Kayaking San Francisco Bay

There are various ways to get to San Francisco from Oakland, one can drive, take Bart, take the ferry or other boat and I suppose one could walk or bike but it's an awful long way around. Last weekend the Kayak Guy and I paddled kayaks from Jack London Square Oakland to Crissy Field San Francisco. Then we drove back to Oakland which is why the planning and prep for the annual paddle across the bay takes more effort than the actual paddling.

The planning began months before the trip, the Kayak Guy consulted the 2010 Tide Log back in November to pick a day. The ideal time for paddling to San Francisco is when a strong tide will carry the boat most of the way. This year the full moon and strongest tide was the afternoon of January 30, but due to other commitments we had to paddle on Sunday January 31.

The week before the paddle, the Kayak Guy and I talked about it a lot, made mental lists of gear needed, and chose a time schedule for the trip. Maximum ebb would be just after 2:00 at the Golden Gate so we should try to be on the water around 1:30.

The night before the paddle I started packing up gear into various bags. One bag of kayaking gear, one bag of dry clothes to change into after the paddle, and a pile of biking gear for dropping off the car.

The day of the paddle we made a wonderful, hearty breakfast of pancakes with a pineapple sauce. After breakfast we began carefully loading the car. Both of our bikes went into the car along with bags of dry clothes. Any gear kayaking gear needed to be not in the car but in my apartment. We left Oakland around 10am and drove to Crissy Field where we luckily found a great parking space right next to the beach. We unloaded the bikes and very carefully made sure our wallets, the key to my apartment and the car key got into my biking backpack. The Kayak Guy then discovered his marine radio and water bottle were in the car and so they were also put in the back pack.

Once we determined nothing else we needed was left in the car we bicycled along the Embarcadero in San Francisco to the Embarcadero Bart Station. As we approached Justin Herman Plaza one of the parrots that lives in a nearby park was squawking at the people below. The bird's bright green and red feathers were a very pleasant site on a gray day. We bought Bart tickets and hopped on the first train to the East Bay. At the West Oakland station we disembarked the train and biked to Jack London Square.

Back at my apartment I changed into kayaking gear while the Kayak Guy made lunch. Yummy chicken, guacamole wraps fueled us for the upcoming paddle. Everything needed for the paddle was packed into dry bags, most importantly the car key and apartment key but also cell phones etc. Shortly before one o'clock we gathered our paddles and dry bags and walked over to California Canoe and Kayak. At the kayak shop I donned a wetsuit, and the Kayak Guy his drysuit, picked up PFD's, spray skirts, tow rope, pump and rescue float.

For the voyage across the bay I chose to paddle the Willow, a light well handling boat, one of my favorites. We set off from the dock around 2:00. Very quickly we passed by the large container ships docked at the port and made it out to Middle Harbor Park in about 45 minutes. The sun had come out and there was just a slight wind. Enough wind that a local kite aerial photographer was flying his enormous red kite high above the park and the kayaks appear as a small speck in one of his pictures!

Middle Harbor Park is at the end of the protected waters of the estuary. So finally, we were out on the bay. The water wasn't too rough, a few swells from passing motorboats but one of the nice things about kayaking in winter is fewer other boats are on the water. We chose to paddle along the east side of Treasure Island. This is a longer route than going by the west side but affords a magnificent view of the building of the new Bay Bridge. It's quite a sight to hear and see the traffic of the cars going over the Bay Bridge way above you.

After passing Treasure Island the current started pulling the kayak out toward the North Bay so I had to paddle hard to head toward San Francisco. The water was a little rougher than I like out in the large expanse of the bay, which isn't to say it was very rough, just that I like very calm water. Being out in the middle of the bay makes me feel very small in that vastness of water. But then clearly seeing the skyline of San Francisco makes the distance seem not that far afterall.

The next milestone is Alcatraz, and the paddle between the two islands was relatively easy though we had to fight some current to stay headed to San Francisco. The Kayak Guy suggested this summer we do a paddle to touch all three islands Treasure, Angel and Alcatraz in one day. A seal would occasionally pop his head up near the kayak and seemingly surprised at seeing a boat would dive back under water with a big splash. We paddled around the north side of Alcatraz where flocks of cormorants fish and perch. After rounding Alcatraz we headed for the San Francisco shore.

The current was still going out the Golden Gate but wasn't terribly strong at this point. Still we had to choose a proper angle to be sure we weren't swept past Crissy Field. The domed top of the Palace of Fine Arts is an easily identifiable landmark from the water. Though we knew the car was somewhere in that vicinity we weren't sure exactly where we parked. As we approached shore however, we saw the orange windsock that flies over the bathrooms by the parking lot and knew we were in the right place.

It was nearing 5:00pm as we landed the kayaks. About twelve miles in three hours. The clouds had come in making for a dark evening, and no golden sunset. We quickly loaded the kayaks onto the car, changed into dry clothes, and headed for home. Back in Oakland we put away the kayaks and all the gear, finishing the day with a drink at Kincaid's. It was a long exhausting, exhilarating journey which I look forward to doing again - but not until next year!


*Please note kayaking across San Francisco Bay is not for novice paddlers. The Kayak Guy is an ACA certified kayaking instructor, we wear wetsuits, dress appropriately and take along safety equipment.

