Monday to Thursday

[iliohale]

So this will be the first trip up the delta for Nancy and I. We are looking for suggestions on the "good" spots to go once we leave Antioch on Monday and we would love to tag along with some of our Doo Dah'ers. We promise to have plenty of cold beer and snacks for anyone willing to show us the ropes and act as tour guild. Plus we are bringing along our two person Hobie Mirage kayak as added incentive in case the beer and food is not enough. So if you know the delta like the back of your hand, let us know if you are willing to have us as a buddy boat.

Gary & Nancy
iliohale

[KJensen]

Our plan, such as it is, is to head into the delta from Antioch Monday morning.  We may go to Mildred Tract for a few days and then to Three River Reach for a couple and then to Stockton.  We are SSC club members and are planning on leaving the boat in Stockton for the month of July.  Mildred Tract is a submerged island off of the "Old River".  We have been going there since 91 and it is a great place to anchor and sail.  The average depth is about 13 to 15' and the entrance is 70' deep.  There is a large bight in the SW end of the "lake" that is a great anchorage.  Three River Reach is another very good anchorage just east of Mandaville cut off the deep water channel.  It is about a mile long but shallows at the south end.  The entire anchorage is shallow but is doable as long as you watch your depth sounder and coast in.  There are beaches that are exposed at low water and you can nudge up pretty close to the west berm.  The only drawback to this place is the mosquitos.  We have rarely had a problem with them at Mildred.  Because we are ending in Stockton, we hadn't thought of going north of the deep water channel on this trip.

[iliohale]

Great tips, thanks and we will consider doing like wise. Are you planning to do the Monday thing at Bethel?

Gary & Nancy
iliohale

[KJensen]

don't know about Bethel island yet.  My wife and I haven't discussed it yet.  I will look at my charts on Thursday when I go to the boat and make some decisions tis week.

[LaDonna]

I just got some nav directions for everyone heading to Bethel after Antioch. We'll either post it on the website or include it in your swag bags. Should be fun, with a crazy 'water vessel' race planned! Plus, free rides to the store!

[admin]

Our tentative plan is to spend Tuesday night in Franks Tract, which is close to our favorite place on earth - well, okay, California. After that we have discussed going up to Walnut Grove and Locke via Georgiana Slough (which we have done in the past), or to the other side of Walnut Grove to the Meadows (which we haven't done before. I understand it is very shallow. Silent Sun tried to go in there, but that's a story for LaDonna to tell). I have heard good things from other Delta devotees about Mildred Tract; we haven't been, but might like to try it.

One thing you may find is that the plan you make while you're in the midst of the rat race may fall to pieces once you get into Delta cruising mode. A night in Franks Tract or some other new favorite spot can easily slip into two or three. Or you may make new friends who want you to come along that-away instead of this-away.

Go with the flow,
Stink Eye, Laser 28

[LaDonna]

That's so true, Chris. Last summer we planned to do a bunch of exploring but just ended up hunkered down in Bedroom 2 (I think) on Potato Slough. It was bliss!

[Sophia]

Hi Gary and Nancy,

I've got Lost Slough up on Google maps the Satellite version...The area on Lost Slough where we will be anchoring is just east of the north end of Snodgrass Slough, where Snodgrass doglegs up towards the bridge at Twin Cities Road.  There is small island just south of the elbow of the dogleg...this island runs due north south....and one of the Walnut Grove Towers is due east of the south tip of the island. This island is at the juncture of Snodrass and Lost Sloughs.  We anchor off the white docks attached to the south east side of the jutting peninsula attached to the main island just east of the small island.....where Lost Slough makes a 90 degree turn due east....basically around the area where the tower is....as can be seen in the satellite photo map.  Sorry I don't have the GPS co-ordinates for you.  One thing I do know....this is a very lovely area....but there are lots of hidden underwater berms and the like...I'm not sure that I can recomend that you set your course for this area of Lost Slough without some local knowledge....we will have on board someone who has sailed to this area over the last 45 years, without whom we probably wouldn't make the trip to this area of sloughs.  Snodgrass may be a different story....just don't know for myself having never been there.  It'll be interesting to see where everyone sets their sights for after Antioch.  So many wonderful miles of Delta...so little time to see it all ! ! !

Doin the Doo Dah Loca ! ! !

