Happy New Year!

2017 was filled with amazing adventures and new locations to explore. It was also a year of transition and I'm so excited to see what the new year brings. We now have a permanent location at the Antioch Marina with access to incredible places to explore and easy launching from special kayak docks that make paddling more accessible to people of all ages and abilities. We have kayaks and paddleboards of various styles available to rent. We continue to lead tours throughout the Delta region and invite you to delve into what this amazing place has to offer!

My new year resolution is to post on this blog more often, share more of our adventures and encourage you to join us or venture out on your own. Send me questions about the Delta or any aspect of paddling and I'll try my best to answer them or lead you to resources that can help you get more out of your paddling.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram as I'll be posting tours as events so you can plan ahead. I hope your new year is filled with joy and more Delta Kayak Adventures!

San Joaquin River Trip #5 Circumnavigate Winter Island

Winter Island is approximately 1.5 miles west of the Antioch Marina. This trip is another paddle that requires a bit more time to complete. You want to make sure to plan with tides in mind. Plan your launch near the low tide and allow 2-3 hours for this 7 plus mile trip. If timed correctly, you will have a leisurely paddle with help from current the entire time.

Fall and winter are the best times of year to paddle here because generally the winds are light and migratory birds are coming in. I recently did this trip and circled the island clockwise using the currents to my advantage. I suggest hugging the shore after launching until you reach the point located near a green channel marker. After reaching the point, paddle across New York Slough towards Winter Island. You'll be crossing an active shipping channel so be alert and never cross in front of a moving ship. You'll notice a well maintained hunting club on the south end of the island, continue along the shoreline until you reach Middle Slough. There are actually 2 sloughs to choose from. You can paddle the larger Middle Slough which is between Winter and Browns Islands or another smaller slough that runs along the west shore of winter. When you reach the north part of Winter Island use caution when close to shore and be looking for debris that may be hidden just beneath the surface. There are a couple of places to stretch if you must but again be aware of hazards like re bar sticking out of concrete.

Once you reach Broad Slough, head southeast and follow shoreline to southern tip of the island where you'll cross New York Slough again being aware of boat traffic. If you've timed it right you can float back to the Antioch Marina with very little effort.

If you would like a guided tour please contact us and we'll plan the trip according to the tides.

Happy Paddling!

Delta Kayak Adventures offers kayak and paddleboard tours and rentals and sales

Weekday Wetlands Paddle

Fall paddling will be here shortly and to keep you on the water we're offering a guided  weekday paddle to the Dow Wetlands for $25! We'll launch from the Antioch Marina each weekday at 830 am and return by 10 am. Click HERE for reservations and availability.

There are limitless places to explore on the Delta and our best seasons with opportunities to view wildlife are soon approaching.

Facebook Fan Exclusive: For people who like our page we're offering weekday rentals, kayaks or paddleboards, for $10 per hour for up to 2 hours each weekday beginning September 18th through October 31st. Must call  to reserve with credit card and mention you like our Facebook page to receive discount.












Here's a sample of what you may see!

Sunset paddles are another favorite!

San Joaquin River Trip #4 - Browns Island-Winter Island

Last Thursday was the beginning of an extreme heat wave and we took full advantage of the cooler morning to begin our adventure. Launching from the Antioch Marina at 9 am we caught what was left of the ebbing tide and made our way towards Winter Island. Our goal was to reach Van Sickle Island but by noon the temperature climbed to a point that it was no longer bearable, so we cut our trip short and headed back to land to submerse ourselves in AC.

San Joaquin River

For this trip you want to allow yourself a minimum of 4 hours to complete including a short stretch break. After launching from the marina we headed west on the San Joaquin River which turns into New York Slough when you reach Winter Island. The water was calm and glassy and we passed by a couple of sea lions sleeping on a buoy. After passing Winter Island, we reached Middle Slough which is another optional route you can choose. The current can be fairly strong in Middle Slough but you're generally protected from wind. We decided to continue to Browns Island and enter the slough that cuts through the Island to paddle north to reach the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers.

New York Slough

It had been nearly 2 hours since launching so we began to look for a place to land and refuel. Beaches can be scarce depending on tide height but we finally found a spot but not without some hazards. We spotted a gravelly beach surrounded by broken concrete and re-bar but with a big tree trunk that made the perfect bench to enjoy lunch on. We were less than a mile from our intended destination but the heat was on so we decided to relax and ride the flood tide home. The breeze never came and we glided over glassy water all the way home.

Kayak & Paddleboard rentals, classes and tours

Labor Day Weekend Tours, Rentals and Gently Used Kayak and Paddleboard Sale

There have been some great paddling days on the water and some challenging but fun ones too! We've been treated to some amazing experiences viewing river otters and beaver within the Dow Wetlands, watching the eclipse while floating the San Joaquin River and playing what seemed like  "frogger" during the 2017 Big Cat Poker Run. The wind has been almost relentless the past couple of weeks but has created some great conditions for doing a little river surfing.

I'm really looking forward to fall paddling and exploring some new locations. We have some great trips coming up including Birding by Kayak; more Intro to Kayaking classes, Essentials of Kayak Touring for those looking to learn self and assisted sea kayak rescues; Delta Discoveries - a series of progressive paddles leading to a new destination each week. Contact Delta Kayak Adventures if you'd like more information about these or any of our other tours. You can also check our calendar for upcoming trips or schedule a custom tour to a location of your choice with a minimum of 2 paddlers.

We have a number of gently used kayaks and paddleboards for sale. Come down to the Antioch Marina Labor Day weekend to take a look or check out our event where you can view photos and prices on Facebook.

Happy Paddling!