Monterey ocean kayak day trip

kayak with Monterey Bay Aquarium in background: mom and baby sea otter 300 pixels: mom and baby sea otter
ocean kayak april 2007 group photo 168 pixels: ocean kayakers in Monterey:

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

We previously went to Monterey, but are trying a new venue.

(We are leaving the details about the Monterey trip below, especially so that previous trip members can find photos.)

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

 

We now do a kayak day trip with a paddling lesson,
at Baylands Preserve in Palo Alto

We previously went to Monterey.

Driving to Monterey takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Baylands Preserve in Palo Alto is 16 minutes from the De Anza Campus.

There are parking fees in Monterey, but none at Baylands.

No kayaking experience is needed for this event.
The trip is designed for first timers, but people with experience kayaking also join us,
especially if they want to introduce friends to kayaking.
(Some students have done kayaking with the Outdoor Club many times!)

Details and the date of the next adventure, are at: https://marydonahue.org/baylands-kayaking

AND SEE:

Photos from the October 2022 kayaking lesson

tandem kayak in race

You will learn to paddle the same kayak model you could use on the between-summer-and-fall-quarter trip to Grand Teton National Park.

You do not have to know how to swim (even strong swimmers must wear a fully zipped lifejacket), but if you don’t know how to swim, De Anza College has a class for you.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

HOW TO FIND US

to pay for a membership, sign up for an event, or to volunteer is at:
Outdoor Club Coming Attractions

Carpools are arranged among the students going on the trips, for info go to Carpool FAQs

Road trip advice and etiquette

Quit being paranoid about sharks

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

 

 
 

 

 
 
Again, we are leaving pictures of the previous Monterey trips we did here.

See photos of the May 15, 2022 trip at Monterey kayak trip May 2022

See photos of the Oct. 17, 2021 trip at Monterey kayak trip October 2021

sea otter

Below: an Egret standing on a section of kelp, with otters floating on the kelp and Canada Geese paddling by

Egret otters and Canada Geese: an Egret standing on a section of kelp, with otters floating on it and Canada Geese paddling by

We’ve always seen sea lions and usually see otters and seals.

The marine mammals we see (and hear barking loudly) on the rocks at the jetty alongside the harbor launch ramp are sea lions.

sea lions:
2 sea lions on a beach

otter:

otter-swimming nps photo

close up of a sea otter

 

Sometimes seals get curious and swim among us or close under us.

seal:

head / face of a harbor seal courtesy of NPS

seal in kelp

In Monterey bay, one way to tell the difference between harbor seals and sea lions is that the seals have spotted fur, no visible ears and crawl on their bellies; the sea lions have visible ears, can walk on land and bark. Bark loudly.

otters in foreground kayakers paddling away in background

kayakers

ocean kayak group in water March 2004:

A few more group photos from various years:

De Anza college ocean kayak 2007 group photo after launch:

group of kayakers lined up in harbor
ocean kayak group from side:

Notice the rows of Pelicans flying over us:
pelicans flying over kayakers

kayakers on Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay aquarium in background, kayakers in foreground

And yes, we paddle out even if it is through thick fog.

kayakers in a fog bakayakers in a fog bank with sun streaming down photo by Alan Ahlstrand

At the aquarium we often do a group photo.

We have noticed people on the balconies of the aquarium taking pictures of us.

Monterey Bay Aquarium in background, kayakers in front with some of their paddles in the air
row of kayaks

ocean kayak group photo Oct 20 2013 in front of aquarium: row of kayakers in front of the Monterey aquarium

kayakers lined up in front of the Monterey Bay Aquarium

harbor seals nuzzling each other

line of kayaks with Monterey Bay Aquarium behind them

mom otter and baby

13 students in kayaks in a row

sea otter floating on back

kayakers posing for a photo

row of kayakers with Monterey Bay Aquarium behind them

 
We suggest you also read rogue or sneaker waves

What are the scuba divers we often see finding down beneath us? https://cadivingnews.com/dive-spot/montereys-aquarium-wall/

https://www.seemonterey.com/blog/post/top-5-beach-dives-in-monterey-county/

two birds walking on beach: two birds walking on beach

Selfies can be fun, or even dangerous.

sign that says no selfies with the seals If you get too close mother seals may abandon their pups

mom and pup seal

baby seal

seal resting head on a rock

seal lying on side on beach

drawing of three school buses in a row to represent 150 feet to stay away from seals

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Drawing below courtesy of the National Park Service (NPS):

a NPS drawing of a sea lion and a seal


photos below by Quang-Tuan Luong/terragalleria.com
, all rights reserved.

Surf and rocks, Ocean drive, Carmel by Quang-Tuan Luong: terragalleria waves 17 mile drive: terragalleria 17 mile drive big wave:

terragalleria carmel state beach: terragalleria kelp exhibit Monterey aquarium: Graceful jellies, Monterey Bay Aquarium by Quang-Tuan Luong:

 

To see more pictures of our ocean kayaking go to:

Monterey kayak trip October 2021

Monterey ocean kayak day trip October 2019

Monterey ocean kayak day trip May 2019

Outdoor Club Monterey kayak trip October 2018

May 2018 Monterey kayak adventure

fall quarter 2017 Monterey ocean kayak day trip

2017 Monterey Bay kayak spring break trip

De Anza College Monterey kayak trip October 2016

De Anza College Outdoor Club Monterey kayak trip March 26 2016

monterey kayak March 2014

ocean kayak October 2013 group photos

Outdoor Club Monterey kayak trip 2010 group photos

Outdoor Club Ocean Kayak Day Trip April 2007

2006 Ocean Kayak Day Trip

Otters sometimes swim among us: sea otter visits Shannon Mathey’s kayak Monterey 2006

ocean kayaking May 2005

March 2004 ocean kayak group photos

Monterey ocean kayak pictures