I intend to use my 4th of July weekend to the fullest by touring somewhere within driving distance of Southern California. I'd love to hear preferences for row touring on San Francisco Bay, Lake Mead, Tahoe, San Diego Bay - what's your favorite? I figure you can't go wrong but I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone who's been there. I"ve picked up a 16' Kittery skiff (too small for windy waters) and will have my Appledore by then.

Thanks in advance!

-- Bruce Osborn (bosborn@mentorcorp.com), June 14, 2002

Answers

Hi Bruce; we cross paths again. I'll be interested if there are any other regulars readers of this site in southern Cal who will respond. I like Lake Mead, Mohave Lake and the lower Colorado River (all connected), but NOT in summer -- WAY too hot. Tahoe is beautiful of course, but much of the shoreline is private, so you can't launch or land just anywhere. San Francisco Bay seems too rough and urban, but I hear the Sacramento River delta upstream is very interesting. San Diego Bay: if you come down August 14-18, you can camp on the beach with the Scuzbums and row the bay to your heart's content, and have lots of like-minded boat nuts to keep you company. As for July 4 weekend, if you come to Orange County I would join you in open water off Dana Point and/or a protected-water tour of Newport Harbor, which should be a real boat-circus that weekend.

-- Kim Apel (kapel@fullerton.edu), June 14, 2002.

Kim - thannks for the response! After I wrote I realized the weatherman had just mentioned 106 degrees in the desert for yesterday - no thanks! Re; SF Bay I was thinking of the South Bay around Redwood Creek where it's protected and lots of interesting waterway. Newport sounds like a blast - and it will definitely be the biggest boatshow on the west Coast that weekend. Let's touch base as the weekend approaches - I'm not sure what condition the Appledore is in - it may need some work. The Kittery Skiff should be fine in protected water in the Bay. Should be fun - thanks for the offer!

Bruce

-- Bruce Osborn (bosborn@mentorcorp.com), June 14, 2002.