Happy Napa New Year

Saturday, 12/31/11

I planned to be*casting off lines at*10AM headed toward Napa for the New Year.* We got a late start and got to the marina at 1015!* Then the socializing kicked in with all the New Year's*revellers starting to gather for the night's party.* After our hellos and goodbyes, we finally shoved off at 1115 for our 5.5 hr trek down the San Joaquin, across Suisun Bay, through the Carquinez Straight and up the Napa River.* I'm busy watching the clock and doing the math trying to beat our 1700 sunset.

The sun was shining, the skies were mostly clear and there was no fog.* The tides were with us and gave us a 2kt push most of the way.* We were making good time and my revised ETA was now 1630!* Looking good!

Flying the new burgee Christmas gift from the Admiral!



Approaching the Carquinez Straight with Golden Bear-California Maritime Academy in the background





We arrived after 5+10 enroute and settled in for another georgeous bay/delta sunset.



Our friend's dock was adorned with this beautiful North Pacific 43, Bushwacker.*(Here's a link to his website.)*We*tied up to*the neighbor's dock for the night.



We had a great time with four couples crashing our friend's house while they were away cruising in Mexico.* Here's a shot of me getting busted while on a photo bombing mission!* The Admiral saw little humor in my highjinks.* I thought it was hysterical after I saw this picture.* This picture was taken about a millisecond before my cap went flying!* BUSTED!!



Sunday 1/1/12

In the morning, I had a little time to look a bit closer at Bushwacker and noticed the anchor, so I snapped a shot for Marin!*



After a lazy morning with too much food and great friends, we once again got a late start headed out of town.* We were bucking the tides and were making as little as 5 kts at our slowest point.* We decided to spend the night in Pittsburgh, close to half-way home, and see dswizzler, Mark and Cindy, on their 58 Vantare.* They were decorated for the season and greeted us with open wine bottles.* It was great hearing about their transition to living aboard.* Also got another brief visit in to the engine room and pilothouse helm.* There's something to be said for having an engine room large enough for a*workbench!





After a very enjoyable evening aboard the good ship Delta Swizzler, we headed back to our 'dinghy' to test out our new droid hdmi cable which allowed us to enjoy a Netflix streaming movie on our HDTV via the 3G smartphone!* Gotta love the new technology!!

Monday, 1/2/12

Next morning we*had a great breakfast at Nana's Place at the marina before topping off the tanks with 112 gal.* We*burned this during our past 30 hours of operation yielding 3.75 gph on twins at 8 kts...I'll take it!

All told on this trip, we clocked 97 miles in 12.4 hrs for an average 7.8 kts SOG.*

Safely home after a leisurely*cruise from Pittsburg to Riverboat Marina.*




-- Edited by FlyWright on Tuesday 3rd of January 2012 03:58:38 PM

Al, it sounded like a great trip, and that's a neat burgee. That was cutting it close on the easy-to-go-aground Napa River.

Isn't Marin's favorite (to hate) anchor the claw/Bruce? Ha, ha. We Bay Area trawlers need to raft up, have a picture taken showing our claw anchors, and mail it to Marin.

Oh, we spell it "Pittsburg" here in California. You aren't in Pennsylvania.

Yes, you're right, Mark. I got it right at the end, but slipped up on my earlier reference. Must have been a slip from my time living in Harrisburg (one 'h'), PA years ago. I'll keep a closer eye on the geographical misspells from now on, I promise. ;-)

I was running 3 GPSs to cross reference to avoid the many shallows. You'd think they could mark the river channel much better. A couple of years ago, I pulled my friend Dave Rosenberg's 46 ft sailboat off the shoal north of marker 9 on a side tie with FlyWright. His engine had quit and he attempted sailing solo up river. We now call it "Rosenberg" shoal. There is no mercy in my circle of friends.

I think rafting up next October during Fleet Week would be great!! One requirement...proudly display your Bruce claw anchor!! (except for the one holding the 5 boats in place!)

Mark, PM me your phone number when you have the chance. I tried to call you passing Vallejo, but didn't have your number in my phone. Got through to Giggitoni, but he had other commitments.

The Army Corps of Engineers is reforming the channel in places on the Napa River. It's contrary to "common sense" but it's actually easier to navigate the river at low tide; the channel is easier to see and still has sufficient depth to pass. Also, I never run straight lines between the channel markers. Instead, run a sweeping arc. One has to have an imagination on the Napa, especially on the middle to upper reaches. You're right...not enough markers where they're needed.

Going downriver near marker "11" I didn't make a hard turn to port soon enough and noticed the depthometer read 1.1 feet.* Didn't go aground by the "skin of my teeth."

FlyWright wrote:
Safely home after a leisurely*cruise from Pittsburg to Riverboat Marina.

Click to expand...

******** Nicely done, Al. I love the photos and the Bruce.

******* Not as pretty as this, though.

I ain't springin' for a stainless 'piece of turd', but I think I'll run right out and chrome my bruce so it matches the rest of my bow bling!

Hey Mark,

How do you pronounce the name of your boat? I don't speak spanish. Grew up east coast of *Canada

When I first saw this valley name I thought it was. san john quinn.

I know it's san waakeen now.

So how do you pronounce the word before coot. *I got that one.

SD

skipperdude wrote:
...

So how do you pronounce the word before coot. *I got that one.

Click to expand...

*Dave, it's pronounced Car-Kee-Nez.* The Carquinez Strait was named after Karkin, a linguistic division of the Ohlone Indians who resided on both sides of the strait.* The natives*crossed the strait using reed boats (at slack tide, I presume).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carquinez_Strait

Midway in the strait (off Commodore Jones Point), looking west:


-- Edited by markpierce on Thursday 5th of January 2012 03:37:08 PM

FlyWright wrote:
I ain't springin' for a stainless 'piece of turd', but I think I'll run right out and chrome my bruce so it matches the rest of my bow bling!

Click to expand...

*that is some kinda shiney. :thumbsup: