Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All!

It’s been a busy month getting ready and enjoying all the festivities of the holiday season. The Marina is decked out and we’ve all been enjoying some holiday cheer.  This year’s Lited Boat Parade was quite a treat – I hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did!

You may have noticed a lot of activity at the building that was the former Yacht Club.  Renovations are being made so we can welcome our new tenants, Strategic Security Technologies, on January 1^st.  We are excited to welcome them and know they will be a great addition to the marina.

Best of luck staying dry these next few weeks… They’re expecting some increased wave activity from the various storms, so please stay vigilant and safe!

Lastly,  a reminder that we will be closing the office at noon December 24^th and all day December 25^th, so our staff can enjoy the holiday with their families.

Merry Christmas to all of you and Happy Boating! See you in the New Year!

Santa Mike

The Holidays are around the corner...

We think it’s safe to say that the Holiday Season has officially begun as the “elves” are already busy getting your Marina all spruced up and ready for Christmas and we’re down to counting the days 'till Turkey Time.

We’ve been busy enjoying our lovely fall and all its beautiful days - so beautiful it’s been a little while since I sat down behind the computer so update our blog, so here goes:

• The fishing report is good.  Lots of tournaments and great catches are being reported.  The fish are loving these cooler water temps! Be sure to follow our tenant, Dan’s Delta Outdoors, on Facebook for weekly fishing reports.  
• Timely news that I’m sure you will all join me in giving Thanks for….The False River barrier is finally completely down!  A much welcomed feat as that is one of our great waterways.
• With the weather changing, please be vigilant about tying up your boats and having them buttoned down.  We don’t want you to have any surprises with the expected storms.

A few dates for your calendars:

• Be sure to put December 5th down for the Lited Boat Parade, hosted this year by Sportsmen Yacht Club.  Entry form and dinner reservations (reservations a must) can be found on their website www.sportsmenyc.org The boats will line up at the Antioch Bridge (in front of our marina) at 4:45 pm.  What a great sight!
• As we see other holiday events pop up we’ll be sure and update them via facebook - so make sure you’re continuing to check our site!

That’s about it for now so we’ll end with this:  Not to discount the importance of food and football, but Thanksgiving is a at it’s core about giving thanks for all the goodness we have in our lives, and here at Driftwood we’re so Thankful for all of you who make this Marina such a special place. So from our proverbial table to yours', a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Happy Boating,

Mike

Fall greetings 2015

Fall greetings, my fellow Driftwood-ites!

Summer is drawing to a close and the best days on the Delta are here!  The days are still warm, the water is calm and fishing is ramping up - many tournaments have begun!  Football and hockey have started again, basketball teams are training and Jeff Gordon has made the chase for the last time… 

We appreciate each of our berthers and want to thank those of you who were able to make it to our Appreciation Day last weekend.  Door prizes, swag bags and great food were enjoyed by so many of you – 67  in total, what a great turnout!

New around the marina is our sign…colorful and easy to see!  Also of note, the rock barrier is coming down and the waterway at False River is expected to be open in about 30 days.  Three cheers for no more detour! 

Some housekeeping items:

• In a few weeks you will all be getting your registration bills from the Dept. of Motor Vehicles.  Once you receive your new registration for 2015-2017 please be sure to send a copy to us.  We are required to keep them on file.
• Also, remember that you need to power down at least 100 yards before entering the harbor.  The entire harbor is a no wake zone and that includes the entrance. This also includes exiting the marina. 

That’s it for now, folks – so get out there and enjoy the water!

Happy Boating,

Mike

Summer greetings - August Blog

Welp folks, it’s been busy weekends all summer long!  

We had an excellent wine event for our Berthers on Sunday July 12^th with about 40 people attending, where we sampled four wines paired with tasty food.  It looks like this may become another annual event due to the popularity and turnout, so if you weren’t able to make it this year we’ll see you at the next one!

Be sure to put our next marina social on your calendar for Saturday, September26th - Berther Appreciation Day!  We’ll be grilling up some Hamburgers/Hot dogs and the fixin’s, there will be a raffle/prizes, and it should overall be a great social time to visit with your fellow Drifties. The event will be from noon to 3pm.

Aahmes Shrine YC held their fundraiser event here at Driftwood August 1^st.  And a big thank you to Diablo YC for choosing Driftwood as their July cruise destination. 

On the housekeeping front -  Our new ice machine is up and running and available for berther’s use. It is located near the bathrooms.  We’d ask that you only take what you need, use the scoop and replace it on top of the machine, and close the door when you are finished.

We just had a new gas drop and prices are now $3.89.  And remember that we still have a few berths available, so let your friends know -  Boating is so much fun when you can share it with friends!

Lastly, please know we appreciate every one of you and thank you for your patronage.

Until next time…

Happy Boating,

Mike

Happy Summer!

June, 2015 Blog

I love seeing all of you out again, using your boats.  The marina is buzzing with activity.

After a 40 year drought, I’m very excited to congratulate the Golden State Warrior’s on their National Basketball Championship!  Go DUBS…

I’m also very happy to introduce the newest addition to our administrative team, my wife Kathy.  I’ve been trying for years to get her on board, and now she is in the office two days a week.  In addition to administrative projects, she will be planning some fun events for you berthers.

Our first one will be a wine tasting event on Sunday, July 12 from 2-4 pm.  We will be offering tasting of 4 wines paired with hors d'oeuvres and want to encourage you to come join in for some social time.

The barrier is up in False River, and we have been told the currents are wicked!  As always, be sure of your surroundings, plan your trip accordingly and wear your life jackets.

Wishing you all a (belated) Happy Father’s Day and fun and safe 4^th of July.

Mike

Mike's May Musings...

