A darling destination for early spring kayaking

Airy pearls dot the surface of this foothills lake

Ask paddlers what they remember about Lake Clementine….

…and chances are good they will answer “bubbles.” Clementine blows bubbles like a Lawrence Welk rerun. These airy pearls rise through sparkling clear water from a muddy bottom.

Which has led me to speculate, on previous paddles, that the bubbles may be fish farts. Except that at no time have I ever seen a single fish at Clementine, either swimming or at the end of a line, though fishing is popular here. This had the makings of a good mystery until one of my paddle pals - a no-nonsense woman who once worked as a rocket company exec - said flatly, “It’s decaying matter.” Well, okay, but she’s never going to get an invite from QAnon with that rational attitude.

Paddling past "Robber's Roost"

Clementine, part of the Auburn State Recreation Area, is a great off- or early-season destination for kayakers, paddler boarders and canoeists. It’s usually quiet, almost too

Holidays launch that ‘other paddling season’

A holiday toast, but non-alcoholic, the ballerina-elves were quick to say

No store lines, no anxiety, no monitor screen eye strain since...

...it’s not a Cyber Monday event (thank goodness). But I have officially declared an early start to the Other Season - aka winter paddling. Traditionally (and by that I mean just last year), the Other Season begins on December 21, the Winter Solstice. But thanks to a

The invaders that came from beneath the sea

 

A strange, golden glob appeared in the sparkling water...

It opened like any really bad horror movie should... 

…with a peaceful, idyllic scene. Dozens of families relaxed on a white-sand beach near Monterey’s Cannery Row on a balmy Sunday in October. Children played in the surf and squealed with delight. Young couples strolled hand-in-hand along the strand. And a grizzled old paddler launched his red kayak into the gentle surf. That would be moi. 

...and began clustering around me

Only a few yards beyond the small breakers, I encountered a strange, golden blob in the sparkling turquoise waters. Jellyfish. Not one or two, but dozens jammed together in a floating island.

As I cautiously paddled closer for a better look, I noticed that several jellies had silently begun to surround my kayak. And then realized jellies were surfacing all over the bay. 

An instant of panic was quickly overcome by inspiration. What a great idea for a sea creature horror movie! I whipped out my waterproof camera and filmed a few underwater snippets. Fortunately, my stylings as a film auteur were perfect for the horror genre - grainy, jerky, slightly unfocused video. I could already see my very own starfish on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

But those dreams were dashed when further research showed that someone else thought of this idea first. And did it so much better than I ever could. How do you top radioactive, mutant jellyfish? Especially with a title like “Hellyfish,” a 2014 horror spoof that was cheesier than a holiday sale on Hickory Farms cheese logs. I turned seaweed green with envy as I watched the movie trailer.  (See the jump page of this post. And switch to full screen to get the max effect.)

How to enjoy kayaking in “new normal” era

Enjoying nature more important than ever in these strange days

I was tempted to call this the “new abnormal” but realized… 

...we don’t need another reminder that strange days are here. When I posted an item about Covid-19 in March, it was outdated a couple of days later. I had suggested that Californians should get free admission to all state parks since so many other social activities were banned.

Unfortunately, a gazillion people flocked to state parks and beaches that weekend. So much for safe distancing. Most parks were shut immediately, and I scrapped the post. Most state parks have since reopened. Except for those inside major wildfire zones. Or are inhospitable due to heavy smoke that presents a serious health hazard. Strange days indeed.

The smoke will disappear, eventually. Covid-19, maybe not so soon. So let’s focus on safe kayaking in a viral environment. On the bright side, you may not need to carry your own supply of toilet paper everywhere any longer. 

Quarantine on the water

For starters, kayaking lends itself to safe distancing of six feet or more between people. Turns out most kayak paddles are the perfect metric for that. My 210cm paddle gives me a 6-foot-8.7 inch measuring stick. Your paddle is probably more than six feet long, too. 

Paddles also may come in handy off the water. For a time, walking in a local park became hazardous as maskless runners brushed by me as they came up from behind, huffing and puffing. That stopped as soon as I took my paddle on walks and “practiced”

There's no otter place quite like Elkhorn Slough

A relaxed resident of Elkhorn Slough studies passersby (Click on photos to enlarge)

 This might be my No. 1 choice for a paddling trip….

