Had an awesome paddle today with my son Sam. He has been wanting to paddle my Capella and this was his chance. The weather was beautiful with temps between 78 when we launched to 84 by the time we returned. We timed the paddle just right letting the outgoing tide help us down the river and returning with flood tide just beginning.
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| Mokelumne Bridge |
We launched a little after 11:00 am from B&W Resort on the Delta Loop. It's a great place to put in. They charge $10 for vehicle with trailer but they charged me $5 today as I only had my truck. They have a nice double launch ramp with docks on both sides and there are restrooms available. Just after launching we headed south under the Mokelumne bridge and paddled with the tide gently pushing us. It's about 3 miles to Pirates Lair and it took us about 45 minutes to get there.
We stopped at Pirates Lair and had a nice lunch in their small cafe. We parked our boats on their dock while we ate lunch. The food and service was good and I enjoyed viewing the pictures they had hanging on the walls showing the history of this place. You'll have to stop here and read the story of how Pirates Lair got its name....great story!
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| Pirates Lair |
We got back in our boats just before 1:00 and headed southwest for about a quarter of mile to check out a beach. The beach looks like a great spot to stop if you pack your lunch. There were also a couple of beaches just to the northeast of Pirates Lair as possible places to stop and stretch your legs. As we headed back we were greeted by a seal heading the opposite direction. On the west side of the river there are lots of marsh areas with abundant bird life.
The paddle back wasn't as easy due to the headwind that appeared. It wasn't too bad but did make for more work. There was a nice shady tree hanging over the water just north of Lighthouse Marina where we stopped for a brief hydration break. We continued on our way and arrived back at B & W at 2:15.
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| B & W launch ramp |
Overall it was a wonderful 6 mile paddle! Make sure to time it with the tides for a more enjoyable experience.
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| Mt. Diablo with Pirates Lair on the right |
The paddle back wasn't as easy due to the headwind that appeared. It wasn't too bad but did make for more work. There was a nice shady tree hanging over the water just north of Lighthouse Marina where we stopped for a brief hydration break. We continued on our way and arrived back at B & W at 2:15.
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