Kayaking Tomales Bay Day 2

The night was cold but bearable, I've spent much colder nights in a tent. In the middle of the night I was awakened by what I assumed was the sound of a raccoon scrambling around in the cockpits of the plastic kayaks. I don't know why he was so interested in the boats, we didn't have any food in there. Sure enough in the morning the seat of my kayak was covered in sand tracked in by the nighttime visitor. We awoke around 7:30 to a cool morning, which quickly warmed as the sun rose, bathing the campsite in a serene orange light. Eggs and bread made up our breakfast along with a cup of tea.

The tide was going out in the morning, so about 9:00 the Kayak Guy and I climbed into our boats and headed out for the mouth of the bay. The water was mostly calm. We passed several boats of fisherman, some pulling up crab traps. The seals, loons and grebes were out in force again. The Point Reyes shore to our left was made up mostly of rocky cliffs, which eventually become Tomales Point, which sticks out into the ocean to form the entrance to Tomales Bay. There is a shallow spot in the middle of the bay not far from the mouth where the waves break, but nearer to the shore the water was calm. Closer to the mouth larger waves break all across the bay so we pulled our kayaks out on a beach before we entered the rough water. We had paddled for about two hours. While the KG set up a fishing line, I walked along the small beach and scrambled amongst the rocks when the beach gave way to rocky coast. Not a lot going on in the small tidepools, a few sea stars and crabs but little else. We ate the rest of our bread with peanut butter and a small package of Chips Ahoy cookies for lunch. Another group of kayakers pulled their boats out down the beach from us.

The tide had gone out farther in the hour we spent at the small beach and was about to start coming in again. We decided to paddle out a little farther toward the bay entrance and rougher water before heading back to our campsite. As we launched the kayaks the KG asked me what I would do if the wave caught my kayak broadside. Lean into the wave I replied, confident in what I had learned from last year's surf zone class. We headed out toward the tip of Tomales Point, but the water quickly became too rough and we turned around. The waves were now breaking all across the bay, not just in the middle. The KG headed out into the middle of the bay to surf the larger waves while I tackled the smaller waves closer to shore. The waves were larger than I had paddled in and it took some effort to keep the boat from getting swept broadside. I glanced over to see the KG had capsized, I thought about going over to help but I had my hands full with the rough water I was in and where he was it looked worse. A wave did catch me and spin the kayak broadside I remembered the conversation we had before launching and I leaned into the wave which carried my boat along and set it down in the calm water after the wave broke. By this time the KG had gotten back into his boat, amazingly enough he managed to hang onto his hat, but was not so lucky with his sunglasses.

On the way back to camp we made a brief stop at Hog Island, which is very small. A lot of seals haul out on one side of Hog Island so you must land on the west side. The rest of the paddle back to camp was uneventful. The quail returned to our beach shortly after we did. Some soup for dinner and another fire by the beach completed our day. Again the dark and cold came early so we retired to our sleeping bags for a long night's sleep.


Kayaking Tomales Bay Day 1; Kayaking Tomales Bay Day 3

Click here for the flickr photo set

Kayaking Tomales Bay Day 1

Often, when I tell a bay area local that I like to kayak the person I am talking to will say "oh have you been to Tomales bay, it's such a nice place to paddle and you can camp on the beach" even when said person has never been to Tomales Bay he or she will sing its virtues. So Thanksgiving week the Kayak Guy and I planned a camping trip to Tomales Bay. We've done enough camping trips now that we're very thorough at planning everything out. A long list of equipment and supplies needed for each meal is written down in a blue notebook named the "Book of Knowledge" so we don't forget anything. The Sunday before Thanksgiving we laid out all our camping and kayaking gear on my living room floor, ready to pack it into dry bags. The kayaks had been loaded onto KG's car earlier that day. We got ready to check off our list of equipment and discovered the book of knowledge was missing. The thought of losing all the meticulously made records of prior travels was more distressing than losing the plans made for this trip. We searched high and low at my house and his house, then as a last resort made a trip to Safeway and there in the lost and found box lying amongst abandoned bric a brac of other shoppers lay the book of knowledge. We were so happy to have found it we did not even stop to be annoyed that Safeway hadn't bothered to call the number hand written in large silver letters on the front of the book to say the store had found it. Back at home we easily packed everything into a dozen dry bags for the morning's trip and loaded them into the car. The last prep task was to chop all the vegetables we would need for the trip and pack three food bags for breakfast, lunch dinner that should remain in the fridge until we left in the morning.

Monday morning KG and I arose bright and early to drive up to the Point Reyes visitor center to pick up a camping permit. The park ranger filled out our permit, gave us his spiel about not burning down the park and sent us on our way. From the Bear Valley visitor center we drove up highway one to Marshall. At the Hog Island oyster farm we made a quick stop to pick up two dozen oysters for dinner. Just north of Marshall we pulled into a small parking lot at Nick's Cove where one can leave a car overnight for $10. We unloaded the kayaks, stuffed all the firewood, drybags, and other equipment into the hatches, tied a few remaining things to the decks of the kayaks and changed into our kayaking clothes. The KG commented thoughtfully that we had too much room left in the kayaks, we're forgetting something. I responded that we were only on a three day trip, there wasn't that much stuff. No, he persisted, and finally asked where's all the food that was in the fridge last night. Still in the fridge I said. We looked around the area of Highway One where we were but there was no where to buy groceries so we decided to just get on with the trip, we had some food and were surely not going to starve, camping so close to civilization.

