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A Proposed Mini-Gunkholing Trip

Here's a proposed course for a mini-gunkholing expedition. The tentative course for our explorations is in the area north of San Pablo Bay and Highway 37 and west of the Napa River. This area is full of the sloughs we like to explore and has the added bonus of some interesting historical structures including early farmsteads and US military remnants from the Navy days at Mare Island (most of the region was part of the extended Mare Island base until the early 1990's).

Here is a general, not-very-detailed map of the proposed area of exploration. I figure we put in at Cuttings Wharf (upper right), row down to Napa Slough, west to Hudeman Slough, further to Third Napa Slough and into Sonoma Creek. Then south towards the bay, heading back east along Napa Slough and ducking to starboard into South Slough and Dutchman Slough. Then back to the Napa River and south along Mare Island where we pull out in Vallejo at Brinkman's.

Additionally, I've added a map based on the San Pablo Bay ENC chart from the NOAA ENC collections. This map provides a more detailed view of the proposed course (in red) along with some possible side trips (in green) to explore interesting sloughs.

The sloughs and rivers should present no great technical challenges and, following the tides and afternoon winds, shouldn't present too much of a physical challenge either. Relaxation and fun is my goal - with hours of napping and lounging in the sun as an added bonus!

Let's get together and make more concrete plans and have at it!

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