May I Plan a Trip For You?

Let's say you want to try kayaking, or you are already a kayaker, but need some help getting your blades wet. Here's an offer that I hope someone takes me up on. If you give me some information about yourself (see below), then I'll plan a trip for you! Actually, I'll send you some options for paddling near you. In a later post on Dipping and Tipping, I'd like to show someone's response to this offer, and explain the process I went through to find paddling options for them.

Here's what I need to know about you:

• What is your Zip code? (City/Town and State will work)
  
• What kayaking equipment do you have?
• How experienced are you?
• How long would you like your trip to be?
• Are you interested in overnighters (touring/camping)?

Respond to this offer in comments, and I'll post a response. If you comment anonymously, that's fine, but give me a paddling handle that I can call you, like, "Rubber Duck".

Tomales Bay Trip

The best sea kayaking trip I've had yet was a trip to Tomales Bay, with Kevin and Casey. It's a long bay that is very sheltered and opens to the Pacific Ocean to the north. If you put in near Nick's Cove, you don't have a long paddle to the ocean, and you get to see a lot. The highlights are Hog Island, a sand bar with pelicans and sea lions, starfish, Tule Elk and going out on the open ocean.

We did the trip on Saturday October 27, 2007. We hit the water around 11am, which was about one hour before high tide, with the next low tide at 7:28pm. That meant we'd be out on the high slack tide for the most part - no major currents.

We put in at a little beach just off Highway 1 south of Nick's Cove. I added a blue pin, and zoomed in for a close up. You can see where you pull off of Hwy 1 and can park off of the road. Lock your car, put your kayak in the water, and you're good to go. You could also put in at Nick's Cove where there is a boat ramp, but we didn't.

The water was glassy. I've never seen such a large body of water so still. First thing I had to do was take a picture to capture the smoothness of the water. Casey is out in front with the blue sit-on-top. Kevin is in the foreground in the Monterey Perception.


The first thing we did is paddle out to Hog Island. There was a large group of paddlers out there, but they were being very quiet, and the scene was very peaceful.

After paddling between the islands and enjoying the peaceful beauty, I paddled over to the far shore. I found myself skimming over a sea grass bed, and the water was so clear that I had the sensation of flying low over a meadow. You can really see how fast you are moving in the kayak when you are paddling in clear shallow water. Then I started seeing starfish in all different colors; orange, yellow, and purple. We paddled up the bay toward the ocean. Along the way we saw sea lions, jumping fish, cormorants, and many loons.

We made our way toward the breakers. Before making our move to the open ocean, we stopped at the last beach on the west side of the bay. Casey wanted to put on some extra gear in preparation for getting wet. Here there are signs that ask you not to hike inland because it is a Tule Elk breeding area. At the mouth of the bay, you can see the white caps of the breaking waves. I took this picture of Kevin just before we made our way through the breakers. Then it was time to put the camera away in its ziploc bag, zip it up in my life vest, and we steamed our way through the waves.

There was an edge to the swells that wasn't breaking and we aimed ourselves at it. The waves still broke over the bows of our kayaks, and washed over our spray skirts, but we didn't get too wet or cold. The best way to get through the waves is to paddle seriously, and lean forward when cresting a wave. Once outside the break, we had a great ride. Big swells kept rolling towards us, and it is like a roller coaster of ups and downs. Here is a shot taken by Casey, of Kevin and I at the top of a swell.

Returning through the break is a lot of fun, because the swells approach from behind you, and you can't see them coming. For me, looking over my shoulder is very destabilizing, so this was a thrill. The trick seems to be staying perpendicular to the wave because it wants to push the stern of the kayak to one side or the other. I have since learned that you can ride the wave by turning the kayak to one side and leaning into the wave. I will try this another time!

We paddled back through the breakers, and then back down the bay. We passed a buoy that has a bell that you can always hear while you are out on the bay near the mouth.


Then there is a sand bar that is a resting spot for birds, and sea lions.

