San Joaquin River Trip #3 - Antioch to Big Break Regional Shoreline

If you're looking for a half day or longer trip, this is a must do paddle. You'll definitely want to plan ahead taking tides and weather, wind in particular, into consideration. Launching from the Antioch Marina and landing at Big Break kayak launch/landing is approximately 6 miles one way. If you paddle at a steady pace without stopping, and with the flooding tide, it will take you about 2 hours one way. There are a couple of ways you can do this trip: one way with a shuttle or round trip with incoming and outgoing tides.

Antioch to Big Break

Big Break to Antioch

Either way, you'll want to launch from Antioch within an hour of high tide so you will have the current to help you along. Generally, especially during the summer, winds blow from the west and typically come up in the afternoon. Always check weather/wind report just before launching and if winds are predicted to be 10 mph or above reconsider launching. Only you know your skill and comfort level but beware that winds along this stretch of the San Joaquin can produce 3-4 foot waves and confused seas with 10 mph wind against an ebbing tide. That's where a one way paddle can be a great option.

For a one way trip, leave a vehicle at the takeout, Big Break. You'll need to pack wheels into or on your boat to transport your kayak from the landing to the parking lot because it's about a quarter mile walk on a paved trail. Big Break Visitor center has wheels you can borrow but depending on when you arrive, may not be open. This is a great option if winds are predicted to come up later in the day.

If you decide to do the round trip paddle make sure to pack a lunch or hearty snack to enjoy when you land at Big Break. There is a shaded picnic area with tables and restrooms are available near the landing. If you time your trip right you'll catch the outgoing tide back to Antioch.

There are a few other things you want to be aware of on this stretch of river. Beware of the shipping channel and stay out of it unless you're crossing and if you do cross make sure it's all clear and do it quickly. There are lots of aps for smartphones that show real time ship tracking. I personally like FindShip. There are a few fishing piers you'll pass by so make sure you're far enough away from them that you don't get caught in their lines or yelled at. There are many scenic stretches including Rogers Point, Fulton Shipyard, the Antioch Dunes, Antioch bridge, Little Break and Big Break. Be careful when paddling close to shore to watch for submerged wrecks or pilings.  There are some places to stop where beaches may be exposed at certain times but refrain from walking inland as it's mostly private property and the Antioch Dunes is off limits due to endangered plant and animal species.

This trip, as well as many others, are available as a custom tour with Delta Kayak Adventures with me as your guide. Pick a date and I'll do all the planning and provide boats and gear! Happy Paddling!

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Big Break

I thought I would start out with Big Break in Oakley. I enjoy kayaking at Big Break because it is relatively peaceful and there are few motor boats due to the depth. It appears to be a great place to fish for bass as I've seen others catch lots of fish but I haven't caught anything yet. There are a ton of birds to view such as Pelicans, Sand Hill Cranes, Herons and Egrets and lots of ducks. According to the East Bay Regional Parks District web site: "Big Break was once an upland farm, now submerged. It is a small bay or estuary at the edge of the San Joaquin River, and lies in the zone where salty seawater meets snowmelt and runoff from the Sierra Nevada mountains. The mixing of salty and fresh water produces an “edge effect” for increased habitat and species diversity. It makes Big Break a fine home or stopover spot for a wide variety of species, particularly birds and fish."

The park itself is very nice. There is free parking and restrooms available in the parking lot and near the launch site. The only downside to Big Break is the 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to the launch site. It's paved but you definitely need a cart. If you want to avoid the hike then you can put in at Big Break Marina but they charge $10 to launch your kayak.
                                                                            
Once on the water you can head northeast toward the San Joaquin river or head west toward Dutch Slough and Bethel Island. The NOAA chart for this area is 18661.

Big Break Marina

My friend and I had a nice leisurely paddle today at Big Break.  This time I launched from Big Break Marina so I didn't have to drag the boats a quarter mile to launch at Big Break Regional Shoreline.  It makes a big difference, especially when it's on the warmer side like today.  It costs $10 to launch but they charge per car not per boat so I thought it was well worth it.

We launched a little after 11:00 a.m. just before high tide and there was barely a breeze.  After leaving the marina we came upon this little island that reminded me of some tropical paradise.  We continued southeast at a very leisurely pace and just enjoyed the scenery.  We saw a couple of herons, a pelican and the usual mud ducks.  















