Antioch to Pittsburg

It was wonderful to get out on the water today and paddle with great friends! The weather forecast predicted winds from the northeast at less than 10 and high tide was at 8:52 a.m. in Antioch. Our original plan was to meet at the Antioch Marina at 9:00, drop our gear and get a shuttle going down to Pittsburg Marina where we would leave two of our vehicles. We ended up meeting an hour earlier so we could finish up sooner than planned.

When we arrived we found the San Joaquin River to be choppy and still moving towards the east. By the time we returned from dropping our trucks in Pittsburg the wind had picked up a little more and the current hadn't changed direction yet. We launched at about 9:20 and headed west against the current. Between the current and the headwind, which was blowing a steady 10 mph with gusts to 15 mph, we made pretty slow progress.

Once we reached the Dow Wetlands we decided to cross the river to paddle along the shore of Winter Island. We reached Winter Island and found a large dwelling with it's own mini harbor and docks. We continued westward and paddled past Middle Slough and then Browns Island. By the time we reached Browns Island the wind and waves were picking up quite a bit but the current was finally in our favor. We crossed New York Slough and landed safely at the Pittsburg Marina ramp.

I'm looking forward to returning to this area with my fishing pole and exploring middle slough and more of Browns Island!

Taylor Slough

My youngest daughter and I caught the end of an ebbing tide when we launched from Sunset Harbor at 10:30 this morning and headed northeast to Taylor Slough. It was a bit windy but not too bad as we paddled against a headwind. We paddled for about an hour before the tide changed and we searched for a spot to eat lunch.

Taylor Slough is lined with waterfront homes and marinas on one side and a rocky levee on the other. There are a couple of tiny beaches on the levee shore to stop and stretch if the tide is low. There are tons of interesting boats moored along the opposite shore, some quite large.

Our lunch spot

After lunch we headed home with the tide and wind at our back. We were treated to lots of wildlife today. Including Egrets, Great Blue Heron, muskrat, a river otter, Night Heron, lots of turtles sunning themselves on the rocks, and a mamma duck with her tiny ducklings. We also observed an egret catch and devour a small fish. Even the not so wildlife was out and about enjoying the day. We spotted a tabby cat lounging on a yacht and a golden retriever fetching a tennis ball from the river.

A great way to start the day and I'm looking forward to ending my day with our Sunset Social Paddle on Sand Mound Slough tonight!

Egret fishing

Mama and her ducklings

Sand Mound Slough Tour

Today was another great day on the water! Three people joined me on a tour of Sand Mound Slough. We launched at 10:15 and paddled with the current at a leisurely pace. The temperature was just right and we had a stiff breeze at our back most of the time. We launched from Sunset Harbor and paddled to a beach along Franks Tract where we stepped out of our boats for a few minutes to stretch our legs. We didn't see much wildlife today and I was very surprised at how few people were actually on the water for a Saturday. There were a few bass boats but no other power boats to be seen which made for a very peaceful paddle. If you would like to join me for a tour check my calendar at http://www.deltakayakadventures.com/#!calendar/c8s0 and sign up for an adventure. Discounted rates are available if you have your own gear. You can also join my new Meetup group!



Be sure to check at our Sunset Social paddles on Friday evenings! Last night was a lovely paddle in Discovery Bay.

Friday Sunset Social Paddle Discovery Bay

I had a lovely paddle this evening with my friend Renee and a new friend Michelle from Stockton. We had a little bit of a late start but the temperature was warm at 88 degrees at 5:30. There were lots of people on the water tonight including jet skis, ski boats, patio boats and kayakers. We paddled at a leisurely pace with the incoming tide for approximately 5 miles round trip. We saw a mama duck with about ten ducklings and a Great Blue Heron and an egret this evening. It was a great night on the water and I look forward to hosting these paddles throughout the summer! If you'd like to join us check out my new Meetup and sign up for a future paddle!

The gate is now open at Discovery Bay Yacht Harbor until 9 p.m.

Survey

I'm currently working on a business plan to help me manage and grow Delta Kayak Adventures. I've created an online survey that has six questions and only takes a minute to complete. Would you mind taking the survey? I would really appreciate it! You can take it here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q83TVB6

Heroes On the Water - Shadow Cliffs

Yesterday my kids and I had the privilege of helping out with an event for veterans at Shadow Cliffs Recreation Area in Pleasanton. The event was hosted by Veterans Flyfishing and Heroes on the Water Nor Cal. The weather was beautiful and the lake cool and clear. Shadow Cliffs is part of the East Bay Regional Parks and is a nice park to visit for a picnic or some fun in or on the water. Don Anglin with HOW, did a nice write up of the days events here: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=46204.msg511980#msg511980

We arrived a little after 9 a.m. and unloaded some boats and prepped them for the vets. At least 20 vets were able to get out on the water and they all really seemed to enjoy it. HOW is a great organization and Don Anglin does a great job for the Nor Cal chapter. For more info about HOW and how you can support them check out their website: http://heroesonthewater.org/home