Sophia and Jeff
Galadriel

[iliohale]

Thanks Sophia and Jeff for the great tips. Look forward to meeting you face to face.

Gary & Nancy
iliohale

[Deltaslr]

Be careful on crossing Frank's Tract.  It has been a a few years for me since I've been out there across "the lake", and I understand they've been spraying in the past couple of years to reduce the weeds, but the last time I motored across F/T, I was stopped dead in my tracks at least twice as I recall by weeds entangling my keel.  Had to dive and push them off the keel, only to go another 1/2 mile or so to be stopped again!  Several years before that, you could take a shortcut across Franks Tract compared to going thru False River....

There are no issues in the sloughs surrounding Franks Tract, but the "lake" itself at that time was all but inmpassable!  May be different now, after spraying the last couple of years, but I'd like to hear so from anyone who has been thru there recently.  Since that experience, I haven't strayed from False River on my way to/from the Bay (except for the Ditch Run or South Tower Race).  :-)

Peter
Stockton

[sailcoyote]

The weeds are down in Frank's. I went through there yesterday on a power boat and saw minimal weed.

We used to cut across at the North West corner between False River and the Porthole. We would motor 100 yards and then back up 20 to clear the weed. I haven't taken Coyote (draft 6 ft) through there in a  number of years as it is more fun to sail around the tract.

As we cruised around yesterday we did see a big increase over last year in weed in the sloughs.

[admin]

Regarding weeds in the waterways, one of the race boats in the Delta Ditch Run lost control of their rudder and thought that something had gone terribly wrong with their boat. They rounded up into the shallows and stuck in the mud close to a levee. When they arrived at Stockton Sailing Club and lifted the boat on the hoist, they found that their keel and rudder were fouled with weeds, and were relieved to find no structural damage whatsoever.

We think we collected some weeds on our Saildrive, which may have cost us third place.

Some racers do carry kelp sticks in the Delta. Not sure how well they work, probably depends on the type of boat you have. Much easier to back down when you're cruising than racing! A lookout on the bow in weedy areas helps too.

On the way home, we didn't see many weeds, very few in False River. Never tried to take our keelboat into Franks Tract itself. Anyone know the GPS coordinates of the sunken tractor?

Stink Eye, Laser 28

[admin]

Stink Eye has made a tentative plan to go north up the Mokelumne River to the east side of Walnut Grove and the Meadows after leaving Boyd's Harbor on Tuesday. Some of this territory will be new to us. More details to follow.

Stink Eye, Laser 28

[iliohale]

Christine,

I know you guys made the trek up to Walnut Grove last year. How did you go? How long did it take you? How was it? Would you do it again? What did you do while you were up there? Did you go Giuti's while up there? Any issue with the bridge openings? Thanks for the info.

[admin]

We've gone to Walnut Grove several times, but this was our first time up the east side (up the North Fork of the Mokelumne to Snodgrass Slough), and we did spend one night at Giusti's dock, after having dinner there (we dined on leftovers for the next 3 nights!). After that, we went to Walnut Grove Marina to fuel up (there's a new store open there now) and on to the Meadows and Lost Slough. There is a very shallow area after the Marina, which is hard to get around. I don't recommend it for boats that draw more than 5-ft or so. We got past okay with our 5-ft draft, but wouldn't try it at low tide. We poked into the Meadows and Lost Slough, where Galadriel was tied up, and then went back to Snodgrass Slough to anchor. A strong current put us up against a tree in the night, but this is a beautiful area, sparsely traveled, and fun to explore.

On previous trips, we have gone up Georgiana Slough to the west side of WG and tied up at the Walnut Grove public dock, where you can stay overnight (I believe we paid $10). You have to walk across the bridge, but there are showers and bathrooms to use which are pretty good. From the public dock (provided by the Downtown Merchants Association, you can walk to stores and restaurants in WG, and walk to historic Locke. There are also marine services, auto parts, a library, and more all close by. We love Walnut Grove! We are considering going back to this west side of WG on the DDD this year, and can take some boats with us. (Haven't decided for sure yet though.)

We have never had any trouble with bridge openings on either route. The hard part is getting into the Moke from San Joaquin River, as there is a BIG shoal and you have to pick your way in. A good chart helps and a depthsounder is indispensable.

Christine Weaver, Doodette
Stink Eye, Laser 28