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Delta Cruising?

Phil MacFarlane

Member III
Delta Cruising

Hi Roger,

I have done quite a bit of Delta cruising but not in a long time. All of it was done in my 35MKII which draws a bit less than five feet. I say this because many of the places I like to go are shallow but in my opinion worth it.

So to start I keep my boat in Redwood City so I’m as faraway from the Delta as you can be and still be in San Francisco Bay. Because of the way the tide cycles work I can leave Redwood City on a high tide and ride the falling tide all the way to the central Bay then ride the rising tide all the way well into the Delta all in one long shot. On the way up to the Delta you’re going with the tide so the flood lasts a long time. Coming back, it’s just the opposite and you will go through several tide cycles to get back down to the Bay.

I will take you on a ride up the Delta with some of the routes I have taken and will mention some of the places I like to anchor as well as some places for supplies fuel and so on. As for marinas, to me the Delta is more about anchoring and or tying up to trees than pulling into a slip so I wont mention too many marinas.

So once in Suisun Bay you have a choice to make, keep right and go up the San Joaquin River or go left and go up the Sacramento River. Most folks including myself will choose the San Joaquin.
The following will assume you choose the San Joaquin. Shortly after you pass under the Antioch Bridge you have another choice. You can turn right at False River or stay on the San Joaquin. The San Joaquin is a big wide river at this point and has very large ships sailing on it. False River is much smaller with much smaller traffic. Either way will take you to Fisherman’s Cut a nice little cut that forms Bradford Island. I’ve spent several very nice nights anchored in the cut.

Staying on False River past Fisherman’s Cut there are several marsh islands in the river that I have seen boats anchored at but I have never anchored there. It seems to wide open for my liking. There is also Franks tract on the right but I have never ventured in there.

Eventually False River rejoins the San Joaquin. At this point you can turn right to the S.S.E. headed up river and you will come upon Mandeville Cut with Mandeville Island on your left to the north. This is a hugely popular anchorage on the 4th of July with hundreds if not thousands of boats anchored for the huge fire works show put on by the Hiltons. At least this is the way it was twenty years ago. I’m not sure they still do that. But if when re-entering the San Joaquin at False River you turned left to the north (down river) you would come upon Potato Slough on your right. Potato offers many anchoring choices and is usually very nice.

You could reach any of these places in your first day, I have from Redwood City. From here the world or at least the Delta is your oyster. There are many many choices. Here are some of the places I have gone.

From Potato Slough take Little Potato Slough to White Slough go S.E. on White Slough to the “Y” in the slough. Turn to your left to go N.E. up the slough. Put the bow really close to shore under one of the few trees there dropping a stern anchor on the way in. Drop a bow anchor almost on shore and secure both anchor lines. The only people you will see here are bass fisherman in the mornings, the very occasional water skier and an elderly Chinese lady fishing from shore. It’s a short dingy ride down Honker Cut (under a closed bridge) to supplies at Honker Cut Marine and King Island Resort. We have spent weeks anchored here, one of our favorite spots.

Travel back north on White Slough the same way you came in, back to Little Potato Slough and turn right. You will arrive at Tower Park in Terminus CA. You can see the water tower from miles away. This is a large marina with many speed boats a few sailboats a small store a restaurant and bar. We usually stop here for lunch on our way north.

After your stop at Tower Park head under the bridge and turn right or left. Right will take you to Westgate Landing Regional Park. This is a marine park with docks and not much else. We have stayed there but only because we had friends camping on shore there. We got adventurous one year and sailed up the South Fork of the Mokeumne River. It was great, we had a lot of fun, ran aground about seven times and ended up turning around but I’m pretty sure we got further up that river than any Ericson 35 in history.

If you want a more practical trip from Tower Park go under the Bridge and turn left on the South Fork of the Mokelumne that will take you to the North Mokelmne River. From here you have two choices, right or left, both are excellent it just depends where you want to end up. Let’s start with my all time favorite.