We also stumbled across an abandoned sailboat that looked as though someone wanted to get rid of, tucked in the marsh.  After an hour or so we headed back towards Big Break Regional Shoreline and had lunch in the shade.  The wind started to pick up quite a bit so after lunch we paddled close to shore and headed back to the marina.  What a wonderful day!!

Today's trip

Big Break Update

My friend Mary and I headed out to Big Break this morning to test her new boat and to paddle some stress away. I checked the wind forecast at Windfinder.com before I left and the forecast was for winds under 10 mph. There was a small craft advisory issued for after 1:00 p.m. but I figured we'd be off the water in plenty of time.

We met at Big Break Regional Shoreline so we could put her boat in the back of my truck and share the cost of launching at Big Break Marina. UPDATE: Big Break Regional Shoreline is closed right now due to the ongoing construction of the visitor center. I spoke with East Bay Parks and I was told the visitor center will be opening this weekend so I assume we'll have access to the launch at that time. I'm waiting to hear whether they will allow boat drop offs when they reopen. Otherwise keep in mind it's a quarter mile haul to the launch.When I arrived I noticed the wind was blowing more than I expected but we loaded up and headed down the road to the marina.

We launched at low tide without incident and headed northeast. The wind was picking up but due to low tide the grass was more of an issue than the wind. Once we reached open water the wind really started howling and after checking the wind report, it must have been blowing 15-20 mph from the northwest. Whitecaps were forming where there was more depth and it was a challenge to stay on course. We were probably about 75 yards from Dutch Slough when we decided to turn around and head back towards the larger island to find some shelter from the wind.

We reached the island and decided to stretch our legs for a few minutes. Mary had a little mishap getting out of her boat and got a little wet but she was a trooper. We decided to head back to the marina and poke around and check out all the boats. We stumbled upon a boat with her name on it and snapped a quick photo and then headed back to the boat ramp.

After I landed on the ramp I turned around and saw that Mary had decided to go for a swim. She actually had slipped on the moss covered ramp while getting out of her boat. I advised her she would probably be more comfortable swimming in hydroskins than jeans and she agreed. It was a great paddle and I think we both were able to paddle some stress away!

Dutch Slough to Big Break

Today seven paddlers joined Delta Kayak Adventures for tour on Dutch Slough. We launched at 1:15 from Sunset Harbor and paddled Dutch Slough to Big Break. Low tide was predicted for 2:13 and the temperature was close to 80 degrees when we launched. There was a small craft advisory posted for 2:00 p.m. so I was prepared to turn everyone back if the wind picked up.

We paddled on flat water with the current and a gentle breeze the entire time to Big Break. We didn't see much wildlife today but the seal we encountered made up for it. We met the seal about 3/4 miles from Big Break heading in the opposite direction as us. We stopped and watched him for a couple of minutes while he passed by us.

We rafted up for a snack when we reached Big Break and enjoyed the still waters. The paddle back to the launch was a little more work as we didn't have a strong current pushing us homeward.  The temperature was climbing and that wind never did materialize.

Overall another great day on the water!

Fishing Big Break

My daughter and I decided at the last minute to try our luck fishing at Big Break this evening.  We launched from Big Break Marina around 5:30 and paddled until almost 8:30.  We tried a bunch of different spots where we thought the fish might be hiding but I had no nibbles and Amanda had one.  Amanda did rescue a little fish from certain death near the boat launch but that was the only fish we saw this evening.  After trying to catch something for a couple of hours, we stored our poles and decided to do some exploring.  We followed the shoreline to  the west of us and entered the San Joaquin River and were blessed to witness the sun going down behind the Antioch bridge.  We continued west for awhile but decided to head back before it got too dark.  Though we didn't catch anything, we were treated to a beautiful sunset and relaxing paddle.

San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail

Antioch Marina

The Antioch Marina has been designated as an official site on the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail. Ever hear of the water trail? "The water trail is a regional program that encourages non-motorized small boaters to safely enjoy the San Francisco Bay. Whether you prefer a kayak or SUP, kiteboard or outrigger, there are so many ways and amazing destinations to explore." Check out there site where there is tons of information to help plan your trip including downloadable PDF maps of all the current designated sites. One of the features I love is the map where you can use tools to measure distance and the map includes geographical features you won't necessarily find on Google maps.