We launched the very heavy kayaks from the concrete boat launch at Nick's cove at just around noon on Monday. I had never paddled a loaded kayak before and could immediately feel the extra weight as I paddled. We paddled straight across Tomales Bay and south along the Point Reyes coast to our camping spot, Tomales Beach in less than an hour. We passed many loons, grebes, buffleheads, other birds, seals and sea lines as we paddled. A small flock of quail greeted us at Tomales Beach. We set out tent on a flat spot of sand, and unloaded everything from the kayaks onto a tarp in hopes of keeping sand from getting in every nook and cranny. In the afternoon I went for a short paddle while KG finished unsuccessfully. The shoreline along that part of Point Reyes is made up of steep cliffs leading down into the water with sandy beaches hidden sporadically along the coves. Shortly the wind came up and I returned to our camp site. We made an early dinner of oysters over the fire, along with a few sweet potatoes roasted in the coals. It got cold quickly as the sun went down so we climbed into the tent for a good night's sleep around eight o'clock. Even though the lights along the Marin shore, and occasional truck passing on highway one reminded us we were close to home, the millions of stars in the night sky made it feel like we were out in the middle of nowhere.

Kayaking Tomales Bay Day 2; Kayaking Tomales Bay Day 3

Click here for the flickr photo set

Moonlight Paddle

Last night I had the opportunity to go on California Canoe&Kayak's moonlight paddle. I've gone on this trip several times before and really enjoy being on the water at night. The group gathered just before 7pm, aside from the instructor and myself there were six other people. We donned all our gear including spray skirt, pdf and paddle jacket and headed down to the dock.. The instructor assigned people to boats, I was in a single kayak while the others who had limited paddling experience were in doubles. After fitting everyone into their boats we gathered for a short paddle talk. The instructor went over a few basic strokes, how to use the kayak and what to do in the event of a capsize, a very rare event in the double kayak. We were soon on our way into the evening. As we headed out of the dock area into the estuary I caught a quick glimpse of the fiery sunset between fog banks. We paddled up the estuary, stopping to hear a bit about FDR's yacht the Potomac and the light ship Relief. The wind picked up just a bit, the fog rolled in and the beautiful full moon made an appearance as we paddled across the estuary toward the Alameda shore. Night on the estuary is so beautiful. The water is inky black, few boats disturb the quiet and the Oakland lights twinkle in the hills.

We slowly made our way past the houseboats, along the shore toward Coast Guard Island. The current was going our way and the wind died down which made for a very relaxing paddle. Once out of the glaring lights of the Port and Jack London area the estuary becomes a bit darker and very peaceful. In the distance I could see the bright lights of the coliseum where the A's were actually winning a game. Just past the boats of the Encinal Yacht club the group rafted up and the instructor brought out juice and cookies for a light snack. The fog had come in, low enough to cover the top of the tribune building and obscure the moon. The wind had also picked up by this time meaning we would fight both it and the current on the way back. So rather than go all around Coast Guard Island the group opted to cut straight across the estuary then turn for home. As we paddled back along the Oakland shoreline the wind died and the fog lifted again so the paddle back was less strenuous than expected. The easygoing pace of the trip made for a relaxing night and we were back at the dock around 9:30. After pulling the kayaks up on the dock everyone headed up to the shop to rinse out the gear, collect belongings and call it a night. Even though the moon was fogged over for most of the trip, a beautiful way to spend a Saturday evening.

An Afternoon on the Estuary

Northern California has recently enjoyed a spell of exceptional weather which I took full advantage of by going for a paddle on Saturday afternoon. The current heading out to the bay was fairly strong that afternoon so the kayak guy and I decided to head out to the estuary mouth. It would be a fast trip out but a hard paddle back. I really enjoy paddling out to the mouth, you go buy all the big ships and get nice views of the bay on a clear day, which Saturday was. There was only one big cargo ship docked at the cranes, in the midst of unloading. Many smaller boats passed us some motoring, some by sail. This included two heavy tug boats and some speedy boats which create a fairly large wake. The kayak guy enjoys the wake and likes to try to catch a ride on the wave, I get a little seasick from the up and down motion. After a few minutes the boat traffic calmed down and the estuary returned to its usual quiet state. I heard a boat coming up behind us, and when I turned to look I it was a friend's boat the Pasatiempo. He stopped to chat for a few minutes, very excited to run into someone familiar out on the water. His friend snapped a photo and off they went, headed back to the Alameda Marina.

The kayak guy and I continued on to Middle Harbor Park. The tide was getting low so we paddled way out around the jetty, then back to the estuary through the protected water of the park. The bufflehead, goldeneye, widgeon and grebes were out in force. As were many other ducks and shorebirds that remain a mystery. Unfortunately I cannot take my binoculars in the kayak so many birds go unidentified. Another cargo ship was coming into port behind us as we paddled back toward Jack London Square. The tugs we had seen on the way out were guiding the ship into the dock. It appeared the ship may have stopped and waited for us to clear the turning basin. Even though we were going against the tide we made pretty good time on the way back. A thoroughly wonderful way to spend a sunny Saturday in January!

Kayaking Monterey

A couple of weeks ago the kayak guy and I loaded the boats onto the Ultimate Driving machine and headed down the coast to Monterey for a couple days of paddling. We hit Monterey about 11:00 and quickly headed up to the city campground to grab a camping spot for the night. I was pleased to see the small campground was actually very nice, good tenting spots, clean bathrooms. It was then time for lunch at Ocean Sushi where we enjoyed yummy dishes of rice, miso, and ahi tuna.

