Kayaxeman

Morro Bay January 28, 2012

2012-01-28T18:43:00.000-08:00

Had a wonderful paddle with friend Linda Angelo today. I walked my kayak down to the Baywood pier on the cart and paddled over to meet Linda in Cuesta. We paddled to Shark Inlet and then north along the sand spit, taking out across from the estuary and hiked up to the top, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch (thanks Linda!) and great views. Pretty much perfect weather with a slight breeze. The central coast in January; priceless.

Back Bay Jan. 6, 2012

2012-01-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

Looking East from middle of sand spit. Foggy on the mainland

For the past week, the tides have been such that there has been little water during daylight hours. By Friday the 6th, the highest tide of the day had worked up to 8 am, which meant that I needed to go out early on my last day here before returning to the "real world". Unable to find anyone else interested in an early paddle, I got up, made some coffee, apologized to the dog (who has become accustomed to morning walks) and headed down to Pasadena Point, where it was cold and windy. No matter; there was plenty of water. I paddled without pause across the bay to the sand spit, and arrived at 8:24. Not a soul was in sight on the water. It was just a bit foggy, but I could still see Baywood a mile across the bay. Well, at least I could see an outline of Baywood. On the ocean side, the surf was pounding, and the winds turned the waves into a series of crashing boils. I sat out of the wind, in a bit of sun, and enjoyed my lukewarm coffee. Note to self: Bring the thermos, not the commuter cup. The paddle back was warmer and faster, with my back to the wind. This was my 5th paddle in 6 days at the start of the new year (the non-paddle day was body boarding), so no complaints from this guy! Back to work.

Morro Bay Jan. 5, 2012

2012-01-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

Paddled in the afternoon again with Mike. We left Tidelands Marina and paddled south toward Baywood on a zero tide. We went as far south as the State Park Marina, where we observed the rather slow construction of the new ramp (nothing has changed since the last time we looked).

Smooth water on Morro Bay

We reversed direction and headed into the incoming tide, going not quite to the harbor entrance by Morro Rock. Most of the paddle was absolutely windless, which made it that much more enjoyable. Made it home in time to wash up and get ready for the Dick Dale show at SLO Brew that night. Great show, but this is a paddling blog after all.

Morro Bay Jan. 3 2012

2012-01-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

Mike and I paddled from the marina out to the harbor entrance today. It was pretty dicey in the harbor entrance, with breakers coming over the jetty. We took out at the south jetty and walked to the most southern jetty, along the way trying to return some large crabs to the ocean that had been washed up in the big surf. The crabs will no doubt be part of some sea bird by now. A beautiful sunny day with a great friend. It's great to be able to say that I have paddled every day this year so far. Someday, I may actually be able to do an every day of the year paddle. Something to look forward to! Tomorrow; boogie boarding if the surf is not too huge.

Morro Bay Sunset Paddle

2012-01-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

Friend Lorelei and I paddled from the Tidelands Marina, putting in just after 3:30 and paddling until sunset. The skies were cloudy, but there was no wind at all, so we had a beautiful flat water paddle up to the rock and back. In the clear shallows just east of the rock, where the bay turns the corner, we floated and watched bat rays resting on the bottom or gliding along. We spotted about half a dozen. The seals were out, as well as a sea otter, and the requisite water birds. Peaceful and gorgeous.

New Year's Day Paddle

2012-01-01T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have tried to begin the past few years with a paddle on the bay, and made it out again today. Friends Lorelei and Ron joined me for a foggy paddle in mid-afternoon. The tides left the back bay a big mud flat for much of the day, but there was enough to get in and paddle by 2:30. Unfortunately, the rising tide corresponded with the incoming fog, which turned a previously warm and sunny day (totally gorgeous, really) into a grey and cool one. Still, a fine paddle around the back bay; lots of birds, no wind, good company, and enough visibility to paddle without getting disoriented. Happy New Year!

Morro Bay Paddle with most of the band

2012-01-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Jeffer, Mike and I paddled from the Tidelands Marina on a low tide. We headed south past the museum and followed the channel markers as far as the data collection center off of Pasadena Point in Baywood. Dozens of seals were "sunning" on the exposed mud flats along the way, always with a spotter checking us out. It was not a sunny day. Cool enough to be cold to sit on toppers with exposed feet and legs.
We paddled back, passing our entry point, and went up along the Embarcadero so we could tie up and have lunch at The Hofbrau, which was delicious and warm. The sun came out as we got back into the boats to finish our paddle. We stopped at Kayak Horizons to look around and Mike took a spin in a 13' Necky Manitou, which seemed like a good size for the bay. Mikey likes it!

We went wine tasting later in the afternoon at Wolff Vineyards in San Luis Obispo, and finished the day with takeout from Noi's Little Thai and a couple of hours of pickin' guitars. How good can it get?

Communication Breakdown

2011-12-06T15:28:00.001-08:00

Saturday, November 3, 2011

Ron, Lorelei and I paddled north from Tidelands Marina and up the bay near Morro rock. Some of us were in the channel, and I saw approaching fishing boats so I yelled to "get out of the channel". This was interpreted as "go back" and we got split up. After checking, I decided to paddle out through the harbor entrance to check out the 6 ft. swells reported by surfers. Sure enough. We all re-convened some time later back at the put-in, each of us having had our own paddling experience.

Dolphins in Morro Bay-10/23/11

2011-10-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

This paddle was fantastic! Late morning I put in at Tidelands Marina, which was as crowded as I have ever seen it. Lots and lots of fishing boats. The tide was heading out, but was near low tide, so I paddled south into the tide and past the museum and State Park Marina before turning around and heading back. I took a picture of the floating triangle and puzzled over its placement...??? On the way back toward Tidelands Marina I noticed dolphin fishing in the bay and took lots of still shots with my iphone (actually got a few with dolphin in them) before switching to video and shooting the short video posted here. Pretty unusual to see them in the bay. I continued my paddle up toward the rock and noticed a beach full of activity with (mostly) paddle boarders at Coleman Beach. I had read that there was a memorial race over the weekend. I also noticed the twin of the floating triangle, and am supposing that each was a race point marker. The tide was nearing lull, but there were tight, angular swells coming in between the jetties. I paddled out along the north jetty and just hung out for a while, watching boats coming and going. I noticed three dolphin heading out to sea. There is often whacky water in the channel here, but today produced white caps and very steep, tight swells. I stayed to the edge of them on my way back toward (the town of) Morro Bay, getting some good rides and nearly hitting a seal in the trough between swells. There were times when it took some effort to keep my bow from pearling, and several times when waves washed over, particularly when a big fishing boat produced wake that crossed the swells. I enjoyed the paddle back to the marina, with a slight breeze at my back that was bringing in the fog.

Back Bay 9/17/11

2011-09-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

This morning I paddled the back bay of Morro Bay in a clock-wise direction, starting at the Baywood Pier and paddling past Sweet Springs Preserve, Cuesta Inlet, Shark Inlet, then north along the sand spit. I took out on the spit and hiked up to see the 360 degree view of the bay and ocean.
It was fairly windy when I began around 10 am, with the tide just under 3 feet and rising. The sky was sunny and blue, but on the ocean side of the sand spit was the fog bank, which I assumed would blow in and cover Baywood (as it has for a month), but the wind died down and the fog bank retreated out into the ocean. The rest of the day has been sunny and warm!

As I sat in shark inlet watching the feeder fish aerate the surface, a group on horse back passed by on the trail. I also saw a number of large egrets and several great blue herons, and was reminded why they call them great while watching them stretch to their full height while I passed. A lone pelican flew past right next to me and only a few feet off the water. Generally, they will give wide berth to paddlers, usually staying outside of a 20-30 foot cushion. Love those dinosaurs. On the return paddle, the wind picked up and the catamarans and wind surfers started to put in. Perfect timing and a perfect day.

Museum of Natural History

2011-08-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today I paddled solo from Pasadena Point in Baywood at the lowest afternoon tide (just over 2 feet). I headed north toward Morro Bay and paddled past the museum and up to the Morro Bay Inn before turning back for Baywood. I was on the water for only 75 minutes or so, but saw several dozen seals and a few diving pelicans. Photos are of the Museum with Black Hill in the background and of the State Park Marina with Hollister Peak in the background.

Shark Inlet 8/8/11

2011-08-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

I paddled from the Baywood Pier on a rising tide, planning to paddle around the point and into the estuary, but the wind and waves were coming pretty solid from the northwest, so I headed into them and out over to the sand spit, then south along the spit into Shark Inlet. Once in the inlet (and out of the wind), I paddled slowly and watched as numerous little silver fish ran out ahead of my boat. Before long, a leopard shark hit hard and fast on the edge of the water over the pickle weed. It was the only one I saw. With the tide over 4 feet and rising quickly, I paddled back as far as I could, into the 3 foot wide channels that fill only on higher tides. I settled against some pickle weed and just sat for a while, amazed at the flow of the tide into the channels. When the place where I sat became totally submerged, I headed back into Baywood with the wind on my aft quarter, making good time.

Sand spit paddle with Emily

2011-08-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

Emily and I had a nice paddle from Pasadena Point over to the sand spit, with a stop there to hike up to the top to enjoy the view of the spit, the ocean and the bay. It was a bit windy paddling over, but not a problem. A gorgeous day and certainly a fine one to share with my daughter, who has not been paddling for several years.

Harmony Headlands

2011-08-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

View Harmony Headlands Trail in a larger map
My Dad and I drove up the coast on Hwy. 1 north of Cayucos and went to hike the Harmony Headlands trail. The trailhead begins on the west side of the highway just south of the little town of Harmony. It's about 2.5 miles from the trailhead to the beach, and the walk is easy along an old dirt road that was part of a cattle ranch. Along the way there are restrooms available at a spot where an old ranch hand house exists. There are some interesting features, including a pond; fairly rare around these parts. There are some trails along the bluffs on the beach side, and several benches for resting and gazing at points along the trail. A great way to spend a few hours, especially if you have my Dad with you!

