Dear All:
Below is our plan for the 7th Annual, Delta/Bay Extravaganza. This event is officially from Wednesday, May 13th, through Sunday, May 17th. Right now there are seven (7) boats registered, with approximately 12 attendees as follows:
1. Pounder (2) – Jim and Kath
2. Dinner Belle II (2) – John and Robbin
3. Dora Jean (2) – Steve and Friend
4. Marcia Jane (2) – Kent and Marcia
5. GameKing (1) - Mark
6. TBD (2) – David and Crew
7. No Name (1) – Marc.
We still have room for at least three more boats, and maybe four more boats. It must be the “Economy” thing because we would easily be full up by now in prior years.
We talked to John and Robbin (Dinner Belle II), and they generously offered to host us at their Private Duck Club again. We are much appreciative for this opportunity and consider it a privilege.
Our activity schedule is slightly different but similar every year, and we hope that we can make most of the C-Dory attendees happy. We have now made most of our marina reservations. The proposed schedule for this trip is as follows:
A. Wednesday, May 13th, leave Rio Vista by no later than Noon, and arrive at the Wheeler Island Private Duck Club by Wednesday afternoon. It is a two to three hour trip to Honker Bay, depending on the weather
Rio Vista Delta Marina
Harbor Master Bill (707) 374-2315
$10 launch fee paid individually at front desk on check-in
Vehicle and trailer parked in gated and secure, locked grass lot at the end of the block
One day free parking, then $5 per day parking for four days (Thursday to Sunday), so $20 for parking
Total cost for everyone who launches and parks here equals $30 ($10 + $20)
Honker Bay Wheeler Island Duck Club
Jim’s cell phone (916) 799-0286
Boats rafted double, boat-to-boat, at small secluded private dock, bigger 25 foot boats in first, against the dock
No shore power or water hookups
Restrooms in clubhouse
No dock fees
B. Thursday, May 14th, leave Wheeler Island by no later than 10 AM (better earlier), and arrive at Petaluma, Thursday afternoon. It is a two to three hour trip to Petaluma, depending on the weather
City of Petaluma River Turning Basin
Petaluma Visitor’s Center (707) 769-0429
$20 per night per vessel, regardless of size
Please pay me that day on the dock by cash, and I will pay the City for the entire group
No rest rooms or showers at dock, numerous local restaurants and businesses nearby, and restrooms at Starbuck’s nearby
Shore power and water hookups
Everyone docked together on 500 foot visitor dock, South Side of Basin
C. Friday, May 15th, leave Petaluma at 8 AM to make bridge opening, and arrive at Sausalito (Schoonmaker Point Marina). This is also a two to three hour trip, depending on the weather
Sausalito Schoonmaker Point Marina
Harbor Master Mike (415) 331-5550
$1.00 per foot, either $22, $25, or $26 per night, depending on boat size
Cash only, paid individually at check-in
Key deposit at check-in on credit card
Rest rooms and showers
Shore power and water hookups
Everyone together lined up on “F” dock
D. Saturday, May 16th, leave Sausalito around Noon and arrive at San Francisco South Beach Harbor. This is about a one and one-half hour trip, depending on weather
San Francisco South Beach Harbor
Harbor Master Jon (415) 495-4911
Non-refundable $100 deposit, paid one year in advance, by myself (no cost to group)
Additional cost approximately $35 per boat, per night
Fees paid at check in with cash
Need credit card deposit for electronic key to restrooms and showers
Shore power and water hookups
Most everyone together on “A” dock, a few boats on “B” dock, slip assignments to come later
E. Sunday, May 17th, leave San Francisco at daybreak (6 AM sharp), and migrate back to Rio Vista where we take our boats out. We usually arrive back at Rio Vista before Noon on Sunday.
Xxx
As always we provide our full “caveat emptor” disclosures, particularly for all the nubies on this trip. This Extravaganza is not for the faint-of-heart. The trip covers approximately 200 nautical miles in a relatively short time period, and there is always unpredictability with weather and water conditions.
We have to cross San Pablo Bay, at least twice, going out and coming back, and in some years this has been pretty “hairy”, particularly going out! Also, last year we had to tack across San Francisco Bay to get over on the other side.
This trip is definitely not recommended for the 16 foot C-Dory. The more experienced and competent on-the-water 22 foot and 25 foot C-Dory people have generally enjoyed this trip the most.
As always, each boat captain is solely responsible for his or her own boat’s and passenger’s ultimate safety and well-being. Each skipper is not to rely on the judgment (or lack thereof) of the Pack Leader (me).
Prior experience with this event has show that it has not been uncommon for an individual boat Captain to choose an alternative itinerary mid-course into the event, depending on their individual boat handling comfort level, and/or affinity for risk and discomfort. However, in most instances, our C-Dory group has generally stayed and played together, and we hope that is the case this year.
This is our 7th time at this C-Dory Cruise, and we have always enjoyed ourselves and all the other C-Dory folks on each Extravaganza. We enthusiastically look forward to this trip each year. Those boat owners that have enjoyed this trip the most in the past seem to have been able to live with our Number One Rule – No Whining!
There are almost entirely new people on the trip this year, so it should be different again. We hope that this Mother Goose, “Posse Cruise” can meet most people’s needs.
After reviewing the above trip plan please reaffirm your attendance, or if there are any changes to your proposed attendance, please let us know now. If your boat is on the above list we are assuming that you are coming for the entire event, unless you tell us otherwise.
We have a few questions for some of you. Are Steve, Kent, and Mark, along with myself, going to launch from Rio Vista?
Is David coming by water out of SF to meet us in Honker Bay late Wednesday afternoon? Or is David also launching from Rio Vista with us?
Is Marc really going to ever show up, and if so where and when? In other words, does Marc really need any marina reservations at all?
More details of this trip will be forthcoming in the future in terms of meals, food assignments, activities, and other information. Thank you all for your interest in this trip.
Wednesday, April 15th will be the final, drop-dead date for sign-up on this event. The reason for this closure date being the need to give our final head count to Schoonmaker Marina. Do not expect to attend this event if you are not signed up by this final due date.
We look forward to meeting all the new attendees and they are welcome to participate. This would be a good year to go as a new attendee as you would have a lot of other newbie company. Remember, we still have room for a few more!
Sincerely,
Jim
