~ SOLO CRUISING THE SACRAMENTO DELTA (part 4) ~ Make sure to wear your PFD when at anchor!

The day started well enough, with the ebb tide carrying us downriver, but then the headwinds got up and opposed us before the tide also turned and progress became hard work. [48] After struggling upwind for most of the day, we made it to Velejo and nipped into the marina for GTI (Gas, Trash and Ice). The wind was blowing Jonah onto the fuel dock and getting off was made complicated, but we eventually exited without incident. [49] Feeling really quite tired after a long and active day, I was much relived to drop the hook, after motoring back out of the marina. [50] I was just getting settled for dinner when I glanced out of the companionway to see the Coast Guard heading my way with obvious intent. I half expected them to say that I couldn't anchor here, but it turns out they wanted to do an "inspection". [51] Well a bigger clown show rarely I have witnessed. A boatload of seeming halfwits, who proceeded to try to remember their lines as they demanded to see my fire extinguisher, air horn etc, but somehow forgot to ask for my flares. [52] They went on to state that I should be wearing a lifejacket when underway and insisted that I put it on right away. I pointed out to him that technically speaking I was anchored and clearly not "underway". [53] To which his colleague agreed with me, and then we all agreed that I did not have to wear my lifejacket. [54] Anyway, he goes on to lecture me about how I could be cited for not wearing a lifejacket and i could be in a lot of trouble if they saw me sailing without it. [55] I felt sure that this was incorrect but just went along with it. Later I checked and yes, there is a law, but it only applies to children less than 13 years old. Which was about the mental age of these fine representatives of the USCG! [56] Eventually, they shoved off and I went below for a double helping of "chef's privilege"! I inhaled some space food and fell into an uncontrolled heap until 4:30 the following morning. [57] Day 8 saw us getting underway before sunrise. [58] After having been so utterly wiped out the yesterday, I expected to take a short trip to Treasure Island and rest up for the majority of the day. [59] But the ebb tide was so strong that I arrived near Angel Island at only 9 AM, and feeling pretty good I decided to take a shot at laying The Gate and sailing down the coast all the way to HMB. [60] a not insubstantial objective for little Jonah and I.