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Friday/Saturday July 2/3, 1999 Mandeville Tip - The California Delta Each year, Baron Hilton brings a barge to the Mandeville Tip area to set off a fireworks display for his guests at his summer house on Mandeville Island. The display is as spectacular as any that a major city might put on. Each year, literally a thousand boats will anchor in and around Mandeville Tip to view the spectacle.I've been going to Mandeville for the past 13 years. Until now, it has been with my neighbors from Discovery Bay. We would convoy from Discovery Bay in our ski boats. Once at Mandeville, we would anchor together, all rafted up, side by side. There have been years where we have had 12 boats rafted together. We would usually anchor as close as 100 yards from the barge. The fireworks then, would be literally overhead. Awesome! This year, I decided to take Lazando la Brisa up to the Delta, and have my neighbors raft up to me when they arrived in their ski boats. So, after dropping Eric of S/V Nataraja off at the end of E dock following the Tall Ships episode, I continued on and sailed up to the Delta. Between Point Pinole and Carquinez Strait I sailed at a consistent speed of 7.5 knots. Had a max speed of 8.8 on the run. After Carquinez, the wind died, and I began motoring. Just past the Concord Naval Weapons Station, the wind picked up again. Sailed to the Antioch Bridge before it quit again. Below, you can see from the Ensign and the mainsheet, that I'm on a broad reach heading towards the Antioch Bridge, with the sun setting slowly in the west.  The Delta at Sunset Arrived at the Mandeville tip at 1:00 a.m. (the 3rd). Was done anchoring at about 1:45 a.m. and hit the sack at 2:00 a.m. The photo below is from a few years prior, but it shows the barge that sends off the fireworks, and the multitude of boats that have begun to gather for the show.
The anchorage at Mandeville Tip This photo really doesn't do the scene justice. There are sloughs to the left, to the right, and to the rear of the photographer filled with anchored boats. Many, many more than shown here. Autohelm log totals 3331.1 NM (76.8 NM). Engine hours total 594.5. Saturday/Sunday July 3/4, 1999 Had a great time anchored at Mandeville Tip. Jardine and Debbie, and her two kids, Kristin and Mike came by ski boat and spent Saturday night on board. They had to leave before the fireworks Sunday.  Jardine & his ski boat Sunday, just before dark, five ski boats from the Discovery Bay neighborhood showed up and rafted up to me to watch the fireworks. As usual, Baron Hilton put on a dazzling display for his guests, and the boating public.
Monday July 5, 1999 Weighed anchor at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning and began motoring back to the Bay by myself. Just after leaving Mandeville Tip, the S/V Marilyn motored past me at about 8 knots. I was doing about 6 knots. Marilyn continued up the San Joaquin, while I turned west at Washington Cut to False River, which is a shorter route. Sure enough, Marilyn finally caught up to me again, just past the Antioch Bridge. That was nearly 1½ hours later! I wonder if they knew that they could have cut 1½ hours off of their trip back to the Bay? Arrived back at Marina Bay at 4:00 p.m., motoring all the way. The wind was on the nose. After straightening up, took a nap. I was tired, and somewhat sunburned as well. Autohelm log totals 3379.3 NM (48.2 NM). Engine hours total 610.9.
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