SFBANTA Delta Cruise
by Pat Borison
This summer's BANTA Delta Cruise officially started on Saturday, July 18 at Pittsburg's spacious and well-maintained municipal docks. Cruise leader Bob Lee on Apollo, coming FROM the Delta, was the last to arrive, joining Luna Sea, Carmen, Hoot and Jeanne Marie III and making us a fleet of five boats, ten people, five dogs and two cats. After hors d'oeuvres aboard air-conditioned Carmen, some walked a few blocks to an excellent Italian restaurant. Others barbecued on board.
Sunday we cruised up New York Slough and the San Joaquin River to Potato Slough, finding a perfect place to anchor in Bedroom #3. When we arrived, three or four other boats with lots of swimmers and water toys were already there; about 5 o'clock they all went home, leaving us the slough to ourselves. After a day of swimming and lounging, we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres aboard Jeanne Marie III (more air conditioning) and welcomed Nimbus, who deserved to relax after making the trip from Brisbane in one long day.
Sunday night at anchor was just a perfect star-filled Delta night, silent except for crickets. Our fleet now numbered six boats, but the paw count remained at 20 canine and 8 feline.
On a quiet Monday morning at Potato Slough, Nancy (from Hoot) explored our anchorage by kayak while others ferried dogs to the nearby levee and land. About 11 o'clock we all headed up Potato and Little Potato Sloughs to White Slough, where we anchored and again had the slough to ourselves. Most of us took the short dinghy ride to King Island resort, offering ice and land for dogs.
Apollo hosted cocktails by a dinghy raft-up, and also provided the AC nature's way; (it was a bit windy). Wind also provided opportunity to demonstrate how quickly we can disassemble the dinghy raft - without spilling drinks or appetizers - when the combination of wind and all those stern appendages caused Apollo's anchor to drag. (Or was Apollo just eager to visit Carmen?) The wind shut down about 10 p.m. The stars came out, crickets sang and a big bull frog announced his presence. With no other sounds except gentle water slapping against the hull, we were again reminded just what a serene place Delta sloughs can be.
Tuesday we headed back down White Slough, past nearly deserted Herman and Helen's to Delta Yacht Club, an island club located just off the Stockton Deep Water Channel, where we partnered with a Coyote Point Yacht Club cruise for two days. Buoy Toy and Tugzilla joined us, bringing our Tug count to eight (no additional paws). We enjoyed swimming in the club's pool, bocce ball and just plan "hanging out." CPYC provided beer-can roasted chicken for dinner.
Our turn to cook was Wednesday and we showed them just how efficient Tuggers can be. Bob and Pat scooted home to Discovery Bay in their dinghy, eventually returning in their ski boat with hamburger patties, fixings, and two cases of corn (Brentwood Diamonds) picked that morning from a local farm. (Thanks, Nancy, Pam and Vince for Sam-sitting.)
Then the efficient BANTA kitchen crew leapt to work, operating like a precision marching unit. With three sergeants directing, in a blink some 60-plus ears of corn were shucked and cooked, tables set, salads served and burgers flipped. Everyone from Coyote Point and BANTA raved about the meal. Take a bow, crew!