Big Break sunken ship

Locally, both Antioch and Big Break in Oakley are designated sites. I strongly encourage you to explore both these areas. I published a trip guide that you can find here to help you plan. You can pack a picnic and launch from Antioch, timing it with the incoming tide, paddle the San Joaquin River and land at Big Break where you'll find picnic tables, shade and restrooms. Use caution when planning and keep an eye on wind speed and direction, especially during the summer months. Even light winds under 10 mph can create large rollers if wind is opposing the tide.

Delta Kayak Adventures offers this tour and you can check the calendar or schedule it on a day that works best for you or your group.

Dutch Slough

Great paddle today! Some friends and I launched from Sunset Harbor on Bethel Island just after high tide. The temperature was 56 degrees and there was a gentle breeze blowing. We decided to paddle Dutch Slough and head into the wind towards Big Break. Shortly after launching, Jessie and I spotted a seal about 100 yards in front of us. We watched him surface and dive a couple of times before we lost sight of him. I love paddling the Delta because you never know what you might see.

It took us just over an hour to reach the mouth of Big Break. Along the way we spotted a great blue heron and many other aquatic birds we could not identify.

We thought the paddle back to the launch would be easy with the wind at our backs but now we were paddling against the current and it took a little more effort than we expected. We took our time and soaked in the scenery exploring the marsh along our journey. It took us about an hour and 20 minutes to return from big break . We paddled nearly six miles and we all had a great time and a good workout.

Jessie showing off her muscles!

Recent Delta Paddles

Rock Slough Brentwood- Snow Geese fly over

The majority of my paddling has been close to home. I've been doing extensive exploring around Sherman Lake and the San Joaquin River between Pittsburg and Big Break. I'll be publishing a "San Joaquin River Trip #3 soon, so stay tuned. The storms have done a great job of clearing out many weed clogged channels, making them accessible to kayaks which adds to exploration options. It's a good idea to bring a gps to assist in finding your way around and help you get back home safely.

Sandhill Cranes and many other migratory birds have departed

I'm amazed at how many of the sloughs and channels have opened up. For awhile we were experiencing high water which was made even higher with the king tides. The Antioch Marina boat ramp parking lot completely flooded along with other areas adjacent to the marina. The San Joaquin River came up over the levee and made it possible to paddle around the Dow Wetlands trail opposite the harbormaster's building.

I've been spending a lot of time paddling to the Dow Wetlands Preserve and have enjoyed watching otters and beavers play around and hunt. I've done a little fishing and the bite seems to be picking up as I caught and released a couple of small striped bass this past week. I've explored Sherman Lake, Kimball Island, West Island and paddled to Big Break from the Antioch marina.

Three egrets and a gull

I'm really looking forward to nicer weather and sharing this amazing place with you! Rentals are currently  available in Antioch and Brentwood so contact us to reserve a kayak and do some exploring for yourself. Contact us to book a custom tour for your group with as little as two paddlers.

Ship slowly making her way through a debris field on the San Joaquin River

Holland Riverside Marina sunset

Enjoying the view of Mt Diablo from the San Joaquin River

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Paddling Between Storms

Paddling San Joaquin River near Antioch

This winter has definitely been the wettest I can remember. I'm incredibly thankful for the rain; all these storms and rainwater are providing the Delta with a much needed flush. Much of the water hyacinth has died and been blown out of many channels, pushed down river and out to the San Francisco Bay. Many sloughs and channels that were impassable are now open and begging to be explored.

Red wing blackbirds take flight over Dow Wetlands

I continue to paddle when the weather permits and I look forward to sharing the California Delta with paddlers who want to explore all the Delta has to offer. We have some great tours planned and as usual we continue to offer kayak and SUP rentals. Keep your eye on our calendar and sign up for our newsletter which we try to send out once a month with information about upcoming tours and other events. Delta Kayak Adventures also offers custom private tours tailored to what your group is interested in - whether an intro to recreational kayaking class, intro to sea kayaking, custom tour to a specific location or help with planning your own trip using our boats- contact us and we'll get you set up.





The water has been high with all the rain and dam releases but with careful planning, many parts of the Delta are safe to explore via kayak with appropriate gear and attire. Below you'll find pictures of recent trips.

Night heron hanging out in a flooded Antioch Marina parking lot

Cargo ship San Joaquin River

Dow Wetlands sunset

High water at Big Break

Antioch waterfront sunset

Homeward bound

Working our way through debris on San Joaquin River

Abandoned barge cabin Big Break

Old River Brentwood

Breaking through fog San Joaquin River