Baywood Boatzart Concert

2011-08-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

My Dad and I paddled from Pasadena Point over to Cuesta Inlet, then back into the cove at Baywood to join a few hundred others who were enjoying the Boatzart concert at the pier. The band on this fine Sunday (July 31) was the Gilley Wheesels, a Scottish band with pipes. Great sounds, a fine day, and a nice paddle.

Jellyfish and Chablis

2011-07-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

The tide was very high and cresting around 6:30 PM, and my friend Ron Saul and his band The Dentures were playing for a friend's 60th Birthday Party on the tour boat Chablis in Morro Bay. What to do? Easy. I paddled out from Pasadena Point just after 5 PM and humped it into the wind across to the sand spit, heading north from there on a leisurely pace to the dock where the Chablis Cruises docks. Along the way, I noticed quite a few orange jellyfish, and attempted to take some pictures. I arrived dockside next to the Chablis just at 6, when a surprised birthday boy arrived. I listened to the Dentures play (they are terrific!) and paddled along with the Chablis for a while on its southern trek through the bay. Wherever I paddled, I passed jellyfish. Eventually, I paddled back to Los Osos and got out of the water around 8, with some sore shoulders from paddling hard for much of the way.

Though I usually don't mention endeavors other than paddling on this blog, it is worth mentioning the hike that Ron and Lorelei and I took along the bluffs trail in Montana de Oro if only to have a place to publish this photo taken of a rattle snake that was next to the trail (one of four we spotted without really trying). Stay on the trails, people, and watch where you step.

Morro Bay July 8, 2011

2011-07-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

I arrived in town at about 5:15 PM, and noticed the high tide in the estuary as I drove by. I quickly unloaded the truck and then loaded my kayak and gear, hitting the water at Pasadena Point at 5:38. I paddled across the back bay to the sand spit, and then south along the spit for a bit before heading back. I was back on shore just after 7 PM. During my time on the water, I did not see one other boat. Too bad, as it was a beautiful time to be out, the breeze was not too strong, and the flowers blooming on the sand spit.

Morro Bay June 25, 2011

2011-07-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

With the tide already low (and receding), friends Jim and Linda and I paddled from the pier at Tidelands Park in Morro Bay. We headed into the tide, and paddled south past the museum, and then crossed over to the sand spit for a walk and a look at the ocean side. Reversed the path for the return trip, and saw a group of white pelicans feeding in the shallows. Everyone enjoyed the paddle, and all entries/exits were dry! Thanks to Linda for the pic.

San Simeon June 24

2011-07-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

No pictures from this day, which was spent on my sit on top. I was in full wet suit, hoping to do some snorkeling, but never did. Originally, this was to be a two kayak outing, but turned out to be just mine. For some odd reason, I rarely manage a clean, dry entry at San Simeon, and this day was no exception. My second attempt was the clean and dry one. Nice to get the wet suit wet. Did a bit of cave and nook exploring along the north side, and sat next to the cliff letting the spray from the blow holes get me. Fun. Did a bit of swimming off of the boat, but not much. Also practiced some landing/re-entries. Mary F spent the entire afternoon swimming the cove with her boogie board. I could not have lasted that long in the cold water (or swum that long). San Simeon is always nice.

Windy Day on the Bay

2011-05-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

The weather folks called for big wind today (Saturday, May 28, 2011), and they were correct. No matter; this was my chance to paddle, so out I went from the marina in Morro Bay, and headed into a steady hard wind from the north. I got a break when I reached Coleman Beach, and stayed close to the sea wall to stay out of the wind as I made my way toward the harbor entrance out past Morro Rock. The swell was minimal inside, but much bigger outside, as is usual. I tried to get a decent picture of a wave blasting up on the end of the north jetty, but failed to get a good one. I played around for a while between the jetties, then beached for a stretch and a snack. The paddle back was fast and easy. Though the tide was going out, the wind was still very strong, and required no real effort to travel south in the bay.

After I got out, I stopped at Pedals and Paddles on Morro Bay Blvd., where I visited with owner Andreas Modl and took a test spin on one of his Public brand city style bikes, which was quite impressive.

Back Bay May 14, 2011

2011-05-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today our paddling group included Lorelei, Ron, Linda, and my son Bennett. We launched from the Baywood Pier at 10 AM on a receding tide, and paddled out to meet Linda, who had launched from the Cuesta inlet. We took a north-westerly route over to the sand spit and walked up to the highest point in that section, where we enjoyed views of the ocean and Morro Bay. We stayed on the dunes for as long as it took to consume all of the snacks we brought (sun chips, pecans, chocolate covered pomegranate seeds and 23 crumbs of kettle corn). The day was sunny and almost warm.
We paddled south along the sand spit for awhile, then headed back toward Baywood, by way of Cuesta. Spotted wild life included a couple of seals, a small group of white pelicans, a family of snowy egrets, and more than the usual number of cormorants.
We were treated to a fine mud bath upon our arrival back in Baywood, as the tide had receded enough to keep us from sandy shores. Bennett volunteered himself to upper-calf deep mud in order to pull the others up on the sandier beach, thus avoiding a leg coating of Baywood slime. Thanks to Linda for the picture; giving me the opportunity to appear in this blog.

Awesome Birthday

2011-05-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

How nice to have spent April 2, 2011 paddling with friends Linda, Jim and Mike. We paddled the back bay, hiked the dunes and were treated to a shape-transforming flock of Snowy Plovers that would alight from the beach and fly around the cove near King dune. The sound was like that of a rain stick percussion instrument.

Another Perfect Day. I love the bay.... (we love it)

2011-02-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

Did the bay circuit today, leaving Pasadena Point at 10 am and heading north into a pretty good wind. The wind waves were just short of white caps, but tightly spaced. Once I reached the area by the museum, it was better protected and easier paddling. I followed the east side up past Morro Bay and around the hook toward Morro rock and into the harbor entrance. I embarrassed myself near Target rock. I was keeping a respectable distance from the shoreline, watching out for casting fisherman and giving them plenty of space. I also kept my distance from the family of sea otters, and tried to stay just out of the channel, not wanting to be in the way of motor boats. What I didn't notice until I was nearly on top of it was a buoy marking divers below, and nearly passed right over it, getting a wake up call from a spotter on the shore who alerted me to it. Sorry guys. My bad.
In the harbor entrance area, the wind was blowing toward the ocean, the tide was going out, and the swells coming in. It was pretty dicey along the breakwater, where waves crashed over. Some guys were having trouble in a zodiac out near the end of the breakwater, and were getting pounded by incoming swells. I went over to see if they needed help, but as I neared, they freed a line that was tangled in the rocks and broke free of the area. The paddle back to Baywood, although against the tide, was much easier due to the constant tail wind. Thanks.
During my paddle, I watched the crew of one of those Hawaiian-style outriggers doing their stuff. Took a pic but it is not too good. Also saw my neighbors, the Wishons, as they joined friends for a boat warming of the sailing vessel Fair Wind.
Oh yeah, it was nice enough to be shirtless in February.

Back Bay with Mike

2011-01-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

Mike and I paddled from the Baywood Pier in mid-morning, about an hour before high tide. The sun was out, with some clouds, but absolutely no wind. Just glass. We paddled to the Cuesta Inlet, then along the golf course area to Shark Inlet, where we saw no sharks. Continuing north along the sand spit, we checked out a catamaran that was beached up at the high tide mark, and back in some tules. We could not get in close enough to find any reg. numbers or a name. Most likely, the boat blew over from Cuesta. Further up, I spotted something orange just off the shoreline, floating above the pickleweed. Turned out to be a large (marine diesel?) Fram oil filter. Really? Who does that? I strapped it to my deck and disposed of it when we returned. We stopped to stretch our backs and walked up the dunes to a high point, trying to unravel the mysteries of numerous animal prints that crossed over each other in a helix. Best guess; a rabbit chased by a dog or coyote.
We spent some time at the top, enjoying the view (360 degrees) and some pistachios. The picture is from there. We cut back across to Baywood; a wonderful 2 1/2 hours on the bay, on a day that would make any non-Californian jealous.

Last Paddle of 2010

2011-01-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

First, I'd like to mention how fortunate I am to have been able spend a good part of the last day of the year in a kayak. Love the Central Coast!
I paddled solo from the public launch at Tidelands Park in Morro Bay; getting into the water at around 11 am. The tide was rushing out, so I paddled into it and followed the channels up near Baywood, noticing lots of debris in the brown runoff water from the recent rains. When the tide began to slacken, I headed in the opposite direction and out to Morro Rock. There were plenty of birds on the water, including some white pelicans. A few otters were spotted, as well as the sea lions on a barge toward the end of the sand spit.
There were a number of paddle boarders in the area between the two jettys at Morro Rock, some appeared to be taking lessons. I see more standup paddlers all the time. The water was fairly calm, the wind slight, so I decided to paddle out into the ocean, just to check the conditions. There was a fair sized swell, and I was solo, so I only went out far enough to catch the view up toward Cayucos and south to Montana de Oro. Three dolphin cruised by, one of them submerging just a couple of yards from my boat and swimming directly under me.
On the way back in from the harbor entrance, two small acrobatic planes flew past, on the "inside" of Morro Rock. They both flew quite close to the rock, and were only about 150 feet off the ground. Lots of laws broken there, but a cool sight to see.

