Dear All Delta/Bay Extravaganza Attendees:
Below is the conceptual plan for the 5th Annual Delta/Bay Extravaganza. This event is officially scheduled from Wednesday, May 16th, through Sunday, May 20th. Right now there are eleven (11) C-Dory boats, and approximately twenty (20) people and two (2) dogs, that have indicated interest in attending this entire event as follows:
1. Pounder (2)
2. Dora-Jean (2)
3. Islander (3)
4. Salty-Cs (2)
5. Discovery (2)
6. Lisa (1?)
7. SEA3PO (1 man and a dog?)
8. Seabran (2)
9. Sealife (1 man and a dog?)
10. Wild Blue (2)
11. Dinner Belle II (2).
We have communicated with John and Robbin (Dinner Belle II) and they again have generously offered to host us at their private duck club on Wheeler Island in order to properly kick off the event. We are very much appreciative for this unique opportunity and consider it a privilege that we do not take for granted.
Our activity schedule is planned slightly different every year, and so far we have never precisely implemented the conceptual plan for that year due to heavy weather constraints. In the Central/West Delta main channels one wants to avoid the incoming wind and the outgoing tides, as they can be nasty enough to even put a mighty C-Dory out-of- commission. Once you are off Pittsburgh, the water becomes wider, and the wind is usually going to be coming at you from the West, and if the tide is going out, hang on! Last year we were holed up for two days at the duck club because of this kind of heavy weather inland water conditions.
The proposed schedule for this trip is as follows:
A. Wednesday, May 16th leave Rio Vista (Delta Marina) no later than Noon, and arrive at Wheeler Island late afternoon
B. Thursday, May 17th leave Wheeler Island on an early incoming tide (regardless of the time of day, i.e. either real early or real late in the day (I don’t have a tide chart handy now)) and safely arrive at Petaluma (Petaluma Turning Basin) whenever we get there
C. Friday, May 18th, leave Petaluma at an appropriate time to transverse San Pablo Bay safely, and arrive at Sausalito (Schoonmaker Point Marina)
D. Saturday, May 19th, leave Sausalito mid-morning and arrive at San Francisco (South Beach Harbor)
E. Sunday, May 20th, leave San Francisco at first early light and return to Rio Vista before Noon.
We have not yet made it to Petaluma as this is a relatively new goal, even though we tried last year. We have taken Jack London Square off of our over-night destinations for now because downtown Oakland just seems too rough for us, even though Jack London used to hang out there. We have not been back to San Francisco since the 2005 Extravaganza so we thought we would try SF again for 2007.
Like always, we believe that this year’s schedule will provide something for everybody, with side trips to be scheduled in-between. We will be flexible with our schedule as required. For example, if we cannot make it to Petaluma, we may end up at Benicia for the night like we did last year.
For full disclosure, and for the uninitiated, this trip is not for the faint-of-heart. The extravaganza covers approximately 200 NM in a relatively short time period, and there is always unpredictability with weather and water conditions. This trip definitely discourages the 16-foot C-Dory. The more experienced and competent-on-the-water 22 and 25 foot C-Dory people have generally enjoyed this trip the most.
Each boat captain is solely responsible for their 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.
In reviewing prior experience with this event, 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. 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 5th time for this C-Dory cruise, and we have always enjoyed ourselves and the other participants. We enthusiastically look forward to this trip each year. Those that seem to have enjoyed this trip the most in the past seem to have been able to live with our number one rule - NO Whining.
More details of the trip will follow later. For now we need to firm up our boat and head count.
After reviewing this conceptual plan, 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 this entire event, unless we hear from you. You do not have to respond if you are on this list and you are coming for the entire event. Otherwise we need to hear from you by no later that this Friday, March 16th.
Friday, March 16th will be the final drop-dead date for sign-up for this event. The reason for this closure date is the need to make advance reservations in a fairly high demand marina area. Do not expect to attend this event if you are not confirmed by this Friday, March 16th.
Thank you for your interest in this event. The vast majority of indicated attendees are repeats from prior years, and we believe that this is some testimonial to the overall experience. New attendees are very welcome to participate. As always, we look forward to seeing everyone in May.
Sincerely
Jim and Kath