On the way back, looking up at the ridge of Tomales Point, we could see the silhouette of many Tule Elk with their antler racks. It was now late afternoon, and many flocks of loons were scattered over the bay. We had to disturb them as we paddled back to our trucks, and they make a funny sight and sound as they flee from our path. They run with their hind legs on the water, trying to fly, and they make a hoo-hoo-hoo sound at the same time. We tried not to disturb them, but you can't help it, as they give us a wide berth.

Back at the trucks we load up, and marvel at what a perfect day it has been. On the way back home we stopped in the town of Tomales for some amazing sandwiches and smoothies. Always feels good to reload the fuel tank!

Incredible Kayak Videos

YouTube is a wonderful thing! Just go there and search for whatever topic you want, and you'll probably find a useful instructional video that someone has provided for free. This is especially true for sea kayaking. Here are some YouTube videos that I recommend, and find very useful:

Eskimo Roll: Everyone asks me, do you know how to do an eskimo roll? And, no, folks, we are not talking about sushi. This is a technique to right yourself if you capsize, without getting out of the kayak. It is the quickest and best way to recover from capsizing. It only applies to sit-inside kayaks, and works a lot better if you've got your spray skirt on. There are many YouTube videos that feature the eskimo roll, but the one I've linked to above shows it at such slow speed, and from the perfect angle that it really takes all the mystery out of the technique. Be sure to practice the move under controlled conditions with a buddy.

Surf Launch: Most of my put-ins have been on boat ramps and docks, but I've recently started doing surf launches, and this video will prepare you for the fun and challenge of a surf launch.

Kayak Sailing: I have a friend who tells me to bring an umbrella in the kayak, so when the wind is going my way, I can open the umbrella and ride the wind. That's one way to do it. This video shows a kayaker using a special sail designed to go with the kayak. The advantage of the sail is your hands are free to paddle and steer. The umbrella is the poor man's way to go, or maybe a kite?

Scoop Rescue: This is a great technique for helping another person get back in to their kayak. It can be used with someone who is injured, has hypothermia, is exhausted, or if they are perhaps a complete novice.

• Also, see the Hand of God rescue, which is very similar.

Kayak Surfing: This is a great video. The instructor watches others kayaking in the surf, and he stops the motion to tell you what they good be doing better. But it also shows you how much fun sea kayak surfing can be!

Seeing Wildlife:

• This is a great video of seeing whales and dolphins feeding.
  
• Imaging seeing these orcas right next to your kayak.
  
• Hopefully, you will never have a killer whale land on your kayak, but if this does happen to you, I hope you watched the first video of this blog entry, and you know how to do an eskimo roll (so that you don't have to get out of your kayak and dangle your feet in the water).

How to Find Places to Paddle

There are many ways to find good places to paddle. I personally like to explore my area on my own, but you can also get great advice from books and other resources.

On your own: The way I go about it is to go to Google maps and click on the satellite view. Just enter in the name of your town, and click, "Search Maps". This will give you a satellite view of your town. From here, you can locate water ways near you that look interesting. If you double click on the map, Google will center and zoom in. You can click and drag the map around in the window, and I use this to follow rivers and plan my route. I zoom in close enough so that I can see where the boat ramps are. Once you've found a boat ramp, you can figure out how to get there by road, then plan your paddling route from there.

Books: You can always go to the library to look for books on kayaking. Many books will cover techniques, but other books will cover kayaking trips. They will tell you where to put in and what route to take. Of course, this will depend on where you live, so it will be hard for me to recommend specific books for you. So, try this kayak trips, and look for books about trips in your area.

Other Resources: This means searching the web. I prefer Google for my searches. Just type in, "kayak trips" and the name of your town. Other good search terms are, "boat ramps", or "put-ins". I also like to search for "no motor" to find waterways that don't allow motorboats. I'll try to find specific resources for these, and as I find them I'll add them to my blog.

Happy Paddling!

Recommended Books: How to Sea Kayak

When you are not sea kayaking, you can read about sea kayaking! I recommend the following books to get in the know. You can paddle for years with just the basics, but there are techniques that you may need in certain situations that will begin to benefit you as soon as you learn them. For example, the sculling draw stroke will allow you to move your kayak sideways across the water. This can be very useful for siding up to the dock or another kayaker. More importantly, you should learn early on techniques for re-entering a kayak in the event of an emergency. There are several alternatives to learn. No one plans to capsize, but when you do, you need to know what to do. Most people underestimate the time it would take them to get back in to the kayak, so it is best to learn the techniques, then practice them under good conditions with a buddy who can help you if you get into trouble. So, these books will not only provide you enjoyable reading, but will also prepare you for emergencies.