Rainy Day on Morro Bay

2010-11-19T15:19:00.000-08:00

The weather folks said it would rain tonight and tomorrow, so I figured I needed to get out on the water this morning. The rain started just as I was getting my gear ready, but I figured "what the heck" and went anyway. I drove into Morro Bay and launched from the dock/ramp at the city marina. The tide had just turned but was on a fast drain, so I headed into the tide and rain and crossed north of Grass Island over to the sand spit. There was little wind and the rain alternated between a steady drizzle to a decent rain but no downpours. During this paddle, I appreciated the warmth and relative dryness of the Snap Dragon neoprene/nylon tunnel spray skirt that I have owned for 10 years now. The fit is still snug on the coaming. I was also appreciative for the half-fingered fold over mitten style paddling gloves that sure came in handy today. The mitten part that folds over is quick to switch, allowing use of the fingers when needed. My trusty Kokotat nylon paddling jacket is great for wind and spray but not so good for rain. It does dry quickly, though.

I spotted a few egrets and great blue herons, a couple of brown pelicans, a number of cormorants, and quite a few western grebes. There were also large numbers of (what I have assumed to be) snowy plovers, who alight en masse and fly in shape-shifting clouds that remind me of the Michael Creighton novel Prey and pass by with a gorgeous ppffftt sound. There must have been some ducks as well, as I did pass a group of hunters on the shoreline of the sand spit and later heard gun shots.

I paddled back past the museum and followed the shoreline, enjoying the ride on the retreating tide. The rain had stopped by the time I reached the dock, so I continued on down the embarcadero, where the tall ship Lady Washington was docked. I paddled back along the sand spit, listening to the barks of the sea lions and getting a good workout against the tide.

Turri Creek

2010-11-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

The bay did a full flush today, from a high tide of 5.39 feet to a low of -0.55!

Friend Kirby and I paddled out late morning just after the peak of a high tide and headed from Pasadena Point into the estuary and under the bridge up Turri Creek. It was mostly windless on the way in, and we saw a bit of leopard shark activity in the shallows near the Elfin Forest area. It was easy going up the creek, where we spotted a fair-sized turtle hanging out on the bank. The tide was draining pretty fast, and we rode the flow back into the bay, where we sat in the now-exposed channel and enjoyed delicious chicken salad sandwiches, complements of Gina. Thanks, Gina!
The rest of the paddle back was more of a challenge, as the wind had picked up appreciably, and of course, we were paddling into it. The temp dropped as well, requiring some added outer wear. A nice workout and a fine trip of sightseeing and conversation.

Another Awesome Day on the Bay

2010-10-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

It rained last night, and the forecast was not great for today (Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010) but pal Mike and I planned to paddle regardless. His neighbor Kirby joined us for his initial voyage, and I'm pretty sure he's hooked. It was a GORGEOUS day; the tide was high at 4.6 ft., the bay was glass, and the temps perfect. We paddled from Pasadena Point north past the estuary, near the museum point, and then headed west to the sand spit. Along the way we enjoyed fine conversation and watched dozens of jumping seals, diving pelicans, cormorants and terns feeding on a school of (?- my neighbor says the mackerel are running) fish. There were seals everywhere, and one in particular seemed to take a liking to Kirby. Over on the sand spit side, we paddled south until we took out at a nice place to get out and walk up on the dunes to get that amazing 360 degree view of the bay and ocean. We headed back to Pasadena Point and spotted many more seals and birds on the way back. Perfect!

Sharks AND Friday the 13th

2010-08-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

Pal Jim and I paddled the estuary in Morro Bay and up Turri Creek. We saw a lot of leopard sharks.

Back bay mini tour August 5,2010

2010-08-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

This was a windy paddle with plenty of tight wind waves. I turned the outing into a video that resides on youtube.com and is embedded below.

Port San Luis 8-4-10

2010-08-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

I spent the better part of a sunny but very windy afternoon paddling in and around the bay at Port San Luis and Avila Beach. From the beach access at the ramp in Port San Luis, I went out through the surf and cut a diagonal to the point near the light house, cruising around the tidal features. I came back on the south side of the pier and followed the coastline down to Avila Beach and then back to the ramp. Video footage includes some shots from the cliffs above Avila.

Morro Bay 8/3/10

2010-08-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

Due to the marine layer, summers at the central coast are often not sunny, and today was no exception. Gray is great for kayaking though, and I paddled from Baywood to Morro rock and back, making a counter-clockwise loop. Some highlights included; a few seals and sea lions, otters, lots of diving birds, a closeup of the Coast Guard cutter going by, and the towing of a kayak that had floated off from some rental customers who did not understand just how much difference there is between low and high tides. A very nice 3.5 hour paddle all around. I shot a bunch of video of diving pelicans, flying cormorants, etc., but it just looks bad without a proper zoom.

Sand Spit video July 20, 2010

2010-07-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

This paddle was across the back bay in Morro Bay from the Baywood pier to the sand spit and back. It's about a mile across, and I paddled along the sand spit to a place I like to take out and hike up the dunes to get a 360 degree view of the Pacific Ocean and the bay. I was on a high tide of about 4.5 feet, and the trip was from around 5 pm until about 7 pm, with lots of down time to look around and play with the kayak cam. Here's a video that shows the landing on the sand spit, a view from the top, and my return landing at the pier. If the video doesn't load, you can view it on youtube.com by searching for kayaxeman.

Estuary, Morro Bay 7/18/10

2010-07-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Arrived this afternoon and got in the water at Pasadena Point just after 5 pm. The tide had been fairly high (over 4 ft.) and had just begun to recede, so I paddled north and rounded the peninsula, following the shoreline along Baywood and back to the Elfin Forest area. I took a small channel over into the main channel of the estuary and saw a group of about 30 white pelicans hanging out on the bank. I followed the channel almost to the bridge at Turri Creek, and turned around to head back before the water got too shallow to follow the same path back. A nice way to start a three day stay at the coast.

Back Bay July 11, 2010

2010-07-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

I couldn't bear to leave early today, so I paddled out from Pasadena Point in about 2.5 feet of water and headed over to the sand spit. I met and spoke with a couple of other solo paddlers (Gary and Jim). We enjoyed each others company and paddled to the same take out on the spit, where we took paths to different locations but wound up leaving at the same time, standing on the dune and talking for a while. A leisurely paddle back turned this into 2 plus hours; every minute enjoyable. The picture is from the top of the dune looking toward Morro Rock.

Shark Inlet July 9 and 10

2010-07-10T21:39:00.001-07:00

Paddled from Cuesta on a rising tide (about 3.5) to Shark Inlet two evenings in row. The first evening was a bit cool and breezy, but the leopard sharks were really putting on a show. There were dozens of them cruising in the shallows and doing quick spins before jetting away from the kayaks. They would pop up everywhere, often startling kayakers who screamed and laughed. I tried to take photos with my phone, but it was next to impossible to predict when and where they would appear. The only photo (almost) worth posting only shows one dorsal fin from 12 feet or so. The leopards have (go figure) leopard-like markings on their backs, and range in length from 3-5 feet. They are quite slim and incredibly fast. It was such a great experience that I went back the next night with a video cam and only saw 3 sharks and got zero footage of any action. It was still a great day that began with body boarding off of 24th street in Cayucos where everyone was treated to 3 dolphin who lazed back and forth just beyond the break. They weren't playing today, or jumping, just cruising very slowly back and forth fishing for whatever it was that they were eating. There was also a juvenile (very small) seal out with us; one of the paddle board surfers told me that the seal surfed the same wave I did about 5 feet away. No doubt the youngster already is the better surfer.

Kayak surfing Cayucos July 2, 2010

2010-07-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Great friend and drummer Mike and I took our sit on top scramblers out for some surfing off of 24th Street in Cayucos. Pretty choppy from the wind and the surf was tight 3-4 feet. Some great rides and spectacular wipeouts. No pics of course; not taking my iPhone into the surf. Clarice shot some video from the beach with my flip cam, but all you can see are colored specs on the ocean. Tons of fun and loved my new wetsuit booties. What a difference warm feet make. Cowabunga, baby!

Hume Lake June 26, 2010

2010-06-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hume Lake is an 85 acre man-made lake in the Sequoia National Park. The altitude is 5200'. The lake is fed by the gorgeous Ten Mile Creek, and drains back to said creek over a unique concrete reinforced multiple arch dam. Surrounded by evergreens and sandy soiled, it reminds me of Maine. The drive to the lake is easy (in summer) and scenic; any trip into the Sequoia National Forest is worth it. I took video with an HD-Flip, and it is a bit jumpy (I was in a boat on a lake after all....). I have been going here on an annual camping trip for over 20 years and it is always fantastic.

Back Bay June 5, 2010

2010-06-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Paddled out from the Baywood Pier at 6 pm with Lorelei and Ron, meeting Jim (coming from Cuesta)out in the water. We spotted a bat ray in the Baywood inlet, with one swimming right next to my boat. Sweet!. We paddled to the algae out at the sand spit, and worked our way toward the opening of Shark Inlet before heading back along the shoreline past Cuesta and back to Baywood. We made it out of the water and loaded on the truck just at dusk. A fine outing.

Back Bay June 4, 2010

2010-06-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while! I have paddled numerous times between January and June, but have neglected to log the paddles to this blog. Today's paddle was from the pier in Baywood, out to the sand spit and return. I headed out around 6 pm into a pretty stiff breeze with some white caps. On the sand spit side, the algae bloom that appears each year was present (usually, the algae appears in May; whether it did or not this year I can't say because I was absent from the bay for the entire month). There were enough breaks in the algae to pick a path through. Fun. I returned in time to pick up a Pad Thai at Noi's at 7pm.