Turn right to go N.E. up the North Mokelumne River. It’s a nice winding trip up the River. Before you get to Dead Horse Island there is a low bridge that you will have to have opened. Check on the details for that before going, you probably have to make an appointment. Years ago you just had to give them 30 minutes notice by radio but I think it’s longer now. Just on the other side of the bridge is “Giusti’s Place” a popular restaurant for Delta boaters. Anyway keep to your left on Snodgrass Slough. It gets shallow so don’t be there on a really low tide or a falling tide, this will be even more important in a little while. Continue on up Snodgrass Slough past Dead Horse Island Slough on your right and past the Delta Cross Channel on your left. Just past that you will find Locke Slough on your left. It will really take some balls to continue but to me the reward is well worth it. It gets very shallow around the right hand corner but after that it gets “deeper” again. This place is the coolest Delta anchorage I know of. The North West shore is a tree lined shoreline that is the Delta Meadows River Park. Find a place with enough water and put your bow right on shore. Step off your bow onto shore and tie to a tree. Be carful pulling in as the tree branches hang out over the slough and you can get your rig caught in them. Once tied up put out a stern anchor to hold you during the tide swings. Later like the next day walk along the leave back the way you came in. At some point you will see a beaten path through the backyards of homes there. Take the path away from the water and you will inter the Historic District of Locke in Walnut Grove. This is a town built by the Chinese in the early 20th century. It is on the National Historic Landmark list. There are a few restaurants and of course the famous “Al the Wop’s” restaurant and bar built in 1915. A must go place!

If you walk up to River Road (Locke is below water level) across the road is the Sacramento River. The Delta Cross Channel connects the waters but you can’t get there from here by boat.
Once again, this is to me the coolest place to take a sailboat in the Delta. Maybe because people don’t do it.

Now back to the other excellent choice. Way back down river when we were on the South Mokelumne we turned right to get to Locke in Walnut Grove. This time lets turn left then turn right on the Georgiana Slough. This is a beautiful narrow winding slough that will take you to the Sacramento River at Walnut Grove. There is a low bridge that will have to be opened so look into that before hand. Just after the bridge take a right onto the Sacrament River and then you will only be several hundred yards from Locke again. There is a marina with docks if you like. Continue up the river. It’s a long haul. You will arrive in downtown Sacramento after passing under the Hwy 80 overpass. After that there is the Tower Bridge a vertical lift bridge that you will have to have opened. Then right after that the I street or is it the Broderick St. Bridge. Again check into having these opened before showing up. You will now be in Old Town Sacramento. There is a covered marina on the right with an uncovered long dock on the water. On summer weekends the bars right there have bands playing and it’s quite the happening spot. We were there once and I get a kick out of saying we were there because again, sailboats don’t go there…

After that you may want to take the Sacramento all the way back down or not. The Delta is a magical place via slow sailboat. It takes days to get around and you could spend months exploring it.

Have a good depth sounder, a good engine and two anchors and sun screen. Go for it and have fun.
 

rogerfern

Member II
Delta Cruising

Phil,
THANK YOU very much for your detailed information on Delta!!!
I will definitely put it to good use, I own an Ericson 30+ which draws over 5 ft. concerned about venturing out with no Delta experience.
Thanks again
Roger
 

G Kiba

Sustaining Member
Wow! Phil MacFarlane. That's an amazing account of the Delta and quite accurate.
The delta, at least a small part of it, is my home turf. I sail out of Antioch and typically range a few hours east, west, and north on the Sacramento. A few things Phil missed...

On your way up river once you make the right hand turn leaving Benicia, the wind may pickup from the Northwest (18-25mph). The typical summer pattern for lots of wind here is fog on the bay and 90+ temperatures inland. If you are unfortunate and catch the ebb here, the waves get pretty bumpy from there to blind point (about 2 miles past the Antioch bridge). Great downwind sail bumps and all. So save the gas.