These books focus on how to sea kayak, other recommendations will focus on trips, locations, and stories about adventures.









Disclosure: I am an affiliate with various retailers on the internet, so I may make a commission on the purchase of certain items that I recommend.

Paddling La Jolla's Caves

I'm excited to be going on a paddle today in La Jolla Marine Preserve. I'm visiting my dad in San Diego, and decided to check out the kayaking options while I'm down here. I don't have any equipment with me, but I found that there are a few outfits here that will let you rent equipment, or take a tour.

Here are three that I checked out:

1. San Diego Bike and Kayak
2. La Jolla Kayak
3. OEX Dive and Kayak Centers

I chose a tour with number one, because their trip sounded like the most fun. I'll go out for a two hour paddle, and hopefully see some cool wildlife. When I was a kid, I would snorkel out here, and you'd see great fish life, like the garibaldi damselfish, out among the kelp. Today we could see sea lions and dolphins. I'll follow up after the trip, and we'll see if I get any good pictures. I had the option to either rent a kayak and go out by myself, or take the more expensive tour. I think this will be more fun to do with other people, so I'm going for the tour. It runs $45 for two hours.

After The Trip
I showed up at 9:30am for the 10am tour, and Mike signed me in and got me started on the paperwork. Turns out that I'm the only taker for this tour, but they will still take me out with my own guide. I decided to rent a wetsuit for an additional $10. The day was overcast, and not terribly cold, but the water temperature is about 60F. Since this is my first put-in through the surf, and on a sit-on-top, I decided that a wetsuit is a good idea to stay as warm as possible. After signing the appropriate forms, I just had to move my car out of the 90 minute parking zone, and I was ready to go. After I got dressed in my wetsuit, life preserver, and helmet, I was ready for a short training. Curtis took me across the street to a grass lawn and explained the basics of controlling the kayak, how to get back in if you fall off, and some safety tips. Then I headed out to the beach and waited for Mark, my guide to arrive with the kayaks.

Curtis drove Mark down with the kayaks in the back of a truck, and dropped them off right at the beach. The boat launch is right at the end of Avenida De La Playa in La Jolla (San Diego). I stuck my flip-flops under the webbing of the Ocean Kayak Scrambler XL, and walked my kayak into the surf. After I jumped in, which was easy, Mark told me to paddle out, lean back through the waves, and meet him at the white buoy closer to shore. I found the sit-on-top very easy to navigate. I also noticed that sit-on-tops were the only kayaks being used out there. There were a lot of fisherman putting in or taking out. I'll have to re-evaluate the pros and cons.

Mark paddled out and met me, and took me on the tour. We stayed close to shore, but out of the way of the breakers. As it was low tide, waves were starting to break a little farther out from shore than normal. He is a Geology student (Jr.) at San Diego State University and showed me evidence of the Rose Fault where one plate is pushing underneath another resulting in rising cliffs on one side, and a deep offshore ocean trench. There are a lot of caves here, but we couldn't go in because the sea was just a bit too rough today, and it was very low tide, so many rocks were exposed. We heard a lot of barking from the Sea Lions, and they were in the water all around us, some in small groups. It was excellent seeing so many sea lions hunkered on the rocks where the waves were crashing. Every now and then a sea lion would surface right next to us to take a look. At one point a cormorant flew right by in front of us with a big mouthful of sea grass. Mark said this time of year they are building their nests on the cliffs.