Morro Bay January 8, 2010

2010-01-08T17:58:00.000-08:00

I was going to leave today, but Susan said "stay if you want" (thank you!) and it was just too pretty to leave. Mike and I went out for about an hour from the marina in Morro Bay and just kind of paddled around for awhile. We spoke with Dave and Claudia, avid paddlers from Port Angeles, Washington, who had been traveling down the California coast with paddles in the Elkhorn Slough and our very own bay. It's amazing how many people travel from all over the world to visit here, but who can blame them. When it's sunny and warm in January and the area is so beautiful, how could you not want to visit? Sorry about the bad picture....
I spent the later part of the afternoon walking the bluffs trail in Montana de Oro, and watching some surfers who were out in the huge swells. Fantastic! I've added this picture of the sunset in Baywood because the day was just gorgeous from start to finish.

Morro Bay January 7, 2010

2010-01-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

This might be my last paddle for a while, as it is back to school (work) on Monday. With the tide fairly low, I decided to head for Morro Bay, and put in at the marina. I paddled into the incoming tide, and worked my way up to the area of Morro rock. I passed seven sea otters right there near the rock, in the place where they are normally seen. There was much activity from the tugs, barges and dredgers, who are working hard to keep the channels deep and clean. There is a shovel type operation up near the Morro Bay Inn, and the results are loaded on to a barge which is pushed by a tug out into the ocean off of the sand spit, where it is deposited. The outgoing barges sit barely above the water, and the incoming ones are substantially (10-12 feet?) above the water line. The photo is of an incoming barge. There is also some kind of dredging activity near the harbor entrance, and a complex of semi-submerged pipelines carries matter from one place to another. I would like to learn more about what is actually transpiring. I floated around in the area of the jetty near the rock, enjoying the fine weather and clear water, and watching the barges come and go. On my return to the marina, I met Ron, who grew up very near me in New Jersey, and had an enjoyable conversation while loading our boats. I drove from there up toward Cayucos and watched a beautiful sunset. I'm a fortunate guy. What a week.

Back Bay January 6, 2010

2010-01-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

I paddled from Pasadena Point again at 1 PM on a rising tide on this beautiful, sunny day, and headed toward the Cuesta Inlet, where buddy Jim A. was leaving and planned to meet me out on the bay, which of course, we did. On the way there, I noticed something in the sky to the north, out over the ocean near Cayucos. I pulled out the binoculars and saw that it was a white blimp, and headed our way. It came fairly close to the sand spit on the ocean side, on its journey southward. I could not make out what it said on the side, but took several iphone pics, none of which remotely shows what looks like a blimp! In the picture, look above the bow of Jim's boat for the dot that was looking pretty big to us. The iphone is just not a good enough camera for anything far off (more than 20 feet). Jim and I paddled up along the sand spit, getting out at several spots to walk up to the top to enjoy the 360 degree vistas. We were both very grateful to be able to enjoy this fantastic place (and he gets to live here). While picking up some trash, we noticed something moving in the scrub on and watched for a bit. It turned out to be a big coyote, and it was no more than a hundred feet from us, but seemed not too worried about the guys in the kayaks floating off shore. We eventually headed back to our respective put ins, and again I found myself enjoying wine, dinner and good conversation with friends later in the evening. What a great week.

Back Bay January 5, 2010

2010-01-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

The first paddle of 2010! Great friend Mike M. and I left Pasadena Point around 11 am on a rising 2.5 foot tide and found ourselves paddling toward the sand spit, with our heading determined by a pretty stiff breeze and accompanying wind waves. Once we reached the lee of the spit, we paddled north for a bit and hauled up about a quarter of a mile south of the point directly across from the State Park Marina. Since neither of us had ever crossed to the ocean side at that particular location, we decided to, and found that the wind had all but died. It was a beautiful day, and we walked north on the beach, eating peanuts and checking out all the stuff that had been deposited by last week's high tides. I picked up what appeared to be a solar powered light that was mounted on a 2 1/2 foot pipe. It had a bit of water in the lamp. Not wanting to just leave it, it was added to the trash that we would haul back (the usual bottles and foam pieces). We had a nice paddle back, and a great dinner made by Clarice later on. Thanks.
The next day, I decided to take the solar light apart to drain the water, and when I brought it into the garage, where it was pretty dark, the light started to blink yellow once every second. From markings that I could read on the inner parts, that is exactly what it is supposed to do. Two days later, I noticed the same type of lights mounted on pipe sitting atop some buoy markers near the rigs that are dredging the channel. Anyone need a flashing light?

Last Paddle of 2009

2010-01-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

While much of the country was digging its way out of the snow for the New Year's festivities, some of us were paddling Morro Bay on a postcard perfect day.
I paddled from the pier in Baywood at 9:30 AM on a 5.8 ft. high tide and headed toward Shark Inlet. The sky was blue and windless as I paddled in shirt sleeves and shorts. The water was smooth and reminded me of old glass; just a bit wavy. I was able to paddle as far back in Shark Inlet as I can ever recall, and vowed to head back if I can get out on a tide over 6 feet, just to see if I could paddle into the far rushes near the trail that goes to the beach at Montana de Oro. There were plenty of water birds again today, but I didn't see any signs of the feeder fish that the birds normally follow.
I paddled north along the sand spit to King Dune and climbed up to the top, which was easier than usual because the recent rains compacted the sand on the surface and it is much easier to walk on the sand than in it, especially up the hill sides. The view from the top reminded me again of just how beautiful the coast is. The lack of wind made the surf look like you just want to be in it!
With the tide so high, it was a good day for trash picking, and I filled my boat with all manner of bottles, cans, shoes, etc. and managed to get two long pieces of washed up foam strapped to the deck fore and aft. On the return to Baywood, I met some fine paddlers who were visiting from Reno, so here's a shout out and Happy New Year to Woody and crew!

Morro Bay December 30, 2009

2009-12-30T18:27:00.000-08:00

Another very high tide this morning (5.8 at 8:45 AM), but other duties kept me off the water until near noon. With an approaching 4:30 low tide of -.87, the tide was rushing out like a river, so I put in at the marina in Morro Bay and headed across toward the sand spit on the north side of grassy island, hoping to have enough water to make it across and up the spit to deeper parts. I did, but would not have if I'd left any later. The tide was running so fast that it was like a river crossing. Fun! I followed the spit south all the way up to where the channel loops to the sand spit side just north of King Dune, and then followed the channel back toward Morro Bay. I shared the channel ride with thousands of birds; large groups of coots, cormorants and grebes, as well as terns, swifts and at least a dozen white pelicans, along with the usual assortment of shore birds and sea gulls. With the tide baring land everywhere, there was the usual group of seals present at the mouth of the channel leading to the estuary. I counted at least 40 seals resting, and a few more in the water scouting me out. I always keep my distance, just to be a good neighbor. The seals were joined by an otter. Once I reached the museum, I knew that there would not be low water issues, so I coasted along with the tide and enjoyed a ham, provolone and guacamole sandwich on sourdough rye. So tasty. I watched the dredger a bit, and let the tide swirls spin me twice around at the corner of the roosting area near the Morro Bay Inn. The tide is always fun there, but was really creating some odd patterns today. After my paddle, I drove up the coast past Cayucos and hiked to the beach near the abalone farm where the creek comes in, scouting it out for a future paddle from Cayucos. It would be an 8-9 mile round trip up the coast, and there are lots of little coves to explore on the way.

Back Bay December 29, 2009

2009-12-30T18:16:00.000-08:00

There was a 5.7 foot tide this morning at 8 am, so I got on the water around 8:30 from the pier at Baywood and paddled out toward Shark Inlet. The sky was blue and windless, temp in the high 50s. On the way to Shark Inlet, I spotted two boats adrift, and paddled over to check them out. One was a rowing skiff that sat high in the water, the other an aging Sabot style sailing skiff that had taken on a bit of water and was riding low. It was not too far from the Cuesta Inlet, and may have come from there on the high tide, so I towed it in and pushed it ashore. It had no name or markings. After paddling to the back corner of the bay, I worked my way along the sand spit, intending to eventually take a better look at the other boat, but it had drifted far off on the rapidly receding tide. The wind came up in the late morning and I headed back to Baywood, but did not spot the other drifting boat. Plenty of birds out in the water, many in flocks.

Turri Creek December 5, 2009

2009-12-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

There was a 5 foot tide today that peaked just past noon, so I paddled out from the Tidelands Marina in Morro Bay and headed into the estuary, which was completely covered with water due to the height of the tide. Of course, some of that water was only inches deep, but I followed the channel as best I could by watching the water color. With a slight wind at my back, I paddled under the bridge at Turri Creek and followed the creek until it become impassable due to fallen trees. I got up past the sign along Turri Creek road that warns of possible flooding, which struck me as slightly humorous from my view in the water. It's a picturesque paddle past the groves of Pygmy Oaks. I assumed that the wind would pick up in the afternoon, and boy did it! I paddled out of the creek, across the estuary and west to the sand spit, stopping along the way to put on my spray skirt to try to warm up a bit and keep the whitecaps out of my lap. It was a cold, hard, wet paddle across, but grunting seemed to help! I had seen some hunters on the paddle toward the creek, but they were all gone with the strong wind and waves. More than a dozen seals checked me out in both directions (the wind doesn't seem to bother them..).
I took a break on the sand spit and stretched my legs before digging out my gloves and continuing north along the spit toward Morro Bay. On the paddle back, I watched a sea otter preening for a while, and counted nine great blue herons standing guard. With the tide so high, there was a clear line of trash along the tide line, and I grabbed as much as I could carry, including a bag filled with crushed Tecate cans that had evidently been destined for recycling but never made it (at least not the first try).
On my return, there was considerable activity at the marina, where boats and boaters were arriving for the Christmas Boat Parade.

