Up the Delta to Sacramento?

[gmtech16450yz]

Hey my wife and I are thinking about exploring that part of the Delta, has anyone on here gone either the main channel route or the eastern route that goes along 160? We've launched at B&W resort before and was thinking of starting from there. I'm not sure if that's the best ramp to start from though, would we be better off at Oxbow Marina or Walnut Grove Marina? I've never been to either of those or gone all the way up to Sacramento by boat.

Are there decent places to guest dock around Old Town? We'd like to be able to eat in Sac somewhere before heading back down. Is there anything we should know or worry about? Any cool spots to not miss?

Thanks!

 

[Scottintexas]

@Ronnie might be able to help,

 

[gmtech16450yz]

Thanks! I just read through some of his old posts and others that came up on a search. It looks like Steamboat Slough is the way to go but I'd bypass that if I launched at Walnut Grove it looks like? It looks like just launching at Walnut Grove and taking the Sac river all the way along 160 to Old Town and back would be a decent day trip?

 

[Ronnie]

I have boated up the sacramento river to old sacramento several times. Usually launch from antioch marina or brannon island (antioch is $5 to launch and park per day, brannon island will cost $10 per day plus $20 to get over the bridge, $15 if you have a single axle trailer). If im staying the night or several in sacramento i usually launch out of brannon island as it seems more secure where my tow vehicle and trailer are concerned.

Total distance is about 50 or 45 miles on the water one way, respectively. The fastest i have made the trip is about 2 hours (lots of no wake zones) but 3 to 4 hours is more common, especically if i am pulling a wakeboarder or tube. Hard to get lost once you make it into the channel that isleton and walnut grove are on or the parallel steamboat slough. Launch south of walnut grove at vierras resort and you launch directly into the channel to old sacramento. Walnut grove has an elevator ramp that is limited to 22 foot boats and trailers. Also a good place to stop for pizza / ice cream as well as a marine shop if you need it or geneneral parts/tools.

Guest docks at old sac under the bridge that are free during the day and $1.50 per foot overnight, if you want to use their available shore power that may be extra. Once docked there are plenty of places in walking distance to eat at, joes crab shack is just above the guest dock if you are into it, the railroad museum is near the end of the dock amd there are a few other museums in the area as well as the capitol building. You can also stay at the embassy suites right next to the dock for about $2oo per night. There are several marinas nearby that have some nice places to eat as well.

The local party zone seems to be discovery park (occassionally rage on the river events are held there, usually in june) about two miles north by water of the guest dock but ive seen a few impromptu and large tie ups in front of the other nearby marinas.

On the way back if you want to take a little different route take steamboat slough it starts at about the halfway point and runs parallel to the main channel all the way back to isleton/rio vista. There is at least one resort on that route that you may want to check out.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[gmtech16450yz]

Thanks Ronnie! So I think we're going to launch at Brannan Island, that way we can go up Steamboat Slough and back the 160 route. Which route has more slow sections? Where's the $20 bridge? I think we're going to wait until Sunday since it's supposed to be warmer than tomorrow. It will be nice to actually get some sunshine out on the boat.

 

[Ronnie]

I would say both steamboat slough and the main channel have the same amount of slow zones. The resort on steam boat slough has its own no wake zone that is at least 1/4 mile long but you may want to check it out to see if you would like to stay there for a weekend or longer , there is also a chance youll see a car ferry allng this route.

The bridge i referenced is the anioch bridge, if you dont launch in antioch and elect to go on to brannon island you have to cross this bridge to do so.

I hope you have fun but suggest you leave early or risk boating back in the dark. Also dont be too concerned if you launch out of brannon island and its windy until you get to steamboat slough or the slough that leads past vieeras resort, iselton and walnut grove,(you should probably expect it to be windy, there is a reason some company built a large number windfarm in the area). Depending on how the slough you are in is oriented compared to the direction of the wind much of your time on the water will be wind protected. You can avoid the windy channel entirely if you launch closer to isleton at vierras resort. Also if you use the guest docks at old sac dock on the inside but beware the current may be strong on either side. The guest docks are in a no wake zone but ive seen a lot of boats big and small fly through there.

 

[gmtech16450yz]

OMG the Delta is absolutely beautiful this time of year!









Lol. For those of you that have never been to the Sacramento Delta, that's not it.

I had been watching the weather forecasts and although the Bay Area was supposed to be nice and sunny, it's the time of year for the thick valley fog to hang around. It was pea soup thick as we were driving up 5. We kept going north and ended up at Bullards Bar Reservoir instead simply because we knew it would be sunny up there. It was. And we had a wonderful day. Water temps were 53 degrees so we stayed in the boat. We were in 15 feet of water though and could clearly see the bottom. Beautiful blue clear water up there, it's definitely one of the nicest lakes in norther cali.

Thanks again Ronnie, I'll be using your advice when the fog clears!