2006 Ocean Kayak Day Trip

2006 Ocean Kayak Day Trip Below a group photo on land:

group photo ocean kayak 2006:

Kayaks launching:

ocean kayak launching 2006 1: ocean kayak launch 2006 2:

We always do this adventure with the safety and confidence of everyone in mind, so all the trip participants wait to start paddling until everyone has left shore. Below, another group photo:

ocean kayak group on water 2006:

We spotted our first seals and the first close-up otter soon after starting out:

first otter we spotted 2006:

A seal popped up near part of the group then swam under the kayaks to look at us.

We all know to keep our distance from marine mammals as we paddle. After watching an otter we moved on:

paddling on after spotting otter:

Out just a little beyond the Monterey Bay Aquarium we stopped and sat still for awhile, able to see an otter eating and grooming, and seeing it especially well with telephoto lens or binoculars:

otter at a distance 2006 surf behind:

Then an otter seemed to be swimming closer to us:

otter swimming towards us:

People should never paddle close to marine mammals, but if they swim close to us and we sit still it’s okay.

2006 approaching otter:

This otter pup swam among the kayaks while mom watched.

First it came to one side of our kayak,

otter getting closer to kayak:

and I thought I was about to get a great picture, but it surface dived:

otter surface diving:

only to reappear on the other side of the kayak and come close to check us out:

otter surfaces on left of kayak 2006:

And swam back around to the right side again:

otter among kayakers:

I had stowed a paddle while we sat still and it seemed interested in it. (The mother of the otter pup waited nearby.)

otter looks at paddle:

Then it went out among the rest of the kayaks:

telephoto Alexander Verne and sea otter:

baby otter and kayakers 2006:

Alexander Verne and otter 2006:

sea otter and Alexander:

Sudharian and Bharathy were holding on to some kelp to stay in one place as the pup and mom otter approached:

mom and baby otter among kayakers 2006: telephoto mom and baby otter w kayakers:

Some of our group saw another otter surface with a rock on its belly and pound a crustacean on the rock to crack its shell and be able to eat it.

At sea otter visits Shannon Mathey’s kayak Monterey 2006 you can see the otter pup visit one of our group and seem to be interested in the carrying handles at the ends of the kayak.

Shannon Mathey and otter:

When coming back in to shore, one kayak comes in at a time:

one kayak at a time comes in to shore 2006:

You don’t want to miss the looks on the faces of
Hoang-My (Mimi) Dunkle and Imelda Terrazas at the page of pictures of landings at the beach.

ocean kayak landings 2006

Before we went kayaking, some of us got practice climbing back into a kayak from a swimming pool. It wasn’t required, but it gave people more confidence. (And, no, no one fell out of their kayak on this trip.)

Alexander balances as Troy climbs in:

practice how to climb back in to an ocean kayak has more pictures

Details and rules about this trip are at: Monterey ocean kayak day trip