Mokelume shoals

[deltabighat]

A couple years ago I posted about running aground just south of the highway 12 bridge at the B and W Resort. I was told that this was the Mokekume Shoals and at low tide it was brutal. I was up there a couple weeks ago and folks were zipping thru there without a care as I went thru there at 5 mph, eyes glued to the depth finder. What gives?

DBH

 

[etyppo]

I just went through there on Saturday on the way to Walnut Grove. I'm not sure where the shoals are, but I stayed on the east side of the river south of the bridge and didn't see anything on the depth gauge that caused me any concern. I don't remember the exact depths, but I'm pretty sure it was 10+. I had some trouble on the same side(east) across the river from the Riverboat. There used to a be a fairly deep channel there, but I wasn't finding it. I'm not sure how deep it really was because my depth sounder is set off by weeds, but I went through at idle speed since my alarm was going off constantly and it didn't seem very deep. Looking at chart after the fact, I may not have been close enough to the levee, but I'm pretty sure I've taken a similar route without issues before. I also ran into issues on the way home when I took the south fork home. There's a tule island south of Beaver Slough I've gone on the east side of before, but quickly realized (at idle speed luckily) that wasn't going to work on a fairly low tide. I was churning up a bunch of mud and dragging on the bottom and/or weeds. Plenty of water on the other side once I got turned around fortunately.

Anybody know what the story is with the two huge (100'+) boats tied up on the south side of H & H? I thought I was seeing a ship on the ship channel from a distance.

 

[Flutterby]

Re the shoals: When I was still boating [2009], they were a BIG problem at low tide and impossible at a minus tide. High tide usually offered enough a water for even large draft boats. So check your tide tables before heading up that way. And check your chart for the best route off of the San Joaquin River into the Moke River and up to the Bridge.

Things may have changed since 2009, but if anything there be less water in the water. I doubt there has been any dredging and I know we haven't had any extremely heavy outflows such as a major storm or flooding......

 

[Flutterby]

DBH: did you get my PM last week?

 

[deltabighat]

No Flutterby....I didn't recieve anything. You can email me at sfalbrachtdcrb2@gr5taol.com

 

[Flutterby]

sfalbrachtdc "at" aol.com ??? Did I get your user name correct? Watch for my gmail.com user name boaterbetsy

 

[deltabighat]

Got your email...good talking to you....keep up the good work you do for our old swamp

DBH

 

[deltabighat]

Got your email...good talking to you....keep up the good work you do for our old swamp

DBH

 

[kgd]

I haven't had issues with that stretch. I stay on the East side South of the bridge and West side North of the bridge.

I am heading back there end of next week but here is a track from last summer. I didn't see less than 10 feet except briefly between Willow Berm and River Boat which showed 8 feet from the bottom of my boat, so really 12 feet. At high tide a will cut through the middle right before the main channel, at lower tides I go straight out to the main channel toward the 45 channel marker and turn into the channel South across from the 46 marker.

Would be interested to know if things have changed since then.

Kris

 

[deltabighat]

Good stuff Kris.....I am huge proponent of keeping one eye on the depth sounder and the other on the tide tables but I must have been sleeping when I went aground there a couple years ago and it has had my attention ever since. Thank for the reply and charts

DBH

 

[deltabighat]

Good stuff Kris.....I am huge proponent of keeping one eye on the depth sounder and the other on the tide tables but I must have been sleeping when I went aground there a couple years ago and it has had my attention ever since. Thank for the reply and charts

DBH

 

[deltabighat]

Good stuff Kris.....I am huge proponent of keeping one eye on the depth sounder and the other on the tide tables but I must have been sleeping when I went aground there a couple years ago and it has had my attention ever since. Thank for the reply and charts

DBH

 

[deltabighat]

Good stuff Kris.....I am huge proponent of keeping one eye on the depth sounder and the other on the tide tables but I must have been sleeping when I went aground there a couple years ago and it has had my attention ever since. Thank for the reply and charts

DBH

 

[deltabighat]

Good stuff Kris.....I am huge proponent of keeping one eye on the depth sounder and the other on the tide tables but I must have been sleeping when I went aground there a couple years ago and it has had my attention ever since. Thank for the reply and charts

DBH

 

[deltabighat]

Wow.....what in the world did I do.......5-6 replies all the same. Old age and modern tech do not mix....apologies to all

DBH

 

[getakey]

Kris - you aren't staying in the Bay for the Americas Cup races?

 

[kgd]

I am only staying on the Delta July until mid-August this year. I prefer watching them practice vs the racing as you don't have restrictions during the practice and they come very close to you for great views.

That said I am really looking forward to watching them race.

Kris

 

[getakey]

What days/times have they been practicing? I have not seen them on the weekends

 

[kgd]

I have only seen them during the week.

Probably too many other boats out on the weekends.

 

[Flutterby]

When entering or exiting the mouth of the Moke at the San Joaquin, I always used the east channel all the way from the entrance of Korth's to the deep water channel. I've seen boats get into trouble by going straight out toward the Ch 45 Marker!