…during the “Other Season,” and it’s easy to make that case with generally mild winter weather, beautiful scenery and some of the best wildlife viewing anywhere in California. But on my most recent trip to Monterey County, I noticed that the entertainment worked both ways - while kayakers were watching sea otters and harbor seals in Elkhorn Slough, those critters were gawking at us too.

Winter paddler finds a bird storm on Tomales Bay

Waterfowl fill the sky over Tomales Bay (click on photos to enlarge)

A billowing black cloud of feathers rose above as I paddled on an ebb tide....

...in Tomales Bay one recent morning. Hundreds of birds - probably thousands - filled the sky in a spectacular aerial display.

Until that moment, it had been a disappointing kayak exploration of back bay marshes in search of waterfowl. Though it seemed a perfect winter morning for birdwatching, as temps quickly warmed into the low 60s under sunny skies and light breezes. The

That other, more peaceful paddling season

Holiday decorations adorn trees over a Lake Natoma bayou

If you missed Winter Solstice, it occurred here at 8:19 p.m. on Dec. 21...

...and it’s easy to overlook the shortest daylight period of the year. Yet it’s auspicious for several reasons, not the least of which is that it officially kicks off my Other Paddling Season. No big sales at Macy’s or one-hour specials on Amazon to commemorate this season, but it's special all the same. 

By December, many kayakers have packed away their paddles, but they are missing a

Choosing your first kayak? Watch this video

Dan Arbuckle introduces a review of five entry-level kayaks

Some longtime paddlers may look down their noses when they see....

...entry-level boats from big box stores. It’s an easy call if you’ve been paddling for years and invested a large sum in a kayak that’s fit for almost any body of water. But there’s another point of view, as a new YouTube video explains. And it’s notable for several reasons.

First, it was created by Dan Arbuckle, who owns the Headwaters Kayak Shop in Lodi. Dan is well known in Northern California kayaking circles as an entrepreneur paddler who’s very active in the community. He’s also as sharply attuned to social media as anyone I know in the watersports biz. Which is where YouTube comes in.

I've seen the Golden Gate from both sides now

Before a paddle under the fog-draped icon of San Francisco Bay…

 …our leader asked, “What are your goals today?” An easy one for me: “I want to paddle out the Gate - and I would prefer to come back.” As it turned out, that would be the right goal for a kayaker who ended the day feeling nearly as time-worn as the span that symbolizes San Francisco.

Thousands of kayakers have paddled under the Gate, and they’ve done it many thousands of times. I bet all of them remember their first trip. For me, the allure had little to do with kayaking and everything to do with another trip under the Gate in 1943.

It was a clear night. A troop transport ship chugged out of the Bay carrying hundreds of  soldiers. Including a 19-year-old, Blue Ridge Mountain farm boy. He had never traveled 

A paddler's wish comes true: "...and I would prefer to come back"

more than ten miles from home before he volunteered for the Army. Below decks, the heat from jammed bodies was so stifling that men were allowed to sleep on deck. “I could see all the stars in the sky - and then suddenly it all went dark as we passed under 

All you need to know about kayaking (part 2)

Second in a one-part series that pretends to be….

…the last word on paddling tips. And it would be if you drown, God forbid. So start by wearing a PFD whenever and wherever you go kayaking. Recently, I encountered a nice  

Paddling on July 4th or any summer weekend: Hit the water early, get off early 

fellow at the Russian River estuary at Jenner, in Sonoma County. He was about to launch a large, fairly stable sit-on-top kayak. It was a mild, warm day, especially by North Coast standards, with barely a breeze. He asked, “Do I really need to wear this life jacket?” I paused and silently thanked the Water Gods for endorsing NorCal Yak’s Third Law, which states: 

Everything you need to know about kayaking -- not

Hundreds of kayaking blogs and Web sites...

A textbook example of  NorCal Yak's First Law

…offer useful instructions and insights to help paddlers hone their skills. This particular post is not among them. Instead, as we launch another prime paddling season, a few random thoughts, serious and otherwise.  Here goes: 

1.  NorCal Yak's First Law states that you know your limit just as soon as you've paddled past it. This applies on and off the water, from sandbars to dive bars and everything in between. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, they say. Bull hockey - it just makes you lucky for once. That's why you should never exceed your personal speed limit in the thought process, even if that keeps you in the slow lane most of the time. 

