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Non-members are welcome to
come along on trips. We hope you will enjoy the group enough to join.
WARNING: The outings
listed here are NOT guided trips or lessons. Our volunteer coordinators
do not necessarily have training
in water safety, first aid or any other outdoor or boating skills. Boating
and other outdoor activities always involve serious risk. All participants are responsible
for assessing the appropriateness of their physical condition, skills and
equipment for a particular trip and using their own judgment about potentially dangerous
situations. If you are not sure that your skills or equipment are adequate, discuss this with
the coordinator before the trip date. Participate at your own risk.
See
About our Trips for more information.
Want to sign
up for a trip; Contact the Trip Coordinator at least a couple days prior to
trip for details. You will be asked to sign a
liability waver. Each
participant must have a properly fitting PFD with them and
should be wearing it under most circumstances.
Have a
favorite trip you'd like to coordinate for the club. Contact David
Fitzgerald or Dee Simmons to schedule it. DavidFitzgerald@sbcglobal.net.
This page last updated
05/05/2008
New trips
are being added frequently !
Saturday, January 12 -- Delta Meadows area
Trip Report: A cloudy but pleasant day in the
Delta. We, (Chuck Schultz and John from Sacramento in Chuck's canoe and Dave
Fitzgerald in a sea kayak) found our way to the end of Lost Slough. After
scouting, we portaged our boats about 200' and thus managed to get to the
boat launch at Cosumnes River Preserve. We had lunch there, then paddled
down the
Mokelumne River,
and up Snodgrass Slough to our cars. The whole trip took
5 3/4 hours.
Photos:
some pix from this trip are included in our 2008 album.
Description: Explore Snodgrass Slough in the Delta.
This is a pretty area and there is usually a lot of wildlife. There is a feeling
of being far from civilization. We will attempt a new route so it could get adventurous.
Directions
Rating:
Skill
level: easy Endurance: high - 12 + miles
Coordinator: Dave Fitzgerald
925-689-1141
david_fitzgerald@sbcglobal.net
Saturday 19, 2008
Annual Meeting and Pot Luck Dinner
We had a nice presentation by Ron Paolini, Deputy
Director of the the Marin County Parks and Open Space District. He discussed
the districts plans for maintaining and developing boating access and how
organizations like MCKC can participate in planning, and in other areas.
Sunday,
January 20, Hudeman Slough
Trip Report: A great trip in that category called
"character builders". After a late start three of us (Don C. in his 12'
kayak and Dee and Dave in canoe) paddled against a stiff wind that had come
up suddenly just about launch time. We made slow but steady progress through
some of the sloughs that are all over that area. The wind kept us from going
into some of the sloughs that we had hoped to explore. After enjoying a
luncheon "en boat", we turned back, worried that the wind would just blow us back without
any effort. But fortunately the wind calmed down and the tidal current
started running very (very) strongly against us so we got a great workout.
Nature Report: We startled a buck deer and Don found
an antlered skull. At one point, while we were entering a small side channel,
we flushed two great horned owls who where right together on the marshy
ground. This was at noon. We wondered what they were doing. Owls are nesting
at this time. Then, in the car
leaving the put-in area, we saw two hawks and a turkey vulture involved in a
really intense confrontation over a dead rabbit. We've never seen any thing
like it.
Description: Explore this salt water mash area on the west side of the Napa
River. Lots of birds in the area.
Directions
Rating:
Skill
level: easy Endurance: medium
(turned out to be high)
Coordinator: Dave Fitzgerald
925-689-1141
david_fitzgerald@sbcglobal.net
Sunday, February
10, Laguna Santa Rosa
Trip Report: A gorgeous,
sunny, perfect day to be out on the water. We had 20 paddlers show up for
this one including some MCKC first timers. Special guests were
Wade Belew and Jenny Blaker (& her husband Neil) of
Cotati Creek Critters, (cotaticreekcritters.info)
who have organized
substantial creek restoration efforts in Cotati, working on the upstream
portion of the Laguna. Over lunch, Wade told us a lot about the Laguna area,
its ecology and current problems and opportunities.
Later we saw a bald eagle. Paddled north to the
next bridge, then south until the brush got too thick to go on without
getting out of the boats.
