Paddling the Black Canyon of the Colorado

Black Canyon of the Colorado River
Below Hoover Dam is an awesome stretch of the Colorado River. Beautiful red rock cliffs, abundant wildlife and superb camping. Plus, clear, turquiose hot springs after a day of paddling. What more could you want! Four days on the river gives you time to kayak, hike and explore. This is an expedition-style trip and we carry everything with us in our sleek sea kayaks. A great winter break!

Elkhorn Slough
Located on Monterey Bay, the Slough is one of the best places in North America to view wildlife and learn to paddle a kayak. The number and diversity of animals which live at the slough is amazing. Sea otters, harbor seals, herons, egrets, hundreds of pelicans and thousands of sandpipers are all common sights on these tours. This is the ultimate place to combine a day of quiet paddling with wildlife viewing.

Salinas River National Wildlife Area
The placid Salinas River winds its way from San Luis Obispo to Monterey Bay. As it reaches the Bay, it slows to form a secluded coastal lagoon blocked from the ocean by rolling sand dunes. This isolated freshwater marsh is home to large numbers of waterfowl, herons, hawks and shorebirds. Endangered brown pelicans roost in old cottonwood snags and snowy plovers breed on the dunes. At lunch we'll walk over to beach comb and watch the pounding surf. This is a relaxed trip, perfect for beginners, families and birders.

Kelp Forests and Sea Otters
Join us to paddle the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary from the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. We will learn some kayak skills, observe wildlife and have a great day out. Our tour will travel to some wonderful kelp beds and we will stop and look at these interesting plants. Anchored in the kelp, we will also look for the many sea otters which live off Lighthouse Point. Because of the large numbers of surfers in this area, the otters here are very relaxed around humans and often approach our boats. Other animals we will see include California sea lions, harbor seals and a variety of marine birds.

Eagles of Lake San Antonio
Lake San Antonio is located about 2.5 hours south of San Jose. Nestled in the coastal mountains, it is surrounded by oak woodlands and grassy hills. Wildlife is abundant, particularly birds. In fact, San Antonio is home to one of the largest wintering populations of bald eagles in coastal California. Golden Eagles, white pelicans and western grebes are also common. We will kayak along the lake shore looking for eagles and take a hike into the oaks for lunch. This is a gentle kayak trip on flat water. No prior experience is necessary. Instruction will be given before starting and we will be using stable, dry sea kayaks, ideal for beginning paddlers.

Great Valley by Sea Kayak
The Great (Central) Valley of California was once a freshwater marsh with miles of forest-lined rivers. Much of that habitat is now gone but sections of the Stanislaus River still offer a glimpse into the past of this productive region. Large tracts of riparian forest between the town of Ripon and the confluence of the San Juaquin River offer a refuge for valley oaks, sandhill cranes, Swainson's hawks and migrating waterfowl. Spring is a delightful season to paddle, as many of the riparian trees and shrubs are budding out and songbirds are beginning to herald the changing season. We will paddle this calm, flat water section of the river in double sea kayaks. No experience is necessary and full instruction will be given before we embark. These stable kayaks will allow us to explore the hard-to-reach sections of the riparian zone and give us the opportunity to observe the towering oaks and river wildlife.

Mono Lake Weekend
Come kayak one of the oldest lakes in North America! With the snow covered Sierra as a backdrop, this is some of the most scenic paddling in California. We'll look for migrating waterfowl, paddle to tufa towers and talk about the fantastic geology of the Mono Basin. Then, join us to camp among the stately Jeffrey pines or stay at a hotel in historic Lee Vining. Either way, you'll have two days of kayaking and a fireside breakfast at a very unusual lake! These trips always fill fast so sign-up early!