Finally we headed down to the waterfront to put the boats in. The beach alongside Fisherman's Wharf provides a good spot to launch into the harbor. There are always lots of other boats going in and out of the harbor so you have to keep a sharp lookout for fishing boats, sail boats, other kayaks and the numerous sea lions. The sea lions are absolutely huge and loads of them pile onto the breakwater causing quite a ruckus.

Once out of the harbor we headed down past the main town of Monterey. Seeing the city from the waterfront you get a much better idea of how the canneries dominate than you do from walking through town. I could imagine the ships coming in and everyone rushing down from the hills to meet them. As we paddled through the kelp beds some harbor seals followed along and frequently poked their heads up right next to the kayak. We also saw quite a few otter lying on and swimming around the kelp. They're much easier to see when you're down on their level. all the usual seabirds were about - pelicans, cormorants, terns, some sort of murrelet. Also a great number of large jellyfish. The scientists say the ailing seas are causing an population explosion in the number of jellyfish around the world.

We paddled down past the aquarium and around a small point to a landing beach in Pacific Grove. The swells of the sea always make me feel just a little bit seasick so I was glad for a rest. The paddle back was fast as we were helped along by the current. I was paddling a Sea Yak, a boat I really liked. It fits me well, has convenient hatches and a rudder which I don't usually use but it is useful when the boat is being pushed around by wind and waves. We were able to wash all the gear off at Monterey Bay Kayak before loading it into the car. After a welcome hot shower, a quick meal at the Crown and Anchor we headed back to the campground for an early bedtime.

The following morning we ambled around Monterey for a few hours before driving up to the wetlands at Elkhorn Slough. It's always a longer drive than I think it should be from Highway 1 into the Slough and so it was again. Eventually we reached the turnoff for Kirby Park where we would put the kayaks in. As we were unloading we met a couple other paddlers finishing their journey who reported they had headed inward and not seen anything of real interest. So we decided to head out toward the mouth hoping for better luck. Paddling Elkhorn Slough lives up to it's billing. The the long grasses of the marsh areas are home to many wetland birds. The hills rising toward the inland sign are a beautiful mix of greenery. Once in a while a freight train passes. The otter and seals frolic near your boat. We explored a few of the small water paths going through the marsh which provided a good opportunity for practicing leaning turns. None of the paths we chose went very far so mostly we followed the main channel toward the sea. We were heading into the wind much of the way so it was a fairly strenuous paddle. Other boaters who had rented boats by the ocean side and paddled in were struggling to get back.

Near the mouth we stopped on a rock for a quick picnic lunch and much needed rest. The paddling back was quite a bit easier and we again ventured into some of the smaller channels only to get stuck in the weeds. It was late afternoon when we got back to Kirby Park. To avoid the nightmare of Bay Area traffic we stopped in Half Moon Bay for dinner before returning to Oakland. Arriving after dark it was too late to wash the kayaks so we had to return to the kayak shop the following day to rinse off all the remnants of our journey. The Ultimate Driving Machine was also quite filthy from the excursion so it got a good cleaning too.

The areas around Monterey are certainly great for paddling. I find narrow channels such as Elkhorn Slough more interesting paddling than along the open coast where there is a certain sameness to it all. Every paddling situation is also an opportunity to learn more about how to handle the kayak. So in addition to good company, great wildlife viewing it was an excellent couple of days to build kayaking skills.

Kayak rolling repeat

After a week of thinking, talking and watching Grace Under Pressure I headed off to kayak rolling class again last night. This time I had some idea of what to expect, how it felt to be underwater and after viewing the video I had an understanding of what was supposed to happen. And this time it was all so easy. A quick hip snap and the boat just popped right up, of course it helps to have as an instructor a world class whitewater kayaker as your instructor. Kristen is an amazing instructor, she really enjoys teaching rolling and it shows. One look at what you're doing and Kristen knows exactly why the roll isn't working. She changed my hand angle a bit, had me do some drills to feel the paddle press against the water and by the end of the night I could do two rolls in a row. She said the goal should be 10 in a row, and also to try the other side. This week I had a Necky Rip kayak which I think is easier to roll than the Jackson kayak I used last week.

I'd like to practice some more now that I understand the roll a bit. The eventual goal I suppose being to roll a sea kayak. Actually being in rough enough water where a roll is necessary doesn't hold much interest for me. But it's a neat trick and now when someone asks me if I can roll I can answer "Yes I Can".

Not as easy as it looks

Rolling a kayak is not as easy as it looks. OK maybe to some people it doesn't look that easy. But a lot of people take kayak rolling classes and a lot of people can do it. And when someone is showing off that they can roll a kayak, generally they perform a quick smooth roll, they don't miss. These apparently are people who have practiced a lot and wouldn't be showing off if they didn't know they could roll consistently.

After having resisted for many months I finally decided that learning to roll is the next step in my kayak credentials so I signed up for the California Canoe & Kayak class taught in the warm waters of the Richmond High School pool. There were a lot of people there for the weekly practice session. Just one other girl and I who were first timers. Her boyfriend had been trying to teach her to roll for sometime without success, I was starting from scratch. The two of us were to be taught by Keith, the owner of CCK and I have to say he's a great instructor. Part of learning something where you're going to spend a lot of time underwater is trusting the person teaching you is not going to let you drown. So Keith spent a lot of time talking to us in a very calm, friendly way so we could get to know him while also learning the steps involved in the kayak roll.