2.  If you are about to land your kayak at a spot crowded with other paddlers, or if people are just sitting around on a beach, rest for a moment some distance out. You may feel ready to die from a long, hard, painful paddle, but never show it. Catch your breath, wipe

Don’t allow a rattle to disrupt your next paddle

Snakes have gotten a bad rap since that incident in Eden...

At the aptly-named Rattlesnake Bar near Folsom Lake (2015)

….and there are already a number of rattlesnake bite stories around Northern California this year. Kayakers need to stay alert whenever they launch or land in areas with brush, rocks or near downed timber, since that’s prime snake habitat.

But the rap on rattlers is unfair. An increase in snake sightings and incidents this spring may be traced to unusually wet conditions that have prompted an explosion in the rodent population. Rattlers and other snakes are great rodent predators. Since rodents are a prime carrier for ticks (Lyme disease) the Hantavirus and other risks to human health, snakes are beneficial.

Spring fever? Paddling offers blooms, butterflies

Scotch broom and waterfall across the channel from Rattlesnake Bar

“It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is….” 

…wrote Mark Twain.  “And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

Lupine on the shoreline

Well, Mr. Clemens, a kayak tour of spring wildflowers will ease that fever quite nicely, as a group from the Sacramento Sea Kayakers club discovered while paddling toward the North Fork of the American River last weekend.

For me, the high point came at lunch  - my fave time of any paddle day - about midway into an eight-mile round trip. 

Landing below a sandy bank, our group suddenly faced a quiet riot of pipevine butterflies erupting from clumps of vetch on the hillside. Black wings fluttered wildly amid deep purple blooms - a “wow” spring visual, for sure.

Pipevine mob scene in the purple vetch 

We launched from Folsom Lake’s Rattlesnake Bar. Spring runoff has raised the water level, prompting park rangers to open the launch gates and allow vehicle access down a steep ramp to a floating dock.

Heading upstream, we passed small waterfalls framed by granite and greenery. Yellow splashes of scotch broom decorated some hillsides, with carpets of lupine elsewhere. And ubiquitous California poppies shared the slopes with stone wall jigsaw patterns that have defied gravity for more than 100 years.

Kayaking danger rises with storm-fed rivers

Floodwater rescue drill from Glenn Brank on Vimeo.

When it rains it pours, and when it pours, kayakers should think....

...long and hard before launching into storm-fed water. A few days before Christmas, a couple of Folsom paddlers launched their 10-foot recreational kayaks on Lake Natoma, just above the bridges and in the narrows that channel water releases from Folsom Lake.

The current was running close to 20,000 cubic feet per second - approximately the speed and power of your average freight train.

One of the paddlers wore his smartphone in a waterproof case around his neck. Its video

Practical New Year resolutions for a kayaker

2016 draws to a close on the water

They tell us that the most successful New Year’s resolutions involve a small number of attainable goals - so here’s my kayaking resolution list, as simple as one-two-three:

1. Play it safe. Remember that every mistake can be a learning experience except for the final one, because that one is fatal by definition. Think about safety before a trip begins, checking weather, currents and tides; as well as tying the kayak atop a vehicle, and then launching with the appropriate gear and clothing.

2. Take out the garbage. Take a few seconds to remove a can or bottle floating nearby, or pick up a piece of garbage someone left at the shoreline.

3. Support the cause. Join or renew membership in local kayak clubs and non-profit groups that defend clean water and our rights to enjoy it. Now, more than ever, kayakers need to help protect our environment.

Happy New Year from NorCal Yak.          

High times coming soon for coastal kayakers

The ultimate high-water experience on Tomales Bay (click on photo to enlarge) 

It’s the perfect season to go paddling and get high…..

…referring to tides along Northern California’s coast, of course. SFGate reports that Marin County is bracing for flooding Dec. 10-16 and Jan. 8-14 during the extreme high tides known as “King Tides,” when the gravitational pull of moon and sun coincide to raise the ante, waterline-wise. This generally occurs during early winter months.

It’s also a time when big storms frequently wash over the coast. Such conditions can make for an interesting kayaking trip, providing paddlers are well-prepared for water from all directions. Last January, I convinced several fools - I mean friends - to join me on Tomales Bay during a King Tide. The forecast called for "scattered showers" that turned into full-blown squalls. Following is a brief video....

