Back in the water for a paddle through the slough…
Undaunted by weather forecasts and winter temperatures, we made plans to get back onto the water in Elkhorn Slough. (Well, maybe we were a little daunted.) Nevertheless, we put the date on the calendar, and tried out a new kayak company in Moss Landing.
This was our first time in “closed” kayaks, vs. the “sit on top” type to which we’d been accustomed. The wildlife was abundant, as we’ve come to expect. Lots of pelicans and harbor seals, and a fair number of sea otters as well. Many of the kids struggled with steering the longer boats, but with the wind at our backs, we headed up the slough, generally in the right direction.
However, the winds increased, and though we were expecting to ride the 7-foot ebb tide back to the harbor, it turned out to be quite a struggle. It was more of a workout than we’d expected, but we persisted and made it back to safety.
After our time on the kayaks, we made our way north to the Santa Cruz Wharf. We got to see the our third marine mammal of the day–California Sea Lions, lounging under the boardwalk. We ordered 40 bowls of clam chowder to satisfy our hunger, and warm us up a bit. The sunset over the Pacific was beautiful, and we headed home.
This was our fifth year kayaking, and we’re not sure we’ll continue this trip in the future. But it’s been a great opportunity to be on the water together, trying something new, and watching sea creatures in a really quiet and intimate setting. We’ve been grateful for the opportunity.
Thanks again for reading, check out the video, yada yada yada. Hope you had a restful and bright holiday season, and are off to a good start in this new year.