Photos:
some pix from this trip are included in our 2008 album.
Description: A pretty and
unusual body of water hidden near Sebastopol. Paddle through thickets and
farm fields. Longish distance from car to water, bring wheels. Usually lots
of birds. A very nice place to go.
Directions
Rating:
Easy
Coordinator:
Justin Morse
jumorse@comcast.net
707.829.3721
Sunday,
February 17, Suisun Marshes
Trip Report: Eight of us paddlers launched from
the Suisun Public launch and headed south about a mile or so, then turned
east into Hill Slough for an out and back trip. Dave/Dee and Alan/Roberta in
canoes. Mimi and Louisa in Kiwis, Don in an SOT. Lori, recovering from
surgery, was our honorary paddler and went along in the canoes as a
passenger. It was a bright sunny day as we headed along Hill Slough, first
passing under the Grizzly Island Road bridge and then following the slough
out to the end. There were a lot of switchback turns, some very tight near
the end that put turning skills to the test. We didn't see very many birds
at first, but they were more numerous farther out. Good views of the
surrounding countryside, including Fairfield, Suisun, Travis Air Force Base;
the marsh and toward
Potrero Hills. We had lunch at a nice grassy area at the end of the
slough. On the return trip, the wind picked up a bit, but not too bad. The
tidal current helped carry us out. We couldn't help but notice the amount of
trash floating about and we made a game of picking up as much as we could
fit in our boats. Everyone pitched in and made a difference. As far as
anyone could tell, we went probably 12 miles altogether or so. --- Don
Photos:
some pix from this trip are included in our 2008 album.
Description: Explore the
large marsh area between Suisun City and the Sacramento River. This is a
great area for birds and wildlife. Many winding channels lead into
interesting and seldom visited areas.
Directions
Rating:
medium/high - 12 miles
Coordinator: Don Childers 707-425-3167
kayaker4@earthlink.net
Saturday, March 1, Cosumnes River Preserve -
in the Valley
Trip Report: Three of us set out, but five came back on this trip. Alan and
Roberta missed us at the start of the paddle but we found each other along
the way. It was a nice day, a little breezy. We saw a lot of hawks, a couple
of kingfishers, cormorants, flycatchers, herons, etc. We explored some of
the side sloughs and paddled up the Cosumnes into Bear Slough, planning to
have lunch on the little rock dam were we have stopped before, but the water
was so high it was submerged. That made it easy to paddle farther into the
slough, which was pretty in a brushy way. After we got back to the cars we
met Holden Briggs, the Preserves' wetlands manager and got a lot of good
information about the area. The Preserve now includes 55,000 acres of
protected land. We also visited the marsh area and saw a lot of beautiful
ducks and shore birds. It was another nice day on the water.
Photos:
some pix from this trip are included in our 2008 album.
Description: The Cosumnes
River Nature Preserve is a beautiful area located just off Interstate 5
between Lodi and Sacramento. This is one of the last natural environments in
the Sacramento Valley. Quiet sloughs and streams wind through marsh and
forest areas.
Directions
Rating:
Skill
level: easy Endurance: low/medium (about 8 miles)
Coordinator: Dave Fitzgerald
925-689-1141
david_fitzgerald@sbcglobal.net
Saturday, March 22,
Lake Berryessa
Trip Report: Three of us were here at Lake
Berryessa for this trip. Dee and Dave
in their canoe, and myself (Don) in a sea kayak. We set out from the
swimming area at
Oak Shores Park and headed north for a clockwise trip around both Big
and Small Island, two of the larger islands located halfway up
the lake. The water level was up, but still about
8-9 ft. short of being full. The water seemed to be noticeably colder than
it was last year at the same time, especially a foot or more down (Don went
swimming in his wetsuit). Pretty clean, though. On the way up we saw a
number of coots. A cormorant was perched on a small rock just above the
surface where 4 months ago a person could walk out there on high ground.