Another part of learning the kayak roll as it is in many things is to be relaxed. I am not a relaxed person, never have been. Though I think I'm much more relaxed now than at any other time in my life. When an instructor tells me to relax I generally say I am relaxed and they say no you're not, you're very stiff. That's just the way I am.

The actual instruction went something like this: Keith told us what were going to do, we went through the motion while sitting in the kayak, and practiced a few moves while tilted to the side, then the instructor dumped me over and my mind went blank. It took a few tries before I remembered oh yeah I'm supposed to be moving into the set position while I'm under here. Everything is different when you're upside down.

Surprisingly I wasn't that worried when under water, once you get a flood of water up your nose a few times it stops being bothersome. What worried me was I couldn't seem to get the kayak to come around. I'm not really sure why, after talking about it with Keith for a while we sort thought I might be using both legs instead of just pushing with the right one. It did work better when I disengaged my left leg from the side of the boat. But there's still something I'm not getting about the whole thing. I've thought about it for a day or two now and I think I'm starting to understand it all a little better. So I may try again after I think about it a little more and maybe have someone explain it to me in more detail. Or I may decide kayak rolling is something I don't really need to do.

German Engineering

Last weekend the kayak guy and I planned a trip to see the very big trees of northern California and do some paddling in Humboldt Bay. I volunteered the Ultimate Driving Machine for the trip with only a slight amount of worry about getting it dirty. So Friday morning car loaded and roof rack bolted on tight we made our way to the kayak shop to pick up the boats. Loading them on the rack was easy enough as the UDM has a pretty low roof and the kayaks aren't that heavy. Two straps tightly over the middle of the boats held them fairly well in place and a bow line attached to the front of the car would make them more secure. But the UDM is a streamlined racing machine it's front bumper is not desecrated by any loop to tie a rope to. I remembered there is a small panel on the front bumper for some sort of use in towing so we popped off the small plastic square. I sort imagined there being a large hook behind the plastic panel but of course there wasn't. All that was there was a puzzling threaded hole. While the kayak guy continued to search for a suitable tie down place I whipped out the 325ci manual and learned that the tow eye which screws into the socket behind the little square panel can be found in the tool kit located in the door of the trunk. Problem solved. The tow eye screwed tightly into place, it didn't look very pretty having a huge loop sticking out of the front of the car but it created the perfect mechanism for tying down kayaks. I'm thinking I should get a second loop so I could tie down the back also though on this trip the kayaks stayed tight without a rear rope. I'm not sure how exactly the tow eye is used in towing but it provides an elegant solution to keeping the car looking beautiful during everyday driving while having added practicality when needed.

Moonlight Paddle

Last Saturday was nearly a full moon which meant the kayak shop was offering the always phenomenal moonlight paddle. This is the third time I've done the evening paddle and as I know the trip leader I can join the group gratis in exchange for helping with the boats etc. Last weekend an unusually large group of 16 people from Urban Diversions signed up so it took a while to get started. Many of these people had never kayaked before, the novices are put in stable kayaks while those with some experience can paddle a single. We got out on the water around 8:00pm and paddled up toward the cranes and container ships as the sunset over the bay. The looming cranes with the sunsetting behind them is one of my favorite sights in Oakland and from the water the view is even better. As the sky darkened we crossed the estuary to paddle back along the Alameda shoreline toward Coast Guard Island. The moon came out clear, bright and high in the sky, and combined with lights from the shore provide plenty of light to paddle by. Oakland is quite a sight at night; the colorful tribune tower downtown, the Mormon Temple high on the hill, red taillights of the cars on the freeway, and no where is the view better than from the water. I like paddling at night, the water is calm, there are few boats about and everything is quiet or at least as quiet as it gets in a city. After about an hour and a half we rafted up (quite a challenge with so many boats) for a juice and cookies break. One thing about the moonlight paddle, they always have very good cookies. We paddled down the estuary a bit farther, then cut across to a channel marker near Coast Guard Island, several people commenting on the large Coast Guard cutters in the darkness. On the way we passed a sailboat filled with very drunken sailors, who were couldn't remember whether they were putting the sail up or down and when they finally found the key to their boat headed back out into the bay. Sometimes one wonders why there aren't more serious boating accidents. After reaching the channel marker the group headed for home. Since it's a straight shot back to the dock everyone can paddle their own pace, which also spreads the boats out a bit for landing. By 10:30 everyone made it back safe and dry. I'm always impressed by the people who have never been in a kayak before able to get in and out of the boat and keep up during the trip. Since I enjoy kayaking so much it's also great to hear people talk about how much fun they had and a few are even inspired to take a class. It's always a long, cold process afterwards getting all the boats and gear put away but a change of clothes, a hot shower, a cup of tea and I fall asleep fast and happy!

Forward Stroke Clinic

Torso rotation they say is the key to powering the kayak. That is what they say over and over in the kayak class. Torso rotation is all well and good but it's pretty useless if nobody ever explains how to translate the power generated by rotating the torso into the blade of the paddle to move the boat forward. And so champion kayaker Brent Reitz developed a one day workshop to address the issue.