Last-minute holiday gift ideas for the kayaker

Holidays are a great time to kick back with a good book

Someone on your holiday gift list is a fanatical paddler…

 …and you haven't been able to figure out what to get for them. One of those $400 carbon fiber paddles would be nice, but they’re so hard to wrap, plus you had no idea they come in different lengths and blade styles. So consider something that's easy to order at the last minute and very practical, not to mention a lot less expensive - a kayak book.

In my opinion, there are two books that any Northern California kayaker should have on hand, for entirely different reasons - one a "where-to-how-to" and the other a "how-not-to". There’s a third text with few words and no narrative but it could help your fave paddler on big water. Here goes:   

Wonderfully reliable source of info 

The second edition of “Paddling Northern California” by Charlie Pike (Falcon Guides) is a 325-page guide that includes maps, photos and precise distances and directions to some of the best paddling water from sea to Sierra. It's a wonderfully reliable source of info. Several years ago, I paddled a stretch of the Delta with Charlie as he was researching this latest edition, and his maps and calculations were spot on. If your kayaker doesn’t have this guide, buy it. It’s easy to gift wrap, too.

My second choice is an entirely different type of book, recommended for its not-so-subtle message: Please avoid doing something stupid on the water, because it might kill you.

Learning to go with the flow on San Francisco Bay

A gorgeous day on the bay proved to be just a  bonus for our paddling group  

A kayaking class on tides, currents and rough water….

…recently reminded me that I took up writing as a vocation because higher mathematics was a deep, dull subject to me. And by “higher mathematics,” I mean stuff that your average fifth grader can knock out between video games. Not me -- words be my thang.

Jennifer Yearley translates chart

But the class shed a whole new light on practical applications of math, such as avoiding being sucked from San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge in a very small boat and out into a very large ocean.

Our daylong paddle provided clear examples of how to judge current speed and time low and high tides to good effect, as well as interim periods of slack (water). I am a huge fan of slack, in the slang-ish sense that I would like more of it in general, not to mention minimizing physical exertion in the form of paddling. On this day, we spent a bit over 5 hours on the water with a mid-trip break of more than an hour, just my speed.

We launched from Horseshoe Cove at Fort Baker, on the Marin side of the bay, tucked into a natural hip pocket behind the Gate. Instructor Jennifer Yearley’s plan: Start off around slack tide (I was happy already), work our way up the coastline toward Sausalito,

Kayak surfing fulfills a paddler's longtime dream

Blogger puts lessons into practice at "Bodega Bash" kayak surfing meet on Sept. 17 (photo courtesy Mark Boyd)  

The kayak instructor’s question was an easy one for me…

Earlier surf session in "Maytag zone" (photo courtesy Kelly Marie Henry) 

Why did you want to take an introductory kayak surfing class? My instant reply: “In the early ‘60s, when I was a kid living 800 miles from the ocean and I heard The Beach Boys on the radio….”  Everyone laughed, but true. “Surfin’ USA” in 1963: ”If everybody had an ocean…” Ha! A kid in in the Appalachian Mountains could only listen to the radio and dream.

But 50-some years later, my dream finally came true with a recent “Introduction to Kayak Surfing” class at Dillon Beach, near the mouth of Tomales Bay.  My first run, from 

Paddle over to see a Tomales Bay icon while you can

Despite appearances, the "S.S. Point Reyes" was no shipwreck -- it was going to be a fixer-upper 

“Picturesque derelict” sounds like a contradiction...

But any kayaker who’s ever paddled on Tomales Bay knows what I’m talking about. It’s a nautical hulk known as the “S.S. Point Reyes” or the “Tomales Bay shipwreck.” In fact, it’s no shipwreck at all, but an icon for the West Marin County community that became its final resting port. Just step or paddle back a bit and observe the scene, on or off the water.

A suspicious fire last February nearly destroyed the old girl

Tomales Bay rises and falls dramatically with the tides, from shimmering salty expanse to stinking mud flat. Many structures near the waterline are a bit rough and ragged but as full of character as some of their inhabitants.

Everything is precariously situated - the “Reyes” rests on a sandbar, which in turns sits atop a major fault line that at some future date could make flotsam and jetsam out of Inverness, Point Reyes Station, Marshall and all the hamlets in between.

But hey, no hurry on Tomales time.  Whether you’re on the geologic clock, checking tide tables for a kayak trip, or driving on Francis Drake Boulevard, slow down on the approach to Inverness and that strange relic just behind the general store.  Like its surroundings, the “Reyes” has for decades conveyed a sense of dignified, gradual decline - at least until recently.