Happy Spring!

The marina is buzzing with activity as you all get your boats ready for a busy 2012 boating season!

The weather has been beautiful and the water even better. My wife and I took a cruise to Benicia a few weeks back and the air was warm and clear, the water like glass and we enjoyed watching the seals sunning themselves on the buoys and birds bobbing on the water… we cruised with the ships moving along the channel and watched them change pilots in Pittsburg.

April 1st the marina begins summer hours so the office will again be open 7 days a week. Stop by and say hi and let us know if we can do anything for you.

April 14^th is the Opening Day Parade. This year’s theme is American Spirit; so get your boats ready and decorated! Driftwood Yacht Club board members can help you with registration and parade start times. Dinner reservations can be made directly to Sportsmen’s Yacht Club before April 1^st.

Another event to get on to your calendar is the Driftwood Marina Open House on Saturday, May 19th from 12 to 3. We will be supplying Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and the fixings, as well as giving away marina hats, t-shirts and beach bags. We will also have a drawing for West Marine Gift Cards. It is our way of thanking you for being such great berthers as well as introducing prospective berthers to the marina!

Remember, Driftwood Yacht Club offers Taco Tuesday and karaoke every week and has begun changing up the menu a couple times a month with a chef’s choice offering instead of the taco bar. They also serve dinner on Friday nights and you can see the menu on their website www.dycweb.org. The facilities are available for event rental so consider having your next party there.

Join us on Facebook! You can find us at http://www.facebook.com/groups/225470987531519/

IT’S A GIRL TIMES 2!!!

I’M SO PROUD TO ANNOUNCE TWO NEW GIRLS IN OUR FAMILY…

On July 27, 2011 I adopted a 1 ½ year old Golden Lab mix named Daisy. She has adjusted to harbor life like a duck to water; in fact, it is a challenge to keep her out of the water! She loves meeting all of our berthers and their canine family members. She certainly has taken well to her new role as Driftwood’s ambassador.




AND in August 29, 2011 we welcomed our newest granddaughter, Alana Paige Carroll, to the family. (Yes, that makes 4 grandchildren, two girls and two boys). I’m sure it won’t take long for her to have Papa wrapped around her finger…

I am also pleased to tell you our front dock repairs have been completed… we have 8 - 45 foot renovated spaces available to rent, so please encourage your friends to become part of the Driftwood family!

On Saturday, October 8th, Driftwood Yacht Club is hosting the annual Make-A-Wish cruise and fundraiser. This year’s committee has really been working hard to bring an enjoyable day to you, so please participate…Tickets are $35 per person and that includes a 2 hour yacht cruise, lunch, entertainment and auction. This event is open to the public so get your group together and have a fun-filled day for a good cause!

An important reminder…please have children wear properly fitting life vests when on the docks; not just in your boat. Accidents can happen at any time. I require my grandchildren to have their life vests on before we leave the parking lot and go down the ramps. Also, I encourage all adults to wear life vests when on the water. I highly recommend the inflatable vests. These vests automatically inflate, with a co2 canister, should you fall into water. They are very comfortable and will not hinder your enjoyment of your boating trip. And… they may save your life!

As fall approaches, I believe you are able to enjoy the best boating the Delta has to offer. The winds die down and the water is smooth and cool. Striper fishing is gearing up. Per the fishing reports, one of the present hot spots is right in front of our marina, at the Antioch Bridge. Of course, I could have told you that, because our seasonal resident seal has been spotted inside the harbor again. We are very lucky to experience such a diversity of wildlife at Driftwood. From time to time, in the morning, we can enjoy the peace and quiet and watch a crane or egret float by on a tule island.

Happy and Safe Boating,

Mike

Summer is finally here!

The warmer weather has finally returned and we are now open with summer hours: 7 days a week -8am to 4pm.

Our gas dock and pump out will be closed for a short period in May due to the upgrading of the front dock. We apologize for the inconvenience, but be assured, we will have it opened again as soon as possible.

We have several berths available, so if you know anyone looking for a home for their boat, be sure to tell them to call us, or better yet, come by for a visit. They can also use the website to sign up on the waiting list at www.driftwoodmarina.com.

We have arranged to have someone come in and help repair all the ramps in the marina. We will be welding and putting new runners down, so please understand there will be a time that your ramp may not be available to you for a couple of hours. It is necessary, for safety reasons, that you stay back from the workers. Most of the work will be done during the week, but if you are inconvenienced, come up to the office and we will work something out.

I know the high cost of fuel is making boating a little expensive. You can still have fun by using your boat and planning short trips or just coming out, staying on your boat, and visiting with your neighboring berthers; plus your boat likes to have some attention too!

Has it been that long?!

Well, I am a bit over due for an article and I apologize for that. It has been a very busy summer! With the close of summer, there is still a lot of good fall weather for boating. Many fishing derbies are starting up and with the mild days, still a lot of time to spend on your boats.

The tenants of AA dock have had several spontaneous “dock” parties this summer, even making homemade ice cream. Driftwood is a weekend getaway for many, coming out every Friday night and staying until late Sunday afternoon. I encourage you to get to know your dock neighbors, and enjoy your time at the marina too.

With the economy down, boating recreation has also been down, which means we have some vacancies in slips 36 feet and under. If you have a friend looking for a place to berth, please recommend us. For larger boats, we have a waiting list and prospective berthers can be added right from the web site.

The marina staff has been trying to stay on top of many different projects; working on upgrading the front docks, trying to keep the weeds in the harbor cut down and most of all trying to keep the hydrilla and water hyacinth out of the harbor. We had some set backs due to our workboat being broken down and waiting on parts for a while, but it is working again. As a lot of you know, we hired a company to come in and help us cut weeds in June. They did a real nice job. Thank you for all of your thank you letters. The corporation likes to hear that it was appreciated. It was is very expensive project but we are planning to do it annually. We will still get out with the workboat and work when the tides cooperate. We should have some pictures of the project to post on the web page in the near future.