On Sunday I walked into the kayak shop at Half Moon Bay confidently clutching my paddle to spend the day learning exactly how this torso rotation works. The first thing that struck me about Brent was how personable he is, he just immediately makes you feel at ease but at the same time very efficient. I was immediately introduced to my kayak and got my gear together. The group of eight students then met with Brent on the deck where he pulled out a harmonica and played a tune. We all clapped along to prove we had rhythm, because you can't kayak if you don't have rhythm. As the group went around the circle introducing themselves and talking about their kayaking experience I was surprised to find I was the least experienced - by far. One guy was an adventure racer, a few had been paddling for more than twenty years, another mainly did kayak surfing, and a couple like me had been paddling less than five years. I was starting to wonder if I was in over my head. But it's better to learn how to paddle right from the beginning rather than having to unlearn a lot of bad habits built up over the years.

We were soon out on the water where we paddled in somewhat of a triangle as the video camera rolled capturing our baseline stroke for later analysis. Usually when I paddle we're going some distance in a straight line, then either stop or turn around and paddle in a straight line back home. So I don't have a lot of experience in turning, which proved to be somewhat of a problem when trying to go in a triangle. Throughout the day I was able to sort of ungainly work it out, but this is where more experience would have helped me.

Generally the day went something like this: Brent would show us a piece of the stroke, we would all try it out in a group and then paddle around the triangle with the camera zooming on each of us in turn. It was sort an amazing experience to spend the day in the presence of someone who knew so much about kayaking. Brent trained for years and years, he knew how every little motion would affect your stroke, how that would translate into boat movement and why it was making the stroke more or less efficient. The forward stroke (or Brent's version of it) felt a little unnatural at first but he explained it's not that different from the motion of throwing a punch, or swimming. After working on the first three basic parts of the stroke for a few hours we headed in to lunch and watch the video.

It's not an easy job critiquing people all day without making them feel miserable. As we looked at each person's stroke Brent pointed out the good, the bad and the ugly. This is where being a great teacher is all in the personality and Brent was just so affable and knowledgeable everyone listened intently to what he had to say. It's fascinating to watch yourself paddle, it becomes so obvious as to why the boat isn't moving very efficiently. I wouldn't say I'm uncoordinated but my body parts don't move in complicated patterns without effort. As much as I would try to tell Brent that I couldn't rotate my torso without moving my head he kept telling me to look straight ahead so I could see where I was going.

Really there was too much going on for me to put it all together for very many strokes. But when I did get the motion I could feel how my torso rather than my arms was powering the boat, and it was awesome! By the end of the day I was exhausted from the concentration as well as the physical activity. We had one last video review and wow was it different from the beginning of the day. I certainly have a long way to go, but I learned a lot at the Forward Stroke Clinic. Most importantly it inspired me to want to be a better kayaker. I have a lot of mechanics to work on, and working with Brent Reitz for a day makes me see that I can have a pretty strong stroke. And if I work hard enough maybe just maybe I can beat the Kayak Guy in a race around Coast Guard Island!

Kayaking Isla Espiritu Santo Day 3

Once again woken by the early sun the morning started with coffee and a cooked breakfast. Some of the group went on a short hike, I stayed behind to relax, read and take more pictures of the scenery. Once into the kayaks we paddled about two hours to a gorgeous beach surrounded by high ridges for lunch. This day I was paddling a green Necky kayak a stable, well handling boat which I liked a lot. As a side note Necky makes a kayak from 100% post industrial materials, what a great idea!) After a lunch of salads on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen Rafael led us on a hike up one of the ridges. We stopped in a cave high up that the native people would have once used to shelter from storms. Painted markings and rounded out grinding stones are still in evidence. After admiring the views from the top for a while we descended back down to the beach and started off again in the kayaks.

The afternoon was very calm as we paddled by Rooster and Hen islands. The water was crystal clear and we could see many fish swimming below as we came to our final camping beach. The afternoon was again spend snorkeling along coral reefs with the best display of sea urchins and fish yet. As the stars came out in the evening Rafael told us a Mexican folk tale about the pearl divers of Espiritu Santo. I can't remember the last time I was somewhere I could see the Milky Way, but there it was in its beautiful starry glory!

After a last night of camping on the beach (sand, sand everywhere!) we set off over rougher waters for one last bit of kayaking past more red cliffs and white sandy beaches. Around noon we arrived at our last lunch beach and all too soon the motor skiff was there to bring us back to La Paz. The kayak guy and I rode the three hour bus ride back to San Jose del Cabo, checked into the Hotel Tropicana and immediately jumped into the warm swimming pool. After a wonderful hot shower we settled in for our last meal in Mexico at our hotel where a fantastic Cuban band was the evening's entertainment. The journey home was long and arduous and best left forgotten, I can't express how happy I was to eventually be back in Oakland.

Kayaking in Baja was a great experience, I hadn't known the area was so beautiful. Overall there was probably not enough kayaking in this trip, though I enjoyed all the time spent snorkeling. I often say that I like camping, but when I am actually camping there's not a whole lot that's enjoyable about sleeping in a tent, not showering and having sand everywhere. The warm dry days and hot cooked meals certainly made this a more comfortable than usual camping trip. The thing I like best about camping is being unplugged for a number of days. When I get back I miss the quiet, the focus you have without TV, radio or a million things going on outside your window.

