I live in Palo Alto, and this summer, I want to try a bit of kayaking for fun. I’m 16, pretty athletic, and up for any challenge (fast rivers sound fun). I would like to go on long, whole day scenic trips with my friends and eventually get into kayak fishing. Are there any nice places around the SF bay/Santa Cruz where I can rent a kayak and experiment with kayaking? I have heard that Loch Lomond and Coyote Creek are nice places, but do they rent out kayaks?
Any input is greatly appreciated.
P.s. Is there a kayak forum I can join to ask questions like these?
Not sure about the forum, though I’m sure there is. There are tons of places. Santa Cruz has kayak rentals and they have them in Alameda as well as Sausolito. Monterey Bay has an awesome rental place. The main place most people go is Elkhorn Slough.
There’s also lots of lakes. You can kayak on Lexington and Vasona in Los Gatos. There’s more lakes further south (Coyote, Anderson, Calero, Uvas). There’s a few midnight paddles that are fun. There’s also places in San Mateo and Foster City as well, though I’m not sure about the rentals.
REI has a big kayak center and they will have a lot of info for you. And here’s a link to the Monterey place. They were very nice and professional. And don’t worry about being on a wimpy tour. We got quite a workout in and there were some good sized waves as well.
http://www.montereybaykayaks.com/
Have fun!