With the return of the warm weather, we are really glad so many of you have been out lately!  The water is warming up and many of you are getting the jet skis out.  Fun times ahead!  On that note, please be mindful of the no wake zone inside the harbor.  That means you can’t “open it up” until you pass the harbormaster’s house.  Also, all boaters, please “shut it down” so your wake does not wash into the shore under harbormaster’s house either.

Hopefully you have noticed the spring cleaning we had done around the marina.  It is ongoing, and we want the marina to be a place you look forward to coming to.  With that note, we need each of you to do your part and be sure you keep the area around your boat picked up and maintained as well as getting all of your trash inside the dumpsters and the lids closed. 

With the drought in its 4^th year, we must conserve an additional 30 % at the marina.  We need your cooperation by being ever so vigilant in your water use.  When washing your boats, please do not use hoses that do not have a grip trigger; one that stops the flow of water when you are not using it.  Also, sweep your berth areas rather than spraying them down and, please, please wash your cars at home…

The Department of Water Resources, in their infinite wisdom, will be installing the “temporary” rock barrier at False River between Bradford and Jersey Islands on May 7^th.  When traveling to Frank’s Tract you will need to detour through Dutch Slough or Fisherman’s Cut.  The barrier is scheduled to be removed in November.  If using Dutch Slough, remember that the Jersey Island Bridge is a fixed bridge, so watch your tides.  Clearance at high tide is 15 feet and 19 feet at low tide. 

Happy Boating,

Mike

Happy Spring 2015!

Happy Spring, All!

Well, Spring has sprung and we all have changed our clocks an hour ahead.  I have noticed the last couple of weeks that many of you have been out working on your boats - spring cleaning!   It's nice to see the Marina getting busier, now that our winter months are behind us.  

Last week, Kathy and I visited one of our neighboring Yacht Clubs (Sportsman's) for St. Patty's Day celebration. It was a great time had by all, and several of our breathers cruised in with Diablo Yacht club for the party.

I want to encourage each of you to go out and go fishing, or cruising, and to just enjoy your boat and the 2015 boating season. Please be sure to come out and join us to kick off the season with the Opening Day parade, Saturday April 11th!

And lastly, wishing you all a Happy Easter - may the Easter Bunny be good to you all.

Happy Boating,
Mike

February - going, going....gone(this week!)

Dear Driftwood Community,

Where oh where has February gone? It feels like we blinked and we were almost in March. A very belated Happy Valentine’s day and Happy Chinese New Year (Gung Hay Fat Choy!) too all!
  

I don’t know about you all, but February was a pretty sleepy month here at the Marina. We weathered a few storms, saw some rain and wind and a few crazy tides, but other than that Driftwood has been on a pretty steady course.   It’s hard to believe Spring is less than a month away and you know what that means…opening day will be here before we know it!  Although a few months of peace and quiet are not unwelcome following the holidays, we always look forward to the hubbub of the marina starting back up in the Spring.  We’re looking forward to seeing more of you all in the coming months!

As we head towards Spring, we’re doing a little “spring cleaning” of our own out here at Driftwood. You may notice the tree trimmers and landscapers out moving around a bit– we apologize for any inconvenience in the interim.

A few housekeeping reminders:

• Please remember to closer the gates behind you when you’re coming and going on the docks!
• There are still berths of most most sizes available – covered and uncovered – and even a few over40 feet. Please pass along the good news to your friends and neighbors because they likely won’t last!
• We have a new supply of gas in - $3.95 per gallon
• The commercial space that formerly housed the yacht club is available for lease – if anyone is looking for a space to run  their business from please let us know. We’d love to have someone from the Driftwood community move in!

That’s all for this month folks!

Happy Boating,

Mike

January 2015 greetings

Happy New Year to all at Driftwood Marina.  We had a wonderful holiday spent filled with family and friends, and are now looking forward to a fun-filled 2015 – hopefully with lots of time on the water!

As we kick off the new year, a few updates below for you:

•       I hear through the grapevine that the San Francisco Boat show this past weekend was a roaring success. We didn’t make it down to this one, but if anyone has any pictures or stories feel free to pass along and we’ll post to the FaceBook page. 

•       It’s that time of year again – the Superbowl is quickly approaching, this weekend! Deflategate aside (it was just another one of those equipment managers gone rogue, really….?), the annual Sturgeon Derby is a go and will be held in Macavoy’s Harbor.  Now in its 31st year, if you’re not glued to your TV then come on down. http://www.originalsturgeonderby.com/
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•      Exciting news related to one of our own!  A big congratulations to Nick Rassushin, on his election and installation as the Commodore of the Diablo Yacht Club for the 2015 Cruising Year. I know the Diablo Yacht Club is looking forward to another year of fun on the Delta Waterways under his leadership. Congrats’, Nick! 

•       As you may have noticed, the hyacinth continues to flourish…ie, grow at a ridiculous pace and in huge amounts. In the words of Rowena Coestsee of the Contra Costa Times, “Delta water weed problems called the worst in years...” and we agree!  (Click here to check out her article). We’re working hard to keep up with the growth and the waterways clear - as are all the other boating communities thorough-out the Delta - and will continue to keep you informed.
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•     For many January can be a month of action (New Year’s resolutions, getting organized for the next year, etc.), so if you have any friends / neighbors looking for a new space to house their boat please let them know that Driftwood does have berths of a variety of sizes available.  Unlike prior years, we even have a few covered slips in the 40’-50’ range!
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•      Lastly, we’ll be hosting two upcoming community social events at the Marina:  Our “Opening-Day” open house will be in early April, and the “Berther Appreciation” picnic will be in late May. Keep an eye-out for the dates and additional details shortly – we’ll likely post the details on the Facebook and circulate fliers.

That’s it for this month folks. 

Happy boating,

Mike