Also observed was the soil erosion at the high water lines. Many tree roots
exposed and some trees fallen over. upon reaching the north end of Small
Island, pretty much the whole end of the lake was visible. Then we headed
around
the island and paddled on back to Big Island where we stopped in a
small cove and had lunch. A couple of geese were nice enough to let us use
their spot. During that time a couple bass fishermen were trying their luck
nearby, without success. Time to go again and we continued south along Big
Island. There was a fair amount of power boat traffic but they kept a safe
distance. Then we
headed off to
Goat Island, which had mostly geese. An osprey was perched high in
one of the trees and there was a very large nest on the island. Then it was
a short haul back to Oak Shores. It was a very sunny and clear day with
barely any breeze. The area is very nice; the only negative is the some of
these power boats are extremely noisy and detract from the outdoor
experience.
Photos:
some pix from this trip are included in our 2008 album.
Description: Water levels
should be nice and high for this trip. Launch at Oak Shores and go around Big Island and over to
Goat Island as a side trip (5-6 miles) . We can stop for lunch anywhere on Big
Island, and even explore
Goat Island if time allows. Might be a few power boats, but nothing
like in a couple more months.
Rating:
Skill
level: easy/moderate (possible wind and waves) Endurance: medium (6
miles?)
Coordinator: Don Childers
kayaker4@earthlink.net
Saturday, April 5, Inverness, Tomales Bay,
Lagunitas Creek
Trip Report:
Part 1 - Inverness to White House Pond:
The day broke cool and bit windy as nine kayaks
and a canoe headed into Tomales Bay. We had 3 newcomers to MCKC,
Dave, Cathy, and Barbara, plus Chuck, Ralph, Mary Ellen, Lori, Payette, Don
and Dave. The wind was at our backs and the small white caps were
rolling with us as paddled and drifted south and then across to the west
side of the bay. The only decision making in finding a route was to avoid
the shallows at the south end of the bay before finding the Lagunitas Creek
channel. We made our way to the west side of the bay and followed the old
railroad levee to the south. Passing the White House Pool we wandered up
the creek, passing under the Highway 101 bridge, and had a pleasant lunch on
a gravel bar. Three kayaker opted for the full round trip while the rest of
us hauled out at White House Pool. A good day for all of us. --- Chuck
Part 2 - The return to Inverness:
Don, Dave and Dave decided to paddle back to Inverness, (the original plan)
despite the ferocious wind .
We set out to cries of "good luck" and "are you insane!". The current was
strong and we moved along pretty well, until we go close to
the mouth of the creek where things got more interesting/challenging. Dave and Dave's
sea kayaks worked well in the wind, but Don, (who owns three kayaks), had
chosen his sit on top, which took a lot more effort. Good thing he's tough.
We persevered, reaching the open bay and paddling through
smallish white caps back to the cars. The return half took nearly 2.5 hour
to go 5 miles, but we all enjoyed it. -- Dave
Chucks notes: This trip can be
one-way or roundtrip. Winds and tides do make a big difference. A rising
tide of about 3 to 3.5 feet when you begin and culminating at 5 feet or more
makes for a fairly easy trip. You can ride the tide to White House Pool and
beyond to creek-side gravel bars above the Highway 101 bridge for lunch. If
you have dropped a car at the White house Pool parking area you can end your
trip there after lunch. If you decide to return to Chicken Ranch Beach, be
aware of the wind and wave action on the bay. Also, if you wait too long in
heading back you may get caught with low water in a few places.
Description: Paddle with
the rising tide from Chicken Ranch beach in Inverness through upper Tomales
Bay, into Lagunitas Creek to White House Pond and then follow the tide back
to Inverness. We did this trip in reverse last year and had a great time
except the water was too shallow at low tide. This trip should have good water depth all the way.
Rating:Skill
level: medium (wind and waves possible) Endurance: medium to high (10
miles?)Probable
headwinds on return leg.
Possibility of arranging a one way option
by leaving cars at White House Pond.
Coordinator: Chuck
Schultz
imayrespond@netzero.net
415-472-5837
Sunday, April 27, Petaluma River from Petaluma to Papa's Taverna
Trip Report:
This trip
was a great surprise because it was so easy. Usually we paddle against the
wind during the last one or two miles, but today we enjoyed calm waters and
very little wind all the way to Papas Taverna. In fact, the temperature was
even hot, which is extraordinary . We had five canoes and eight kayaks.
