family experience.
To Steamboat Slough Direct: Take the Sacramento River, at the Pittsburgh PGE Power plant stay to Port and head up the Sacramento to the Rio Vista Bridge.
To DYC: Take New York Slough to Starboard, passing the Pittsburgh waterfront area and on past the North side of West Island, and under the Antioch Bridge and here make an immediate 90 degree turn to the Starboard and the narrow Driftwood entrance will be dead ahead. Berthing is arranged inside.. Arrival is around 4 or 5 PM There should be ample depth at the entrance at this time.
To Steamboat Slough From DYC: Departure from the Driftwood will be about 9 to 10 Saturday morning, after breakfast (ashore available) and everyone is organized. Typically there will be a good following breeze and some opposing current on the run up river to Three Mile Slough, which is the crossover back to the Sacramento. Entering Three Mile there is a spit to Starboard extending into shallowness off the point, so favoring the Port bank is recommended. Three miles later and after a bridge opening the Sacramento is entered and upriver to the Rio Vista Bridge, which also requires an opening.
Up River from Rio Vista: After Rio Vista there are two major waterways to Starboard, the first is the Sacramento River. Some deep draft cruisers may choose this “no worries" route, cutting back through the Steamboat Slough Bridge into upper Steamboat. The second is Steamboat Slough, which has some shallow areas. Use your charts here. A 5 ft. spot at the entrance, later to Starboard at "windmill", just below "cable area", and below and above "Howard’s Landing Cable Ferry". Staying somewhat near the banks where the dredges scoop, and swooping with the outside of the bends, can be expected to carry the most depth. When following, allow enough distance in the event the vessel ahead bottoms out and stops suddenly, and encourage those following too close to pass.
Mooring at Steamboat: The area used is the East bank about a half mile or so below the Bridge (to Sacramento River). Some years there is more current than others, and some years there is a slight reverse current, which varies in time with the tide. Pick out a spot, anchor fore and aft, and then run a couple of long lines from bow and stern to handy trees with long bowline loops, for easy letting go, and you're set.
Activities: Swimming, water sports, crawdad fishing and crawdad boils, BBQs, trips to Courtland for tacos and ice, and to Locke and “Al the Wop’s” for steaks, fries, and peanut butter, shopping at Walnut Grove's big store. In the Delta, the possibilities are unlimited. On the way back there are other spots to visit, the Meadows, Potato Slough, Georgiana Slough, and all the hot spots around Bruno’s and Owl Harbor.