Browns Island

We launched under gray skies from the Pittsburg marina today at approximately 1:00 p.m. Low tide was predicted at 12:36 so the majority of our paddle was during slack tide with little to no current.  Today's Wednesday Wandering took us through and around Brown's Island.

It was a great day for a paddle with the temperature around 70 degrees and water like glass. After launching we made sure no ships were approaching and made our way across New York Slough and headed east along the shoreline of Browns Island. Within 15 minutes of paddling, we reached a narrow opening to a channel that leads directly north through Browns Island. Not long after entering the channel, I spotted a black and white fuzzy face staring back at me. It turned out to be a raccoon, the first of two we spotted today. As we got closer he scurried away into the thick tule. We continued on and soon spotted something swimming ahead of us. We couldn't determine whether it was a beaver or otter before it disappeared under the murky water.

As we exited the channel on the northern part of the island we entered Suisun Bay. It felt as though we were paddling through clouds as the glassy water reflected the sky. Not long after entering the bay, we came upon a harbor seal. We stopped paddling for a few minutes and enjoyed watching the seal check us out. He would stretch nearly half of his body out of the water to get a better look at us. He soon became bored and headed west as we paddled east toward Winter Island.





We reached the northern tip of Winter Island and found a beach which at first glance looked very muddy but it turned out to be quite firm dark sand. We landed on the beach, stretched our legs and had a quick snack before heading home.

Since it was such a beautiful day, we opted to take the longer route home through Middle Slough. We paddled south until we reached New York Slough and turned west toward the marina. As we glided past USS Posco Steel and Koch Carbon it made me think of the stark contrast between the industrialized riverbank and the wilderness setting of Browns Island and the area north of the island.

Wednesday Wanderings take us to different locations throughout the Delta region. If you would like to join us for a wandering or any other tour we offer make sure and check our calendar to see upcoming trips. You can also schedule a custom tour with a group of three or more and a destination of your choice. The Delta is a beautiful place to explore via kayak and the scenery changes with nearly every paddle stroke!

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