[Fleet9] Fleet 9 - August Cruise to Petaluma

[Chuck Herman]

August Cruise to Petaluma

 

The Fleet 9 August cruise is this weekend the 15th-17th to Petaluma. This is
always a fun place to visit and is one of the more popular cruising
destinations in the area. This is also a long trip, 7 hours from Alameda,
just like the Napa River trip. Getting to the mouth of the river should give
us some good sailing into northern San Pablo Bay. Once we get into the river
the wind slows down and we usually end up motoring. This is quite a scenic
river surrounded by wetlands and vineyards.

 

So far Migration and Perseverance are the only boats that have confirmed
that they are going. We will both be leaving Alameda at 9:00 AM on Friday to
arrive in Petaluma around 4:00 PM. This will have us at Red Rock ~ 11:30 and
at marker #1 (N34.02.72 W122.25.60) of the Petaluma Channel ~ 1:00 PM. There
is a flood in the morning that we should be able to ride most of the way up
the river. 

 

For those who can't go on Friday, it's not too complicated. I have written
instructions to get you from Petaluma Marker #1 to the Turning Basin.

 

>From Marker #1  it is important to keep in the channel as it narrows, as
there is usually some cross current. Look aft to make sure you are aligned
with your forward view to help keep you on the channel. You should see at
least 14 feet in this part of the channel. If you see less than 10 slow down
and turn to get back into the center of the channel. There is a 30 degree
turn to port at marker #5 and 6, then slight turns again to port at #13, #15
and #17 to get you to up the mouth of the river. Once you pass #19 you are
now in the river looking forward at the open RR Swing Bridge. This part if
the trip from Marker #1 to the RR Bridge should be ~ 1 hour.

 

>From here the river has been dredged and is deeper than the channel in San
Pablo Bay. If you follow the channel markers and keep an eye on your depth
gauge there should be no issues with the depth. In the last 4 years we have
gone twice a year and had no incidents with club members getting into
shallow water. As a landmark about 1 hour past the RR bridge you will pass a
marina on the right, I think it is Lakeville Marina. From there it is 1 more
hour to the Petaluma Turning Basin. As you near Petaluma the Petaluma
Municipal Marina will be on your right. Go past this marina, through the
open RR swing bridge and under the HWY 101 fixed bridge. The river narrows
at this point, but there is little current effect at this point, just stay
towards the middle of the river. 

 

This is usually where I call the D Street Bridge operator to give him 10 to
15 minutes to get to the bridge and be ready for you when you get there. D
Street is the only bridge that needs to be opened on this trip. Once you go
through the D Street Bridge you are at our destination, the Petaluma Turning
Basin. We usually side tie and raft out as needed.

 

Notes on the D Street Bridge.

This bridge needs 24 hours notice. I will notify him of both a Friday and
Saturday arrivals. If you think you will not arrive before 5:00 PM, call the
operator to notify him of your late arrival as soon as you can. This is
usually not a problem but he is supposed to go home at 5:00 PM. If there is
a problem contacting the bridge tender call Chuck Herman's cell phone, I
will have the bridge operator's cell phone #.

 

D Street Bridge 707-778-4489 or VHF 9

Chuck Herman 408-482-4683

 

The mooring fee will be $20 per night. There is a drop box for this at the
Yacht Club.

 

Friday night dinner will be on the boats or in town, depending on how we
feel when we get there. We will be planning to go out for dinner in town
Saturday night. There are many restaurants to choose from and we will pick
one when we get there. 

 

There are minus tides early in the morning all 3 days, with highs late in
the afternoon, so all portions of the trip on the river will be on rising
tides. We will be going with the current on Friday/Saturday and against the
current on Sunday. The turning basin at Petaluma was dredged 2 years ago, so
there should be no problems once we get to Petaluma.

 

We will be communicating on channel 72, and monitoring 16.

 

Contact Chuck Herman if you plan to go on this cruise. Please let me know if
you are going up on Friday or Saturday.

chas_herman at yahoo.com

 

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