Morro Bay November 14, 2009

2009-11-16T19:46:00.000-08:00

I have been remiss in updating some paddles; I did paddle the back bay a few times in September and October. Nothing out of the ordinary to report on those trips.
On Saturday, 11/14/09, I got the chores done and headed to Morro Bay to paddle from the marina at Tidelands Park. At 2 PM, the tide was almost out but was still flying by in a hurry on it's way to a minus reading. The wind was blowing hard from the north, and the bay was a brown froth of tide versus wind. I opted to paddle north into the wind, taking a few breaks in semi-protected areas along the sand spit. It was a good workout getting to Morro Rock, where there was construction activity going on along the shore near Target Rock.
I paddled out to the red buoy that marks the harbor entrance at the end of the breakwater, and could see that the ocean was not looking at all hospitable to small craft. I headed back, and didn't really need to paddle at all; just let the wind blow me back. Followed up my workout with a trip to Thai Bounty for a delicious dinner (Noi's Little Thai Takeout closed for the month as they visit Thailand.

Back Bay August 6, 2009

2009-08-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

I paddled out from Pasadena Point at 11 AM with the tide near high and went around to Baywood, where there were a dozen or so sailors out learning to sail as part of the Sail Away Camp. The wind was blowing pretty good; nice for them but tough for me as I headed toward the Cuesta Inlet and Shark Cove. There was enough wind for me to feather my paddle, which I do not prefer, as I have more control with a straight paddle. Oh well, good practice.
The sun was shining as I followed the wind-sheltered sand spit north, taking my time and watching the numerous egrets and herons. Around noon, I noticed the fog bank coming in from Morro Bay, but continued north picking up trash on the shoreline. Within the hour, the fog dropped in from the south and then over the sand spit (photo), with visibility down to about 150 yards by 1:00. I floated around for a while, waiting for the fog to get to its thickest. When I couldn't see anything at all, I checked my compass and headed back toward the put in. I knew I was a bit off course when I saw the outline of one of the oyster barges. Sure enough, I had altered course northward and made the correction. I was darn close to shore before I could see the outline of the peninsula, and landed back at Pasadena Point. This was my last paddle before returning to work at school next Monday, and it was an interesting one.
Peace and Paddle on.

San Simeon August 5, 2009

2009-08-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

San Simeon twice in one week! The cove was blue with a bit of wind. We had an un-remarkable entry (yeah) and paddled out through the cove and north along the shoreline for about a mile or so. We kept a close watch on the fog banks that were threatening from both the north and south, and turned around when they came together and covered over. It was still easy to see the shoreline, and with the wind at our backs, the paddle back was fast. Upon reentering the cove, we were greeted with blue skies and sunshine, so we spent some time poking around the rock features and sea caves on the wind-protected side. Noticed many rows of sea stars along the rock edges. Perfect landings finished off a great paddle.

Morro Bay August 4, 2009

2009-08-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

I paddled out from Pasadena Point on the small high tide of the day (3.2')and rounded the Baywood pennisula north to the Elfin Forest area. The water was too shallow to make it through to the channel, but in the shallows I disrupted several leopard sharks who broiled up the water getting away from my boat (I saw one fin to identify them). I headed straight out and across to the sand spit and hung around for a while picking up trash and then paddled back. By the time I got to the sand spit, the fog had rolled in and the opposite shore could not be seen so I used a heading from my compass/thermometer/magnifying glass/whistle to find my way. I heartily recommend the $3 investment. On the beach in Baywood, I saw another dead seal; this one was being reduced via vultures. Is there some reason why seals die in August? It's the third one in several days.

Kayak surfing Cayucos

2009-08-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

This was a kayak surfing/boogie boarding outing off of 24th street in Cayucos. The waves were great, and the boogie boarding awesome. We shared the waves with a handful of surfers, a couple of seals and dolfin, and several hundred surf-camp participants.
Kayak surfing had some mixed moments. Both Lorelei and I had our share of great rides, and also some pretty good wipeouts. I finally learned what an end-o in a kayak feels like when I failed to clear the crest of an incoming wave. Lorelei was a natural; she seems to have great balance (not that she didn't crash plenty of times). What a great workout, and we all made it through injury free! I haven't been this sore in a while......
Alas, pictures are not an option when you know you're going to get all the way wet (frequently).

San Simeon August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

The cove at San Simeon is a gorgeous place; nice pier, protected water, sea caves, good access, restrooms, it has a lot going for it. It's even prettier outside of the cove and north along the shoreline. The only visible sign of human habitation are the hiking trails that follow the coast for a ways. This area has great rock gardens and an ever-changing landscape that features 30+ foot cliffs and forest beyond. We paddled several miles up, and had a nice view of the lighthouse at Piedras Blancas in the distance. We stayed mostly just inside the kelp beds along the shoreline, where many seals checked us out. The adrenaline rush of the day came when the coastline went east into a large cove. A swell that was twice the size of what we had been watching all day surprised us, and I headed out to sea paddling as hard as I could (while yelling-Get the @#$% out of here!) and crested the swell, dropping into the air space behind it. Mary was 5 yards back, and honestly, I don't know how she made it through before it broke. Several more waves of the same size followed in the set, and we kept paddling hard until we were well clear. Whew. A learning experience. The paddle back was just as nice as on the way in, and Mary got to do some side surfing on the landing.

Morro Bay August 1, 2009

2009-08-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

This was a great paddle that lasted over 4 hours. I left from Pasadena Point and ran into Mary, Lorelei and Ron. We paddled down to the rock in Morro Bay, and then out the harbor entrance for a peak at the ocean in both directions. There was no hurry, and the paddle was dominated by good conversation.
I have never seen so many seals and sea lions in the bay (including several deceased ones). There were also more paddlers on the bay than at any other time that I've observed. At least forty of them were visiting from the Fresno Kayak Club. The rental folks also did a great business this day. Ron and I decided that we liked pink kayaks (they were numerous). We were the only ones who shared that opinion.

Eelgrass Program

2009-07-12T18:17:00.000-07:00

This info has been in the papers and elsewhere; one more place can't hurt.
Volunteers are needed to take a waterproof map out with them when they're paddling on the bay and make note of their relative position when they paddle over eelgrass. The maps are available in Morro Bay at the Estuary Program office, Kayak Horizons, the Kayak Shack at the State Park Marina and the Harbor Office and in Los Osos at Coffee'n Things. Completed maps can be dropped off where they were picked up or at the Estuary Program office.
Contact info:
Ann Kitajima
Monitoring Program Manager
Morro Bay National Estuary Program
Phone: 805-772-3834, ex. 14
Fax: 805-772-4162
www.mbnep.org

Cayucos, July 7, 2009

2009-07-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Since we had encountered big wind on our previous endeavor to paddle off of Cayucos, we hit the water before 9 AM and went out through the surf on the north side of the pier. We headed out toward the kelp, and then north up along the rocks and coves. Dolphins leaped at several different times, within 25 yards, but couldn't get a picture. Judging by the number of seals, dolphin, and pelicans, there must have been plenty of fish out there. We were on a tight time schedule, and didn't paddle north as far as we will on the next trip. Pretty good surf landing with only minor seepage and sand.

Morro Bay July 6, 2009

2009-07-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

Mike M. and I left around noon to check out a possible paddle off of Cayucos, but found that, while the surf was not too big to get out, the wind was already blowing like crazy, so we opted to turn around and paddle in the bay. We put in at the Tidelands Marina and paddled into a stiff wind out to the rock and around the cove between there and the south jetty. There was plenty of swell near the harbor entrance, and we made sure that we stayed away from the dredger and from the several boats and a jet-ski that were working with a group of junior lifeguards. On the easy return trip, we were treated to a trio of sea lions who were coming in and out of the water very near to us. Two of them seemed to tussle a bit, but I honestly don't know the distinction between play and fighting when it comes to sea lions. Tried to get a picture but they were camera shy.

Morro Bay July 5, 2009

2009-07-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

After everyone else left Los Osos, I took a pre-sunset paddle from Baywood Pier over to the spit and back. Lots of wind, and a good workout.

Surfing the South Jetty in Morro Bay

2009-07-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

Mike, Steve S. and I paddled from Coleman Beach and out around the south jetty to do so surfing practice. It was a full wetsuit morning, and it's too bad we didn't get video. Plenty of great rides and spills. Learned a few things; the most important being that wetsuits are great if you have a good chance of getting dumped. Apologies once more to those who couldn't join us.......

Monterey Bay Aquarium

2009-07-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

OK, this was not a paddle, but I drove up Highway 1 from Los Osos to Monterey, and there were HUNDREDS of places that I saw that begged kayaking! The aquarium is a great destination, and there were plenty of folks paddling in the bay visible from the aquarium decks. Anywhere along the coast looked great, although ingress and egress is often difficult. Plenty of places to go later. Don't forget the aquarium, which is just a great place.

Montana de Oro July 1, 2009

2009-07-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

This has been a fabulous paddling week. Jim, Lorelei, Mary, Mike and I launched our flotilla from Spooner's Cove at 10 AM on a low tide. Windless gray skies that turned to blue complimented the calm sea and medium swell that remained throughout the 2+ hour paddle. We paddled south past Pt. Buchon, with one detour into a cove. With the tide low and several first timers in company, we avoided the caves and archways nearest the beaches. The return trip was closer to land, and we enjoyed the ride up and down the swells that had gained in size since the start. A bit of time playing around in Spooner's Cove and a safe beach landing for all completed another great day out.

