Petaluma

We departed the Wheeler Island Duck Club at 8am this morning. Ran up on plane for the first hour and a half. Passed the old C&H Sugar Cane factory and then continued under the Carquainez Bridge. Soon after entering San Pablo Bay we were hit with a pretty heavy rain shower. That slowed us all down due to visibility. The turn off to the Petaluma River is in San Pablo Bay, and we were getting some opposing wind to current, creating some 1 foot chop. Others picked their speed back up once the rain shower passed, however I continued at a slower pace. We had a 2pm bridge opening to enter the Petaluma Basin, and since I was showing arrival there at my speed to be close to 2, I prioritized fuel mileage. C-Dory Nowhere Fast also maintained a slower speed behind me. The others anchored for lunch just inside the Petaluma River entrance at Point Sonoma. I eventually caught up with them, and continued past. They eventually caught up and a few went past. Four of us lagging behind had to stop at the rail road bridge just outside of Petaluma, while a train passed. After the train passed, the bridge was opened and we continued to the D-Street bridge, which also had to open for us. Just inside is the Petaluma basin and docks. All 11 of us just barely fit in the space between the end of the dock and a commercial boat rental facility. We had the afternoon then to relax and/or walk around town. At 6p, many of us walked to the Brewsters restaurant for supper.Read more