Boating – June 2019

BOATINGMAG.COM | JUNE 2019 | 85

From afar, the California Delta might not seem like much to most boaters. The narrow, often shallow waterways rise and
recede with the tide, making them tricky to navigate. The water is never clear—and is aff ectionately nicknamed “the Dirty
Delta,” and mainly referred to as just the Delta. And even with modern navigation systems and smartphones, the winding
sloughs can quickly leave a captain lost, while the oft-similar-looking levee walls and tule reeds only add to the confusion.
Along its many waterways you’ll fi nd little in terms of high-end amenities, or amenities at all. The tiny towns that still
exist do so at a much slower pace and on less grand of a scale, especially compared the metropolises of the Bay Area and
Sacramento. The Delta never made it as a tourist destination, and it’s never tried to become one. There are no must-see
sights, and there probably won’t ever be. Ask a local, though, and you’ll hear tales of a boating paradise.