Avila Beach June 29, 2009

2009-06-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

A GREAT paddling day!
Mary F. and I paddled out from the ramp at Port San Luis and headed up through the pier and along the shore line to the beach where the sea wall extends out into the harbor. We viewed a work crew high up in the hills constructing a set of stairs for what must be a new (or improved) trail (the view from the top must have been spectacular). We continued out along the sea wall, past a cacophonous chorus of hundreds of seals and sea lions, and out to open water. From there, we paddled about 1.75 miles toward Shell Beach, choosing a spot just south of Pirate's Cove as our destination. The sea was smooth, windless, with a small swell; the air warm but not hot, and the visibility good, with some cloud cover. We paddled around near the cliffs, and picked up a fair amount of trash in the kelp beds (Hey Mickey, you're so fine, but also a choice of litterbugs who heave your empty 32 ounce bottles overboard!). We paddled in through Pirate's Cove, truly a beautiful place, even considering the ridiculously sized homes that overlook it. We continued north along the bluffs, where there are numerous and wondrous geological features. Once past the bluff areas, we headed into a fairly stiff breeze with quartering whitecaps that made our return leg back to Port San Luis a pretty decent workout. Mary experienced a new way of arriving on the beach. Total time on the water was 4 hours, and we paddled between 6 and 7 miles as calculated later on Google Earth. We returned wet, hungry and tired. Perfect.

Morro Bay June 28, 2009

2009-06-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

Paddled out on a cresting tide in the late afternoon from Pasadena Point, where numerous fishermen lined the banks. Several had catches of bat rays and leopard sharks. Paddled down to the rookery near the museum, where hundreds of cormorants and herons perched in the denuded eucalyptus grove. Continued down to the sand spit across from the embarcadero, and walked up the dunes to see what was displaying the tall masts that could be seen from the bay side. A large vessel was backing up right in the mouth of the channel, and is presumed to be tasked with dredging said channel. Returned to Los Osos by paddling up the sand spit side. Here's a bad picture of the ship in the channel.

Lake Kaweah June 22, 2009

2009-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Bennett and I paddled the Slick Rock area of Lake Kaweah this morning, and went up the mouth as far as the first river drop. We did some playing around in the eddies and currents. Lots of sun and wind. The fish were jumpin'.
The photo shows Bennett at the new launch ramp and dock at Slick Rock.

La Jolla Cove

2009-06-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2009

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My Dad and I paddled La Jolla Cove this morning. We rented a tandem sit on top from the La Jolla location of San Diego Bike and Kayak Tours, who did a fine job of getting folks out with little or no hassle. There are several rental companies doing a brisk business from the beach in La Jolla Shores, where it is easy to get out through the surf and close to the cove. I chose this company because I saved $5 by reserving online. Total for 2 hours with a tandem, 2 pfds was $40. They have free lockers to store your valuables, and a place to change.
The water was nice, the weather pleasant, and the paddling easy. They have caves in the cove, but it is not legal to enter them without being in tour group. It was easy to look inside, and also easy to see how folks who don't know what they are doing could get hurt. The cove is famous for its clear water and abundant sea life (star fish, leopard sharks, seals, etc.) but on this day, we had only 5-6 feet of visibility, so we had to settle for great company and a fine paddle off of one of California's prettiest beach towns.

Montana de Oro June 12, 2009

2009-06-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

As promised, we are back today! We paddled out from Spooner's Cove just after 9:30 and spent 3 hours paddling down to where you can see the Diablo Canyon power plant (and back). Along the way, we investigated several coves, did some minor rock gardening, and enjoyed the numerous seals and sea otters. The seals were the only ones around who might have been having more fun than us. Another awesome day kayaking!

Montana de Oro June 11, 2009

2009-06-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

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Linda, Mary and I put in at Spooner's Cove in Montana de Oro State Park this morning around 9:45. This is an amazing place enjoyed by many; hikers, bikers, equestrians, surfers and tide-pool explorers, as well as typical "family day at the beach" outings. Anyone who thinks of closing a place like this to save State funds has no soul.
The put in was easy, with very small breakers at the beach in the cove, but wind and tight swells made paddling a bit dicey, especially heading out past the point in the "whacky water" that is trying to go several directions at once. We paddled out to the kelp beds, where the water is settled. From there we paddled south for a quarter mile or so before returning because the conditions were un-predictable. We enjoyed a fine roller coaster ride back into the cove and spent some time playing around the rock features there. A great paddle and a promise to return.

Morro Bay June 10, 2009

2009-06-11T15:19:00.001-07:00

Paddled from 4-7 today from Pasadena Point north past the museum and then over to the sand spit side. Followed the spit south and spent some time up on the dunes. Spotted more bat rays, near the oyster farm where the channel goes into the estuary. This is the first time that I have seen rays there.

Morro Bay June 9, 2009

2009-06-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

Another late afternoon paddle from the Baywood Pier to the sand spit and down to shark inlet and returned past Cuesta inlet and Sweetwater preserve. Saw several bat rays in the Baywood cove.

Morro Bay June 8, 2009

2009-06-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Nice paddle from Baywood Pier over to the sand spit in the late afternoon. Met fellow paddlers M and L who expressed interest in paddling out of Montana de Oro. Hiked up King dune to admire the 360 degree awesomeness.

Back Bay May 15, 2009

2009-05-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons that I started this blog was that the back bay was filled with algae last May, and I couldn't recall if previous years had looked the same. Well, I've confirmed that there is quite a lot of algae growing along the sandspit in the back bay for at least the past two (months of) May.
This was a pleasant paddle on a Friday evening in the hour or so before sunset. Calm winds, and a westward paddle with the sun directly in the eyes. On the return trip to the Baywood Pier, I looked for, but did not see, batrays that had been so prevalent in April.

Lake Kaweah April 26, 2009

2009-04-30T22:08:00.000-07:00

Brought my kayak home from the coast because it will be weeks before I can return. The nearest local lake is Kaweah, which is just below the town of Three Rivers. This man-made creation was about 20 feet or so below high water marks, which leaves plenty of water for paddling, and lots of places to go that aren't dominated by jet skis, ski boats and bass boats.
There is an area at the northern end of the lake that is called Slick Rock. There is a parking lot and restrooms there; a favorite place for families to swim and fish. When the water level is low, Slick Rock is just a small river running into the lake, but when the lake is full, the Slick Rock area forms the northern section.
I put in here, and paddled into the wind until I came into the main lake section, then reversed and let the wind take me back. I continued up until the lake became a river again, and went up as far as the first drop and rapids. The water is fast and clear here, and it was fun to paddle up the calm side and then into the short section of rapids that came off the drop. Nothing too scary for this solo paddler in a sea kayak; I played it safe at all times.
Between this area and the Slick Rock put in, there were numerous anglers on the banks, and perhaps a dozen more in several boats. The wind was kickin' pretty good, and the return trip was a good workout. I'm hoping to return soon with some friends, before the water level drops too much.

Morro Bay April 18, 2009

2009-04-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

From Kayaxeman

Today I paddled from the marina dock at Tidelands Park in Morro Bay and out to Morro Rock. I took a nice break on the jetty next to the Rock, and watched the ocean swells for a while. On the way back, I was near Target Rock (out of the channel) when the Coast Guard rescue vessel poured on the power and created INSTANT 3 foot wake that had a very angular cut to it. I turned into the wake and rode over (and over) and was just amazed at the power of it. Glad to have those folks out there practicing; they do some amazing stuff.

Rook(ed)ery

2009-04-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

For the 3rd morning in a row, I got out on the water (8:45) for a paddle in the back bay. This morning, I joined friends Jim and Linda, who paddled over from Cuesta. We were treated to a bay full of water, no wind for 2 hours, lots of otters, harbor seals, sun, scenery and camaraderie. We paddled toward Morro Bay for a look at the blue heron rookery, but saw no herons when we arrived. We paddled east across the bay, just north of Grassy Island, and returned, making a nice little circuit. The wind came up about 3/4 of the way back, adding to a great workout and even more appreciation of the windless conditions we enjoyed for most of the paddle.
Last night I walked down to the Baywood Pier to watch the sunset, and watched 30+ bat rays as they cruised up and down the Baywood channel, sometimes creating big splashes with their antics. Mating season? Definitely returning tonight, and might put a boat in if the wind and water cooperate.

Bay Cleaners

2009-04-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

I got out this morning and on the water early enough to enjoy a few hours before the tides drained the back bay. A perfect, windless morning. Besides the usual water birds, there was an otter in the back bay, and a very young harbor seal accompanied by a more mature seal. Along the sand spit, I paddled over to visit Mike and Mark from Orchid Outriggers, who were paddling one of their outriggers and picking up trash along the shore of the sand spit. They do this on a regular basis, and equip themselves with trash bags for smaller items. By the time I caught up with them, they had a boat filled with all variety of washed up items. They mentioned that on a recent outing, they had recovered nearly 30 tires! Some of what gets washed up are accidental items; the result of capsizing or just the pounding of the tides on land and boats. Much more is just litter tossed from boats or left on beaches that get blown into the bay. I appreciate the efforts of stewards like Mike and Mark, and have always tried to bring back a little more than I take along. We all need to.

Mud Fun

2009-04-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Los Osos last night, and the wind was blowing hard. Since today promised more of the same, I got out early to get in a quick paddle before the wind came up. The bay was draining quickly, and the back bay would be a mud flat by noon. I hit the water at 9 am and needed to be off within the hour to have a mud-free landing. On the way back, I took a phone call from my buddy Jim Pappas and talked for a while (I know, you think I'm a jerk for taking my phone, but it's pretty handy, and so much fun to call back east from the kayak and gloat). Jim and I caught up, and by the time I reached shore, my mud-free zone had disappeared, so I stepped out and sunk almost to my knee in the finest back-bay slime. All good. Still had a great sunny, windless paddle. Tomorrow I'll go earlier....
On shore, I met Baywood Navy originator and local salty sailor Jack (originally from Massachusetts)and his friend Eleanor. I have nodded and waved to Jack a few times while we were out on the bay (he sails a Pelican with a red sail)and it was nice to finally meet him and chat a bit. I received some insider info on the location of a hose that could be helpful in de-mudding myself. He left me with the parting words "Boats and men rot on land".

