Sea Trek

San Francisco Bay Area residents get to routinely admire bay views, even if it’s only while commuting to work. Less common is the reverse view, from water to land, and the best way to enjoy that panorama is from a kayak, which floats inches above the water. Thanks to a climate conducive to outdoor activity in all four seasons and an outdoor sports-mad populace, kayaking in San Francisco Bay has been popular for decades.

Fortunately you don’t need to invest in another big piece of sports equipment to cram into the garage to take up kayaking. Not just tourists, but many locals regularly rent kayaks at seven locations on San Francisco, Richardson and Tomales bays, Corte Madera Creek and the Pacific Ocean. The biggest and best is Sea Trek in Sausalito, just across the Golden Gate from San Francisco.

Sea Trek’s rates are reasonable ($20/hour), the boat selection is huge (with many sit-on-tops for beginners), the staff is cheerful (no question is too simple) and the beach where you push off into a shallow lagoon makes starting out easy. Best of all, the paddling conditions and destination choices from Sausalito offer a rich variety.

Beginners can spend hours exploring Richardson Bay, highlighted by its colorful Sausalito houseboat “neighborhoods,” docks that sag under the weight of sleepy seals and the bay-hugging mansions of Tiburon. Intermediates can paddle north past the restaurants of downtown Sausalito and across to Angel Island. The most advanced kayakers can paddle close to the Golden Gate Bridge. And anyone can take part in the annual Regatta and Paddle-a-thon in October, the largest such event in America, with about 250 kayakers each year.

Besides rentals, Sea Trek offers classes, group outings, kids’ camps and kayak vacations in Alaska, Baja and Belize. If you can’t make it to Sausalito, the Bay Area’s other kayak-rental operations also offer classes, outings and trips. City Kayak can be found at San Francisco’s Pier 38 near the baseball stadium, where advanced paddlers can head to Alcatraz or Treasure Island. The others include Larkspur’s Outback Adventures on Corte Madera Creek; California Canoe & Kayak in the Oakland Estuary and at Half Moon Bay’s Pillar Point Harbor; and Blue Waters Kayaking on Tomales Bay in Inverness and Marshall.

HelloSanFrancisco Tip: Summer is not the only time to try kayaking. On the bay, it’s not even the best time. In the early fall it’s less windy and often warmer; spring is pleasant in the morning before the winds pick up; and seabirds are most plentiful in the winter (but wear an extra layer).

- by Bob Cooper, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Bob Cooper

Bob Cooper is a full-time freelance writer (www.bob-cooper.com) who writes about travel, outdoor sports and health. He is a monthly contributor to Runner's World and has written recent articles for other national magazines such as Continental, Ladies' Home Journal and Inc.