Because the weather was so pleasant, we had plenty of opportunity to chat
and catch up. Louisa had just returned from two weeks in New Zealand, and
the Dunhams had recently toured in Jordan, Israel and Egypt. Along the way,
we saw several great blue herons, Canada geese and lots of other birds we
didn't know by name. We also saw a large egret rookery in several eucalyptus
trees, a real treat. As usual the food at Papas Taverna was excellent. Our
canoe paddlers were Alan/Roberta Dunhan, Frank/Kitty Locke, David
Fitzgerald/Dee Simmons, Allen/Carol Teitelman and Bob and Linda Alwitt.
Kayakers were Enid Pollack, Mimi Abers, Barbara Verran, Kathy Beliakoff,
Louisa Arndt, Lori Parmelee, Cathy Harrington and Darlene Bennett, who had
heard about the club from Glen Sitz. -- Carol
Description:
A five-mile paddle from the marina
in Petaluma to Papa's Taverna on Lakeville Road. We will be paddling with an
outgoing tide, so if the wind doesn't come up, it will be an easy trip.
Winds can make it tough. We usually see lots of birds on this trip. We will
eat lunch at the Greek restaurant. There probably will be Greek dancing
there in the afternoon. It should be a lot of fun.
Rating:
easy (If the wind doesn't come up)
Coordinator: Allen
or Carol Teitelman,
925-939-7144
acteitel@aol.com
Saturday, May 3, Lake Hennessey
(Napa area)
Trip Report: Wow, this was a really beautiful day to be on the water. Six
paddlers showed up, Ron and Judy, Don, Louisa and Dee and David. We headed
to the right from the boat ramp and into the creek area there. There were a
lot of cormorant nests in the pine trees but the big old snag that used to
lean out over the lake and had so many nests has broken. Only about half of
it is still left. There were lots of birds in that area, (woodpeckers,
coots, Canada geese, grebes, ducks, blackbirds, plus osprey overhead),
making lots of great noise. We went up the creek itself but ran out of water
quickly. We paddled to the far end of the lake (Conn Valley), for a nice
lunch under a beautiful old oak. Then we paddled up that creek for quite a
ways, passing under an old concrete bridge that was almost too low to get
under. Its was very quiet and pretty in there. Finally we paddled back to
the cars, without much wind against us.
Photos:
some pix from this trip are included in our 2008 album.
Description:
This is a beautiful little lake in the hills just east of St Helena. In the
past we’ve seen lots of wildlife here; herons, osprey, grebes, etc. We will
explore the pretty areas where creeks come into the lake at both ends. Fee
for parking.
Directions
Rating:
Easy
Coordinator: Dave Fitzgerald
925-689-1141
david_fitzgerald@sbcglobal.net
Saturday,
May 17, San Pablo Reservoir (Contra Costa,
near Richmond)
Description:
A five- to eight-mile paddle along the shores of the reservoir. Will include
exploring the nature area, where motor boats are not allowed. Will explore
the creek running into the reservoir if permissible. We usually see many
birds, including flocks of Canada geese. Entry/launch fee. Bring a sack lunch.
Meeting time: 9:30
Directions:
Rating:
easy (Probable headwinds on return portion)
Coordinator: Coordinator: Allen
or Carol Teitelman,
925-939-7144
acteitel@aol.com
Summer
Friday,
July 11 thru Thursday July 18, Kidd Lake Campout.
Join us for a wonderful, relaxing weekend or longer. We
reserve the entire campground right on the lake. Boating, hiking, eating,
and general kicking back are popular activities. Great for children. Limited number
of campers.
Coordinators:
Dee Simmons and Dave Fitzgerald
deesimmons@sbcglobal.net
(or
925-689-1141)
Saturday, August 16, Lake Del Valle
(Contra Costa, near Livermore)
Description: This
trip is particularly fun for swimmers. We start at the boat launch area at
9:30 a.m. We'll paddle from five to seven miles, depending on how much time
we spend swimming. The water is usually quite warm in August and delightful.
Bring a lunch and binoculars, if you like bird-watching. Entry/launch fee.
Possible wine tasting or ice cream stop afterward.
Directions:
Rating:
easy
Coordinator: Coordinator: Allen
or Carol Teitelman,
925-939-7144
acteitel@aol.com
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