Explore San Joaquin County’s Beautiful Waterways With These Fun Water Activities

Jeff Adkins

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is the largest estuary on the West Coast, covering approximately 1,150 square miles of Northern California. And more than half that total is located within San Joaquin County, providing residents with plenty of opportunities for all manner of water activities. 

“We’re surrounded by water. It’s the gem of San Joaquin County,” says Pat Tirone, founder and head coach of the Delta Sculling Center in Stockton. “I can’t imagine anything more tranquil than being on the water and connecting with nature.” 

There certainly are plenty of ways to do just that in San Joaquin County. Both the Stockton Rowing Club and the Stockton Sailing Club are open to newcomers, helping to teach the sport as well as foster a sense of community among outdoor enthusiasts. 

Tirone has been furnishing those same opportunities for people interested in sculling, which differs from basic rowing because it involves the use of two oars per person instead of a single paddle. 

As a physical therapist, Tirone started the Sculling Center in 2011 to offer an adaptive sport for people with disabilities, but it has since expanded and is now open to all. 

“We still have our adaptive folks, but we also have people who train competitively and others who just do it recreationally for fitness,” Tirone says. “And we have programs for young people all the way to middle school. There are multiple miles of rivers and sloughs around here with so many things to see. So instead of just going around in circles, you can travel to destination after destination. You have all the benefits of exercise, while also being out in nature.” 

Jeff Adkins

Fantastic Fishing, Bountiful Boating 

Because of the importance of the waterways to the local economy in terms of recreation and farming, the Restore the Delta nonprofit organization has been working for nearly 20 years in the fields of public education, outreach and policy development to maintain water quality in the region. 

Fish certainly seem to be thriving in the area, as San Joaquin County has a diverse range of species due to its location within the Delta. While sturgeon, bluegill and salmon are plentiful, the Delta is most renowned among anglers for its trophy-size striped bass, which regularly exceed 50 pounds. 

With nearly 40 boat-launch facilities throughout San Joaquin County, it is easy to get out onto the water. Some of the most popular access points include Buckley Cove Park in Stockton along the San Joaquin River, and the Lodi Boathouse at Lodi Lake, which leads to 22 miles of the Mokelumne River. 

“Our mission is to introduce people to the sport of paddling,” says Abigail Christensen, owner of Lodi Boathouse. “It’s really fun to get people involved in a sport that they might never have thought about doing, and then see them come back with big smiles on their faces.” 

Jeff Adkins

As part of the effort to promote the activity, the Boathouse hosts PaddleFest each spring. The facility takes every piece of equipment it has in stock – kayaks, paddleboards and pedal boats – and places them on the lake’s beachfront for public use. Food trucks and live music add to the festivities, which Christensen describes as “just a big water party.” 

PaddleFest is one of the many ways that the rivers and lakes of San Joaquin County provide both fun and fitness, supplying an enticing attraction for people throughout the region. 

“You can drive 20 minutes from any place in the county and be on a waterway, and then spend hours paddling around,” Christensen says. “It’s a great way to spend time with family and friends. It’s somewhere healthy to take your kids that doesn’t involve a computer screen. Having access to so much water really diversifies your life.” 

And more opportunities could be on the way, with the proposal to create a $15 million public aquatic center in Stockton designed specifically for nonmotorized watercraft such as kayaks and paddleboards. 

“If that happens,” Tirone says, “it will be just another way that our waterways will draw people to San Joaquin County and improve the quality of life for the people already here.”