Then we paddled out over the kelp forest. This is an amazing experience, as you can look down and see the kelp "trees" going down quite a distance into the depths. Mark said that on a clear day that you can see down 40 feet. He also said that the kelp leaves, called blades, could be the size of a kayak at the bottom. Each blade has its own gas filled bladder that float and keeps the kelp close to the surface for photosynthesis. He said that the kelp can grow as much as four feet in a day! He also pointed out that kelp is the source of alginate, which is used in ice cream, salad dressing, tooth paste and other products. While paddling through the forest, I startled a harbor seal who was resting in the kelp. One way you can tell the difference between harbor seals and sea lions by the ears. Sea Lions have ears that stick out, Harbor Seals just have small holes for ears. Once you've seen a few of them, they clearly look different. Mark said that the seals like to wrap themselves up in the kelp, like a hammock, and just hang out. That's what this one was doing before I disturbed him. (Photo by Alaskan Adventure Cruises)

After paddling through through the kelp forest, we paddled a little farther out and looked out for migrating whales. Even though late February is a little late for gray whales, there was still a chance. There were other groups of kayakers looking for whales. On shore, folks line up with scopes, and they're looking for any marine mammal activity. We didn't see any whales, so we paddled a little closer to Children's Cove, then back toward the direction of Scripts Pier. On the way we saw a harbor seal eating a big red fish, and a sea gull came down to get some scraps. Then we paddled around for a bit, until it was time to head in.

Coming in through the surf was fun. Mark gave me some pointers. He said, lean in the direction of the wave to ride it. I did ride in on a small wave for a bit, and though we could have played more in the waves, it was pretty cold and I was ready to go in.

This was a great experience, and I would recommend it to anyone in the San Diego area, no experience necessary. It's a great way to try kayaking. You'd be amazed at how easy it is, and how rewarding the experience is.

Getting Your Kayak to the Water

First there is the fun part of deciding where you are going to put in, but once you have chosen it, how do you get your kayak there? This is another elementary topic, but an important one to cover for new paddlers. If you have an inflatable or folding kayak, then this question is not an issue - the kayak travels inside your vehicle. But if you have a regular sea kayak, then it must travel on top of your vehicle.

Rules of the road require that your sea kayak is securely mounted on top of your vehicle with tie downs on the front and rear of your kayak. However, many mounting systems are secure without the front and rear tie downs. While I recommend them, and the rack literature will recommend them, you won't necessarily get pulled over if you haven't used them. If your load is unstable, then you will most likely get pulled over, and won't be allowed to proceed without fixing the problem (so have rope for tie downs with you just in case).

The kayak(s) must travel head-on into the wind - NOT at an angle. I've seen folks put their kayaks in the back of the pickup with the fronts leaning up against the cab. Then they tie this down. If you can imagine, the kayaks are facing into the wind at a 45 degree angle. This will put a lot of stress on the ties, the kayaks, and the vehicle. If you're going a very short distance and never exceed 25 MPH then this may be OK, but in no other situation should this be done.

How far are you going? If your put in is a short distance, and you don't have to use a freeway to get there, then you can get away with a short distance rig. I purchased foam cutouts that are flat on one side and concave on the other. I can place two of these on top of my '97 Honda Civic, and my Necky Looksha sits in them. Then I loop straps through the cabin, through my open doors, and I tighten these securely. This keeps the kayak very secure for short distances and low speeds (no faster than 30 MPH).

If you are going farther, you will need a rack. What kind of rack you need depends on what kind of vehicle you have and how much money you want to spend. Shop brands like Thule (my favorite) and Yakima. REI is a great place to start. Purchase two sturdy straps that have metal buckles with a thumb release. Bring along lengths of rope long enough to tie down the front and rear of all kayaks, in case you need to secure them.

Always check your rack installation before you load it up to make sure that all the fasteners are tight, and that the rack is secure. Bring with you any tools that you may need to tighten things up.

Kayaks should be mounted level on top of the rack, so that they point head-on into the wind. The bow or front of the kayak should point in the direction of travel. You can have the kayak either rightside-up or upside-down. This depends on your rack and your preference.

Once you have your kayaks on the rack, loop the straps around the kayaks and the rack in two places and tighten securely. Loop up the excess strap and tie this up with a slip knot. Flapping loose straps will cause annoying noises while you travel to and from your put in.

A final consideration is rack theft. Usually, it just takes a couple small tools to uninstall a rack, so consider getting one that locks into an unusable position. The Thule rack I use does this. Then when we are not kayaking, I uninstall the rack from the truck, so that while it is out in a parking lot, the rack is not a tempting target.