I want to take a minute to welcome Ernie Quails back to our staff. Ernie was my assistant before he moved to Tennessee. Now that he and his wife are back in the area, he has returned to our relief staff. We are so glad to have him back working with us. Come on into the office and say hi!

Driftwood Yacht Club is hosting their annual Make-A-Wish fundraiser on Saturday, October 2. We wholeheartedly support this event and encourage you to join in too. There will be some minor disruptions to the operation of the marina that day. There will be a guard at the gate to regulate participant parking. Just let them know you are a tenant and you will be able to get in. If you have guests arriving later to join you, be sure they know your name, dock letter and slip number. Since this is a public event, for your security, please keep your dock gates locked do not open your dock gate to let anyone into your dock if you do not know them.

Finally, October 1^st is the beginning of winter hours for the harbor. The office will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and we will not have anyone available to conduct harbor business those days. Please plan your schedules accordingly.

Happy Boating!!!

Spring - Finally!

For the most part, winter has past us. The weather is getting better and it’s time to get out and enjoy boating. Driftwood Marina (as I write this) is having our first cruise-in of the year. If you have not been around lately, we have upgraded the guest docking and our visitors certainly appreciate it.

We have also upgraded the website. There is a new waiting list you can sign up on, to get a slip, so please tell your friends about it. We would love them to make Driftwood their new home.

Remember the office is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday and will remain so through May of this year. E-mail is a great way to reach me when I am off (driftwoodmagoo@yahoo.com)

Opening day for our area is the first Saturday in April. Anyone interested in decorating their boat and participating in the parade should contact Driftwood Yacht Club...see the link on our web page. The theme is ‘Building Bridges”.

If you have not put your new registration stickers on your boat, please do so as soon as possible. I have been contacted by the Marine Patrol and advised that they will be here soon, walking the docks and putting reminder slips on your boat, followed by a ticket.

It's the most wonderful (and windy) time of the year!

We weathered last week’s windstorm with little damage to the marina, but the harbormaster’s house took a beating! Those north winds, sustained at 32mph with gusts up to 63mph, wreak havoc for sure. Batten down the hatches and hold on, as the prediction is for a stormy winter. Just a reminder to be sure your boats are secured and bilges are working!

The dock project is underway and being completed in 80’ sections. Thank you for your cooperation last month as we moved the docks into the water. For now, the guest dock is closed. The next stage is to install the electricity and water lines. For you own safety, please stay out of the construction area.
Congratulations to all of the berthers who participated in the Lited Boat Parade this past weekend. Terry Leavitt won the Best of Show and Joe Sabino won the Judge’s Choice Award. Other winners included Nick Rassussin, 2nd place 35’ and over and Jim and Cheryl Davi, 2nd place under 35’. Also Driftwood Yacht Club members, Steve and Heather Ingram, of Delta Discovery Cruises, took 1st place for over 35’.

In partnership with Delta Discovery Cruises, Driftwood Yacht Club is hosting a New Year’s Eve party this year. For $69 per person, you will be welcomed aboard the Island Serenade for a 2 hour Cocktail and Appetizer cruise on the delta and return to the Yacht Club for dinner and dancing to live music. The boat departs Driftwood Marina at 7pm. Please contact Delta Discovery Cruises for reservations (see link on our homepage). Everyone is welcome to attend.

In addition to our winter hours (the office is closed Tuesday and Wednesday) I want to remind you that the office will be closed at noon December 24th and all day December 25th as well as January 1st.

Kathy and I want to wish each of you a very happy holiday season and thank you for your goodwill this year.

Fall is here!

Just had a nice visit from my son Steve and his family, who live in Texas. We celebrated my grandson, Hunter’s 2nd birthday while they were here.

We will be starting the Winter Hours on October 1st. Note the no staff will be available on Tuesday or Wednesday. All business you have with the harbor must be done Thursday through Monday until April 2010.

Weekends in October will be very busy:

Driftwood yacht club will be holding their annual Make-A-Wish fundraiser on Saturday, October 3rd. This event raises tens of thousands of dollars each year for the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation. Please stop by and support this great cause.

Sadly, Driftwood Yacht Club will say farewell with a Celebration of Life for one of its founding members and a past commodore; a woman Kathy and I consider its matriarch, Diane Barnard, on Sunday, October 11th at 2pm. I expect many boats to come in early that day and will moor at the guest dock, so those of you in C shed, who wish to move for the day, let me know. We are expecting a large turnout, so please, also, be patient with traffic in the parking lot.

Beginning mid-October, we will start our winter harbor improvement projects. Specifically, Saturday, October 17th and Sunday October 18th there will be limited access to the east side of the marina as we move the concrete docks. On Monday, October 19th there will be NO ACCESS to the east side, while the docks are moved into the water.

On Sunday, October 25th Lauritzen’s will be hosting jet ski races again. This is a great spectator event and for safety, our berthers will be escorted in and out of the harbor. Please pay attention to the buoys and do not cross into the course.

Some of you may have noticed we have had some trouble with the hot water in the restrooms, but I am pleased to say we have a brand new 75-gallon water heater that has just been installed, so no more cold showers!

As you begin to hunker down for the winter, pull in your inflatables, and begin your winter maintenance, please be sure nothing is impairing access to the walkways. For safety and insurance reasons, we need to keep the docks clear.

I know many of you will be participating in the multitude of fishing tournaments that are being sponsored in the area over the next few months. We would love to include reports and photos on our website, so please send them my way. If anyone is interested in becoming the “official fishing reporter” for the website, let me know.

Enjoy the best time of year on the Delta!