Stay in the shipping channel when you pass Port Chicago. Especially if there is ship there. They will remind you of the restriction and show you what an M60 looks like. Also don't stray too far north of the channel (like 9' some places) it gets shallow! Turn right at the Pittsburg power plant -can't miss it- and you will be in New York Slough. Watch for shipping traffic and shifty winds. Exiting NY Slough you will be in Antioch. I have an gray striped E27. Give a wave if you see me. The Antioch Bridge is the next big landmark and of course False River not too far from that. If you don't go through False river, the San Joaquin will turn to the north just past the moored barges (you will know when you see them). Usually a little upwind sailing. Being that far upriver, the wind usually get calm.

My personal favorite place to stay is Owl Harbor.
My wife likes hot showers and clean bathroom facilities and Owl Harbor surpasses in these. I personally like ...the people, that it's dog friendly, they have outdoor movies, fresh eggs and sometimes veggies, and the peacefulness. Call Chris or Devery for a reservation. Tell them the Kiba's sent you.

Some tips on your return.
Leave on an ebb but remember it gets bumpy if the wind is up. The stretch between the barges (east of False River) and the Antioch bridge can get tricky in the afternoon (3:00-6:00pm). If you are north and east of the barges (like coming from Owl Harbor) there is a great short-cut that will put you at the base of the Antioch bridge. The trick is to drop sail and motor through Edos Marina. You may have to check the depth - a friend with a Catalina 30 does this regularly. The other trick is finding the entrance to the shortcut. If you are past the barges - you missed it! Look for the sign on the west shore and... "if you get lost, ask for directions".

You can see all of this on Goggle maps https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0586787,-121.6828664,1038m/data=!3m1!1e3.

The water quality for swimming an relaxing get better further up river.
Have a great trip.
 

ChrisS

Member III
Both Phil and Grant give excellent advice. I go to the delta every year and have done both the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers several times. The anchorages in the former are more exposed, but there are also more marinas/restaurants, and less current; the Sacramento area has more current, less area to gunkhole, and fewer waterside establishments, but also more shade and history. The water in the latter seems cleaner to me.

As Phil pointed out, Georgianna Slough connects the two, and the fixed bridge at Walnut a Grove doesn't open so if you go back to Locke Cut and the Meadows via the Mokelonme, you have quite a backtrack to Georgiana if you want to go up the Sacramento. Get a map and study it to know which waterways connect for boats with masts. You also have to get used to how the opening bridges work. Most are on demand but others require you to work within certain hours.

My 32-2 draws 5' and I am careful to go to shallow areas only on incoming tides.

I usually stop at either Benecia or Pittsburg Marina on the way up and again on the way back, and only anchor out when I'm further up river. I usually don't want to come back. Great swimming, animal life, sunsets, etc.

Out of the six or seven trips I have made only one was an easy trip back. From Pittsburg to Benecia it's usually 20-25 on the nose. After the Carquinez bridge I reef down and sail.

IMHO 8-9 days round trip is the minimum for a decent trip. One time I caught a big current going up there and made it to Shag Slough (above Rio Vista) the first day. I have also made it from Potato Slough to Richmond in a day, but the current was in my favor, there was no wind, and I left at 6am. But otherwise it's two days each way. And as you'll see, once you find a great spot to anchor, the days pass quickly. Easy living.
 
I am only in the Delta when I do the Delta Ditch Run race - from Richmond Yacht Club to Stockton Sailing Club. We are not allowed to sail on False River and go through Frank's Tract / Fisherman's Cut anymore, that is an explicit restricted area. I think too many boats were getting stuck in the ares because of depth issues and the hyacinth fouling their props. Also False River was dam'ed for a while by the state to prevent the incursion of salt water into the fresh water parts of the Delta. I think that dam is now gone.

I highly recommend Stockton Sailing Club - they are really friendly and have a great marina. There is a fuel dock and pumpout right next to it, which is great if you're doing a lot of motoring and need to top off (or if you're drinking a lot of beer and need to add your contribution to the local ecosystem ;-)

I like the Delta and hope to get up there more often on non-racing sails. Thanks for all the great info on Delta cruising!

Mike
 
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