Morro Bay March 14, 2009

2009-03-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

As I am only a part-time resident of the central coast, I go paddling when I can. Since I was here for the weekend, and the tides looked ok for a back-bay paddle, I headed out from Pasadena Point just after noon. It was so windy, the only reason I could carry my boat from the truck to the beach was that I was able to point it directly into the wind. The bay greeted me with 2 foot standing wind waves that were only 5 feet apart. I wanted to lean forward to get the strongest possible vertical paddle in, but was frequently forced to lean back to keep the bow out of the approaching waves. Slicing through the waves was not an issue, it just brought too much wind-driven water into my lap (chest, face, etc.). I can not recall a more tedious crossing than the one I made this day. Forward progress was very slow. Upon reaching the sand spit, I got out for a break, and pulled my boat up where it got minimal punishment from the sand blowing off of the dunes. I hooked my spray skirt over the bow to try to dry it out some, and hiked up the dunes for a look at the ocean and a scenic spot for a snack. The sun was shining, but the wind blew so hard that even in protected spots it was difficult to look west with getting an eye full of sand. Quite enjoyable, actually, and a reason to appreciate the windless trips just a bit more. The paddle back took no paddling at all; I just got blown back to Los Osos.
Back home, as I cleaned my gear, I was appreciative that it always holds up so well. My 8 year old plastic Necky Kyook is a great all-around boat that performs well (with the rudder) and is still in great shape. It is garage kept and cleaned after each paddle (or several if paddling consecutive days). The Werner carbon fiber paddle given to me by my friend Jim Lile is light and strong, and the Snap Dragon spray skirt does its job and still fits great. Just add water.

Sail Away Camp

2009-02-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

I was admiring an old BMW 320 at the Coffee and Things parking lot, and found that I was speaking with Dave (the owner) who also happens to run the Sail Away Camp for teaching sailing right in the bay by the Baywood Pier. What a great treat for would-be sailors. Camp times are determined by favorable tides in the back bay during the summer. Check out the camp times here.

Backbay February 21, 2009

2009-02-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

It was a bit chilly this morning, but, with no wind, I warmed up quickly while paddling in the back bay of Morro Bay. The tide was receding as I left from the Baywood Pier and headed across the bay to the sand spit. While paddling along the spit, I noticed several areas where the reeds had died out. I have no idea if this is usual or not, or if they die back like grass in the winter, but, since I saw healthy sections of reeds as well, I took a picture to compare during later paddles.
One unusual thing that I did notice today was that I spotted about a dozen white pelicans but no browns. Normally, the browns out-number the white ones by a considerable multiplier (50 to 1?). At any rate, I did snap a couple of pictures with my iphone, which works fine close up but that's about it. I couldn't get too close.
A hike up on the spit to view the ocean side rounded out my paddle.
Another great day (morning) on the bay.

Section of dead reeds

Morro Bay January 18, 2009

2009-01-18T18:14:00.000-08:00

Another impossibly beautiful day! Not a cloud in sight, barely a breeze, and temps in the low 70s. I paddled from the Tidelands marina out to the south jetty across from Morro Rock, hung out on the beach for a while, and paddled back. The usual otters, seals and sea lions were hanging out near the harbor entrance, where the outside swells would occasionally crash over the north jetty. Awesome.
The kayak rental folks had to love this day; I don't think that I have ever seen so many paddlers out on the bay. On the return trip, I wondered aimlessly, merely to prolong my time on the water. Made it back home in time to wash the boat and check out the sunset in Baywood. My sincere thanks to ever water god or goddess who has ever been named.

Morro Bay January 17, 2009

2009-01-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

This was the kind of day that makes mid-westerners despise Californians.
Sunny and cloudless, a slight breeze, and temps around 70 degrees. Paddling without a shirt in the middle of January!
I paddled with my neighbors, the Wishons, who took a canoe. We paddled from Pasadena Point and headed SW to the sand spit, to the dune known as King Dune. This is probably the tallest point along the sand spit, and we hiked to the summit to enjoy the views; then continued down the ocean side to the beach, where the twins explored and drew artwork around the jellyfish that had been washed up on the beach. The breakers were big and plentiful, the sand warm. The return trip was just as pleasant; a perfect two and a half hour outing. Thanks.

Morro Bay January 6, 2009

2009-01-06T23:17:00.000-08:00

Another low tide (0 feet) paddle today. I left from the marina in Morro Bay and headed north into a steady wind (NNE)toward Morro Rock. The wind created some interesting water at the harbor entrance near the rock, with wind waves coming from the opposite direction of the swells coming in. I took out at the north jetty for a stretch and a snack, passing the otter family that resides in the area. The wind was blowing hard enough to necessitate removal of my hat (before nature did it). Made it back in plenty of time to wash the boat and truck, and still catch the sunset in Baywood. I'll be heading back home tomorrow, but am happy to have paddled 3 times in the first week of the new year.

Morro Bay January 5, 2009

2009-01-06T23:03:00.000-08:00

There was not much water in the back bay (Los Osos)today. I drove into Morro Bay and launched from the marina with the tide slack and less than 1 foot. With almost no wind (or sun) I paddled south toward Los Osos and followed the channel through the back bay up to where it meets the sand spit. With lots of exposed land, it was necessary to follow the red channel markers (keep the red on your right as you return from the sea- red, right, return- thanks Jim Lile) as they wind through the back bay. On the trip, I passed 50 or so seals who were hauled up on the exposed mud, 3 otters and many white pelicans. A paddle like this is more like following a river than the usual trek across the bay. I stopped just short of the sand spit, not wanting to disturb the thousand of birds gathered there.

Morro Bay 1st Paddle of the Year

2009-01-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2009!

How many paddlers can head out on the 3rd of January?

With temps in the 50s, 2 feet of water throughout the afternoon, and a steady wind from the north at about 5-10 mph, I set out from Pasadena Point in Los Osos with no particular destination in mind. Paddling into the wind, I just kept going until I reached Morro Rock. On the return trip, I followed the sand spit all the way, knowing that a 2 foot tide would afford just enough water along the shallower points. I stopped on the spit to investigate an aluminum skiff that was apparently washed up at the high tide line due west of the museum. I used my iPhone to take some pics of the registration number and of the contents of the boat. The Sears-made skiff still had one oar in the oarlock, and was chock full of stuff. I turned the pics into the folks at the harbor patrol.

As usual, there were many varieties and numbers of birds, as well as several otters and seals. As you might infer from the picture of a full rack of rental boats at the State Park Marina, not too many paddlers were out, but they should have been! Another great day.

Last Paddle of the Year!

2008-12-31T23:13:00.000-08:00

The best way to send off 2008? Paddling in Morro Bay, of course!
I paddled solo from Pasadena Point in Los Osos and headed almost due north into a blustery wind. My rudder cable was stuck, necessitating a quick turn-around to take care of it (stuck pedal cable). The tide was 3 feet and waning, the stiff wind bringing tight waves that made me glad to have a spray skirt on. The waves were breaking in the shallower areas on my way north toward Morro Bay. After a brief rest in the lee of an oyster barge, I headed NW and landed on the sandspit due west from the museum. I took a hike over to the ocean side to watch the breakers for a while; beautiful with the wind spray coming in from the ocean. The trip back was surfing time; some brief adrenaline rushes as I fought to keep the bow from pearling under, since I feared the tight waves would turn the stern and send me swimming! Plenty of ducks out on the bay, a couple of seals and not much else (except wind and waves). This was the kind of day that would have been easy to blow off (windy as it was), but instead turned into the kind of day that was a fitting way to finish off a great year of paddling.
Happy New Year!

*photo taken with iPhone

Paddling Saves the Weekend

2008-11-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

My son Bennett and I set out early on Saturday, Nov. 18 headed for a Warriors/Clippers basketball game at the Forum in Los Angeles. We never made it. Due to fires, interstate 5 was closed and traffic routed onto State 126. We averaged nearly 4 mph over the next 4 hours. Having missed the game and detoured near to the coast, we opted to drive up through Santa Barbara and up to the coast house in Los Osos. Dinner from Noi's Little Thai Takeout and a Sunday paddle on the bay with good friend Mike Milanesi salvaged an otherwise inconvenient weekend.
Our thoughts go out to all of those who suffered real loss in the fires.

Morro Bay 11/8/08

2008-11-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

This paddle began at the Morro Bay marina near tidelands park just after 1 PM. The tide had just turned and was coming in to fill a pretty low (1.5 ft.) tide that left a lot of exposed areas. I paddled across to the sand spit and followed it down to the harbor entrance at Morro Rock. The wind was mild, the sky intermittent gray and blue. What made this paddle noteworthy was the wildlife. Schools of bait fish (mostly smelt I was informed) were in the bay, and the pelicans followed them back and forth, diving from 20+ feet. Aiding the pelicans in the search and destroy mission were groups of 3 and 4 sea lions, who dove in and out, sometimes coming completely out of the water. I caught some action on my phone's camera, but you really don't want to see it.....
Down near Morro Rock, a family of sea otters frolicked 15 feet from the shore. They got plenty of camera time from everyone walking by. I kept a respectable 75 or so feet away on the water. On my paddle back, I was near the shoreline walkway when a young family walked by and a boy of about 8 said that he hoped the sea lions wouldn't eat me. So far, so good.

Prius Update

2008-10-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

OK, I was wrong. We went ahead and paid the extra $500 to take delivery on our 2009 Prius. I guess we'll get the $500 back if we ever sell it (it will be a year newer than a 2008).
This car is fantastic! It is very comfortable, and we have gotten over 46 mpg since we bought it. It has made 2 trips to San Diego in 2 weeks. Can't wait to see what the future brings.

