San Joaquin Delta Suite

Description

In Central California at the confluence of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers lies a truly unique recreation and agriculture area. Beginning about a century ago, this vast delta region was dredged into large fertile islands with dikes and levees holding back the water. The result was 1,000 miles of fresh water canals, sloughs and rivers stretching from Stockton to Sacramento to San Francisco, a virtual paradise for boating, fishing, swimming, and major shipping.

This suite gives musical impressions, both present and past, of this area.

Regatta
On any bright sunny day, the Delta becomes dotted with the flashing sails of hundreds of sailboats, racing over the flashing water.

Tule Fog
Winter in the Delta brings the fog, obscuring everything, drifting silently and mysteriously over the water, through the tules and along the levees.

The Delta King
At the turn of the century, paddle wheel river boats played a big part in shipping and passenger travel. in the 1920’s, two famous boats were built in Stockton, the DELTA KING and the DELTA QUEEN. After many years of service, the DELTA QUEEN was moved to Mississippi and is still well known as an excursion passenger boat, even carrying a President in recent years. The DELTA KING has been less fortunate. For many years, it has been tied to various piers, slowly rotting away, surrounded with litigation and grandiose refurbishing plans that never materialize. This part of the suite speaks of happier days when this grand boat churned the Delta waterways.

Published by: Young World Publications