Day 1; Day 2

Flicker Set

Kayaking Isla Espiritu Santo - Day 2

The night proved to be windy and the sunrise filtering in through the tent walls got us up early. After a quick cup of coffee and breakfast of fruit and yogurt we packed up our bags and tents. With other still packing up the kayak guy and I set off for a short hike in the canyon behind camp. The island environment is very much a desert. A few wildflowers creep into shady spots but most of the plant life is cacti. I've never seen so many different kinds of cacti pipe organ, barrel, jumping, prickly pear and others which I do not know the name. Occasionally we would see one blooming a bright yellow or red breaking up the orange color of the rock and dust. The lizards were out in the morning sun and very unafraid as we passed by.

When we returned to the beach it was time to launch the kayaks and be on our way. I was in a Seda kayak, usually the kayaks I'm in are too big for me, but this one was just my size and I liked it quite a bit. We paddled across the small bays below towering red cliffs. The pelicans dove, the frigate birds soared and a few grebes and a kingfisher made an appearance. As we passed by some vultures devouring something on a rock I couldn't help but wonder if it was a pelican body. The pelicans in old age often go blind from having dove at the water so hard for so many years, and many die by diving onto the rocks when they can no longer see the water.

After landing on our camping beach and a lunch of ceviche the afternoon was spent snorkeling and more snorkeling. I was astounded by the number of sea urchins and star fish to be found. There were also angel fish, porcupine fish, a sea cucumber and many other wonders of the deep. After coming out of the sea we had the very pleasant opportunity to shower under a bucket of fresh water pulled up from a well. There's nothing more refreshing than rinsing off two days of salt, seat and sand!

Some of the group went for a sunset cruise around Whale Island while I stayed onshore with a few others to watch the pelicans dive and take picture after picture of the spectacular sunset which only grew more beautiful with every passing moment. The dark of night came eventually and with the lantern broken no light to spoil the starry, starry sky.

Continue the adventure:
Day 1; Day 3

Flicker Set

Kayaking Isla Espiritu Santo - Day 1

Isla Espiritu Santo lies just off the tip of La Paz on the Sea of Cortez side of Baja California. La Paz, the setting for Steinbeck's The Pearl is a beautiful town, with a gorgeous walkway along the water. Waiting outside our hotel to be picked up for four days of kayaking I couldn't help but think I would have liked to spend another day in La Paz. Annasellie the guide from Baja Outdoor Adventures arrived promptly at 7:50, the kayak guy and I loaded all our gear into the van which then stopped at other hotels in La Pa to pick up the rest of our group and brought us to the BOA office. At the office we picked up snorkel gear, put together our paddles and left behind anything we wouldn't be needing for the next four days.

Everything we would be needing was loaded onto a motorboat that would ferry us out to Isla Espiritu Santo. On the boat ride out to our first camping beach we passed by an island of nesting great blue herons, and the trio of islands we would see again later Rooster, Hen and Whale Islands. After dropping our gear off at camp the boat took us out to the tip of Espiritu Santo where a colony of sea lions live. Annasellie spoke a bit about the sea lions, boobies, jelly fish and other marine life we would see. We were then free to jump off the boat and snorkel to our heart's content. It was a wonderful spot, sea lions swimming all around us, an archway to swim through with a ghostly jellyfish in the dark below and all sorts of coral and scores of fish of which I have no idea what most of them were.

After an hour or so of snorkeling we returned to our camp where Annasellie introduced us to Leah and Rafael our guides for the rest of the trip. After a quick lunch Rafael went through the camp setup and a rudimentary introduction to the kayak. All nine of us went out and did a quick wet exit, the KG did a roll to the oohs and aahs of the audience. Leah took us out for a short paddle beneath the looming red cliffs which would be our backdrop for days to come. Back at camp Mario, the cook had whipped up a pitcher of margaritas for happier hour and a dinner of chicken fajitas. The more fun members of the group played a game of Fun!Fun!Fun! while I sat out and watched the stars and wrote the day's adventures by the warm light of the lantern.

Continue the adventure:
Day 2; Day 3

Flicker Set

Paddle

The first suggestion a new kayaker hears is that she should have her own paddle and PFD. Any kayak you rent is probably going to be good enough but the paddle makes a huge difference in a day out on the water. A heavy paddle wears me out faster than anything, a light paddle and I can go all day. But which paddle to buy, there's so many choices of brand, length, symmetry, straight or bent shaft, lightness vs. durability. Finally after months of borrowing a paddle I have my very own four piece carbon fiber Lendal paddle. With a reported weight of just over a pound, adjustable feather angle and minimally adjustable length a paddle doesn't get much better. It breaks down into four pieces to easily pack up for traveling. All I need is the fancy little pocketed bag to keep it safe and I'm ready to go anywhere in the world. But for now I'll be happy using it in San Francisco Bay!

Not your usual Oakland experience

There's never a dull moment in the Jack London District but yesterday was unusually interesting for this area. On my way to the ATM yesterday I first encountered numerous blocked streets and a film crew setting up. Not sure what they were shooting for but a camera on a truck bed was filming a brand spankin' new Volvo SUV with European plates careening around various corners. A couple in preppy winter clothes looked totally out of place being filmed crossing the street by my building. I'll have to start watching Volvo commercials more carefully.

As I passed by the Amtrak station an old Amtrak engine was pushing a Canadian National Railway coach into the station to join up with the Amtrak train. The CN Burrard looked like it had just come from the body shop, not a speck of dirt or scratch on it. A private party was boarding the car and boy did that look like fun. amazingly I haven't been able to find anything about it on the internet. I wonder how one goes about arranging something like that, it would certainly be a dream trip!

