Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Sacramento River - Long Island



We had a great adventure paddling the Sacramento River! We were on the water by 7:15 a.m. after launching from Rio Vista we crossed the shipping channel and  headed east up the Sacramento River. We caught the end of the incoming tide but the wind was picking up against us.



After entering the Sacramento River we glided at about 3 knots without even dipping our paddles. This part of the river is really beautiful, with the levees lined with all different types of trees. We paddled past Vieira's Resort and noticed some waterfront homes that we never knew existed. After passing Vieira's we crossed the river and entered a channel that runs behind Long Island. It's a beautiful and peaceful spot.

We almost made it around the entire island but water hyacinth hindered our progress. We turned around and made our way past the homes on Long Island via the Sacramento River. The wind picked up so we decided to start making our way back to the put in. We found a nice beach where we stretched our legs and fueled up on snacks to prepare for our adventurous return.




We had the outgoing tide in our favor but the headwind made for slow progress. Once we reached the main shipping channel the ebb tide and opposing wind made the upcoming crossing daunting. We waited a few minutes while three powerboats pounded their way through the swells. We decided to go for it and I wish I had my GoPro with me because it would have captured some great footage. We encountered 3 foot rollers with a few 4 footers thrown in from different directions. We all made it across without swimming but you wouldn't know that by how soaking wet we all were. 



Another great adventure on the California Delta!

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