2009 Toyota Prius Blues

2008-09-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a paddling entry, this is not one. I am using my blog to vent.

Well, we thought we bought a Prius at the end of June..... $500 deposit and signed purchase agreement MSRP on a Package 2 2008 Prius. We were told that there was a 4-6 week wait, middle of August at the latest, OK, no problem. August came and went, batteries not available, I get it, OK, no problem. Our car would be here between Sept. 9 and Sept. 15! Since the dealer gets deliveries mid-week, I called today. Our car is not there, but is due on Sept. 22. Huh? That's because they are not 2008 anymore, they are 2009. No changes in the car except: New model year and $600 more. Will Toyota honor the price they gave me? No. The dealer claimed that their price went up $400. Ok, what if I pay $400 more than the 2008? No. Besides being just plain wrong; is this legal? At best, it is terrible PR.
I thought I bought a Prius in June. In September, I'm not so sure.

Sand Spit Picnic

2008-08-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

August 31, 2008

It was a beautiful day for a picnic, so we set out from Pasadena Point in Baywood and paddled west to the sand spit. Today's flotilla was comprised of the Wonderful Wishons (Rob, Kim, Pearl and Emery), their visiting friends Carrie and Chris, and yours truly. The sun was out, the tide was up, the wind was down, and a picnic lunch was packed (thanks Kim). The happy crew had a pleasant paddle and enjoyed the splendor of the sand spit, far from the Labor Day crowds present elsewhere.

Morro Bay paddle August 7, 2008

2008-08-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

This 3 hour paddle had it all! I rolled the boat down to Pasadena Point and headed NW into a decent wind on a nearly cresting 4 foot tide. As soon as I got out, I was treated to another display of bird diving and feeding, this time augmented by 6 seals, 3 abreast, who were flat out booking through the feeding area. They were too fast for me to get a photo. I paddled to the sand spit and hiked up to the top and over as far as the snowy plover rope-off area. A beautiful day with gorgeous vistas in every direction. I continued my paddle north along the sand spit, all the way into Morro Bay. Along the way, I passed by a group of 100 or more terns, who were gathered on the low dunes and would sometimes alight en-mass. A hundred terns can make some kind of noise. I paddled past the great heron rookery, where I counted 14 sentinels on the dune watching out. No sound, no movement. On my return, there were a couple of seals, a bat ray, and 2 purple jellyfish (along with the hundreds of pelicans, etc.). I got back just in time to pick up my Noi's tofu stir. Tough to top an afternoon like that.

Morro Bay paddle August 6, 2008

2008-08-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

Had another fine paddling outing with friends Jim and Linda Angelo. I rolled my boat down to the pier in Baywood, and paddled across to the Cuesta Inlet to meet Linda and Jim. On the way, I watched no less than 400 pelicans, terns, cormorants and sea gulls circling and diving to partake of the influx of feeder fish (grunion or anchovie are possibilities) in the bay. We had a fine paddle out to the sand spit, south into shark inlet, and a leisurely return to Baywood. The paddle was ALMOST as good as the dinner they fed me the night before. Thanks.

Morro Bay paddle July 27, 2008

2008-07-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day, this one with a bit more wind. I paddled from 4-5:30 PM on a 4 ft. tide, leaving from Pasadena Point and sprinting NW into the wind for 12 minutes to reach the sand spit. Resting in the lee, I pondered in which direction I would head when I spotted a red kayak that seemed to have no paddler. I watched it while I spoke with my son Bennett on the phone, finally pulling out the binoculars to discern that there was in fact no paddler on board. I searched the shore up wind from the boat, and spotted a person walking back and forth on the beach. By this time, the kayak was half way to Los Osos, so I paddled out to it and was pleased to find that it had an attached bow line with a clip (also a paddle and a pair of sandals). I attached the clip to my boat and towed it back upwind. I was met enroute by a paddler in a fine looking (wooden)CLC Chesapeake 17 who confirmed that the boat belonged to the guy on the beach. When I reached the owner, he shook my hand and told me that his name was Robert and that he had fallen asleep. He kindly offered to buy me dinner, which I politely declined as not necessary. He was a bit embarrassed, as any paddler (especially a seasoned one) would be. Just remember to pull your boat further up than you think necessary. It's a long swim from there to Los Osos. All ended well, and it was nice to have something come up that dictated where today's paddle would go.

Morro Bay paddle July 26, 2008

2008-07-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

This was a beautiful, sunny day on the bay. I paddled with friends Jim and Linda Angelo, who have recently turned their economic stimulus check into 2 kayaks! We paddled from 3-5 pm on a rising 4 ft. tide, leaving from Pasadena Point and heading north towards the State Park Marina/museum area. On the way we spoke with gracious outrigger builder/paddler Marc Schulman, who filled us in on the types of terns that we had seen diving. We paddled west to the sand spit, and were treated to a feeding feast as 50 or more pelicans dove all around us. Amazing. From the sand spit, we eased downwind back to Pasadena Point.

Morro Bay paddle July 24, 2008

2008-07-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

With strong winds and tight waves, this paddle was more about getting some exercise than anything else. With a 4 foot tide, I set out at 4 PM from Pasadena Point, and was one of two boats I spotted in the back bay. The other was a sailboat, and it was flying. I paddled into the wind, which was from the NW, and wound up at the sand spit, almost across from the State Park Marina. A fun, roller coaster paddle back, surfing waves that were closer together than the length of my boat. A good workout.

Kaweah Lake- July 18, 2008

2008-07-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

Awesome bassist and first time kayaker Jeff Parish and I paddled Lake Kaweah on Friday, July 18, 2008. We drove down to the public area at Slick Rock, just before the town of Three Rivers. At Slick Rock, where the water level can be a lake or a stream, it was low enough to leave all of the big rocks exposed, so we continued down the access road that leads down toward the lake. We put in and paddled toward the lake against a pretty strong head-wind, and one that was made stronger by virtue of its confinement in the narrow section that forms the head of the lake. The day was warm, and we saw many good-sized fish jumping during our paddle. We paddled leisurely, talking and admiring the scenery. About half way up the lake, we decided to head back; the day was getting hotter, and the motorboats and jet skis became more numerous. With the wind at our backs, the return was easy, and we decided to paddle beyond the put-in to see how far up we could paddle, and to play around the rocks a bit. A quite pleasant way to spend a Friday morning. I regret that a camera was not taken.

Stone Lagoon July 12, 2008

2008-07-15T11:41:00.001-07:00

Stone Lagoon and Big Lagoon are about 35 miles north of Eureka, up where the "Elk Crossing" highway signs are meaningful, and just south of Redwood National Forest. A seriously scenic area. Both Big and Stone Lagoons are separated from the ocean by a very narrow sand beach, maybe 100 yards wide in some places. Both lagoons are fed by creeks, but are apparently subject to sea water incursion when big storms breach the sand spit. We chose Stone Lagoon for our paddle because it was a windy afternoon, and the launch area at Stone Lagoon would make us paddle out into the wind (at our back on return). Despite the hard wind, the water was warm. I saw a seal in the lagoon; not too far to cross the beach. This is a very pretty place, and would make for an enjoyable day-long paddle with picnic and swimming combined. At Big Lagoon, the feeder creek is said to be a worthy destination, where elk are frequently seen.
From the parking area by the launch spot, you can choose to either enjoy the beach, which is very scenic with lots of driftwood and big rock features nearby, or the lagoon. There is no fee at Stone Lagoon (there is a small fee at Big Lagoon, where they also have camping), and the parking area is a short distance off of Rt. 101. There is a visitor center on the highway, but it was closed the day we were there.

Humboldt Bay July 12, 2008

2008-07-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

A day after Clear Lake, I paddled in Humboldt Bay, which was cold and foggy on this day. I left from the public ramp in Eureka located beneath the Rt. 255 bridge. The tide was up, so I paddled NE into the large estuary part, but soon reversed direction to paddle between Woodley and Indian Islands. As luck would have it, I met up with some local kayakers, who turned out to be a couple on a tour with local guide Ed Murray of Humboats. Ed informed me that they were on a paid tour, but the couple invited me to join, which I did for only a brief time. Ed filled us in on some important bay layout knowledge, and pointed out the aerial activity around a group of trees, where an eagle was raiding an egret rookery. Eagle wins. I left the group as they turned up a channel, and paddled up past the end of the islands and over to the city of Eureka side, where I paddled up along the waterfront for a half mile or so, stopping to chat with the Captain(?) of the commercial fishing vessel Aurora, out of Morro Bay, who was waiting for decent weather to head up to Coos Bay, Oregon fishing for albacore. I turned back and paddled back to the put-in, this time between Woodley Island and the Eureka waterfront. It was a windy day with rough water. Perfect. This is also a large body of water, and would take days to see it properly. My two hour paddle was just a taste. Hiring a good guide like Ed Murray would be a great idea.

Clear Lake July 11, 2008

2008-07-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

My Dad and I paddled for a few hours on Clear Lake today. We cut our stay there short due to the smoke from the fires 100 miles north. What we saw of Clear Lake was very pretty. It's big. Too bad visibility was about a mile. Our paddle took us south from the State Park Campground to the next peninsula point and then back following the shoreline. We had fun checking out all of the lakeside homes and boat docks, and encircled a small group of islands that were only 100 yards off shore, but featured numerous places where a constant flow of bubbles escaped from the water. On the islands, there were several places where someone had cemented natural rocks together to form baths. Warning signs were posted that warned of death (lack of oxygen) as a consequence of visiting the sulfur baths. The lake was warm, and was quite popular with motor boaters. The temperatures were over a hundred on both days we were there; this would probably be a much nicer paddling destination in cooler weather. It would take several days to explore this lake, which is approximately 18 miles long and nearly half that wide. It is somewhat hour-glass shaped.