The infamous COSCO Busan was docked at the port yesterday unloading its cargo. The 100 foot gash in it's hull was in plain view and truly enormous. A hulking cargo ship with a huge hole in it's side makes me once again wonder at the courage of the people who work on those ships everyday. The ruptured fuel tanks spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, most of which seems to have traveled north and west out the Golden Gate. There was thick black sludge on the booms set out to protect Middle Harbor Park but no globs of oil floating in the water.

Being somewhat cold and rainy yesterday was a wonderful day to kayak in the Estuary. The water was calm, very few boats out and so quiet you would never think you were in the middle of a cosmopolitan area. The wildlife was out in abundance. Besides the regular cormorants and grebes we saw a flotilla of scoters, some scaup, a bufflehead, a kingfisher, two red tailed hawks, several great blue herons and a seal. On the way back to the kayak dock the rising fin of a harbor porpoise astonished us. As we sat in the middle of the estuary and watched the lost porpoise swam around our boats in circles for half an hour. Eventually we decided to wish the porpoise good journeys and headed our boats toward home. Back at the kayak shop it was said it's the first porpoise to be seen in the estuary in over 15 years and though he's lost he should find his way out again eventually.

A film crew, a fascinating train, a ship with a gash in it's side, lots of wildlife and a porpoise - I love living in Oakland!

SKII

Sitting in the kayak slowly undulating with the waves of the pacific I realize the sea part of sea kayak isn't my thing and just may make me sick, though fortunately it didn't. The Sea Kayaking II class was held in Half Moon Bay last weekend. It's certainly a beautiful spot, a calm harbor protected by a breakwater, not far from the city but seemingly remote. The class started rather inauspiciously as there was only one other couple and I, they had their own kayaks and all there own equipment. And my specialized kayak gear consists of just my short sleeved kayak shirt as the kayak place generally equips me with everything. But at HMB they couldn't find a small size PFD which didn't add to my confidence. Nevertheless once in the kayak I felt very comfortable paddling around the harbor practicing a lean this way and that. So comfortable that while rocking the boat back and forth I accidentally fell in. This was the first time I was wearing a neoprene spray skirt which does not slip off right away when you tip over but I had done a lot of thinking about that and knew I had to yank real hard on the pull strap so it quickly released from the kayak. Safely back in the boat and we headed out from the flat water of the harbor to the rolling sea. I tend to still have a canoe stroke rather than than the short torso rotated stroke of a kayaker but I'm well aware of it. Still it was good to have an instructor there to remind me I need to shorten my stroke by about two feet. Paddling in the swells of the sea was not necessarily harder than paddling in the bay but it has a different feel to it, and then there's the slight queasy feeling of looking out from the tiny slab of plastic you're sitting in and seeing nothing but sea and sky. We made it around Pillar Point and stopped on the beach for lunch. The instructor spoke about ranges which we practiced using on the way back. It was comforting to be able to say for sure that we were moving in the direction we wanted to relative to the land. Back out in the swells we practiced T rescues which is much more difficult with the waves throwing the boats around. We each also did a paddle float rescue which I find much less stressful as I'm not worried the whole time about rescuing someone else. It's just me and I know I can get back in the boat. Finally late afternoon we landed back at the put in point. In terms of skills learned the SKII class immensely improved my understanding of boat control and gave me a whole new experience in kayaking. I can't wait to try out what I learned, but at least for a while I'll stick to kayaking in the Bay!

All About The Estuary

The Oakland Estuary for me has always posed somewhat of a problem. I think of an estuary as a somewhat enclosed, large marshy area where a river empties out into the sea. And the people of Wikipedia would agree with me. Though it is the point where Lake Merritt empties out into the Bay one would hardly know it. The Oakland estuary appears to be more of what I would call a strait. It's a narrow channel of water separating Alameda from Oakland, though a strait more correctly connects two large bodies of water which is not the case here. I'm not entirely sure what word describes the water between a mainland and an island. However I felt much better about the term Estuary when I learned Alameda was once connected to Oakland and the Oakland Estuary was filled with silt. It still would be filling with silt if not for the continual dredging. So Oakland Estuary it is though it's not marshy or enclosed.

This weekend I thought a lot about the estuary as I floated in it while working with my partner to right my kayak. A drill that unexpectedly proved to be the best team work exercise I have ever encountered. We worked in pairs, one person capsized in his or her kayak and the other person was to perform the rescue. The person still in the kayak was in charge and had to perform the task and give instruct the person in the water. The person in the water had to give up control of the situation. The rescuer had to pull the capsized kayak onto her boat, turn it right side up and steady it while the rescuee climbed back in. All the time keeping an eye on the person still in the water making sure she was all right. The rescuee was fine, wearing a PFD hanging onto the rescuer's kayak wearing a wetsuit there wasn't any danger. So the rescuee took on the role of coach telling the rescuer what a great job she was doing, reassuring her that everything was fine don't worry about me sitting here in the water just concentrate on lifting that kayak. As the rescuer that encouragement meant everything in the world. You were able to concentrate on lifting the kayak, righting it, stabilizing it. You had someone who was rooting for you and letting you know you didn't have to worry about them just keep on task. Amazingly every person in our group old or young, fit or not was able to perform the task in a reasonable amount of time. And with that came a wonderful sense of two people working together, achieving a goal that at first glance looked pretty darn difficult. Thank you California Canoe and Kayak for giving us all more than just a lesson in how to handle a kayak.