San Leandro Marina 3-18-2020

Went around the small island outside the entrance to the San Leandro Marina.

The waves were a little choppy 1-2ft out of the South due to the recent weather.  Paddled for an hour out to the #12 mark.  Practiced a couple 360 degree rotations of the kayak by back paddling.

Lots of people out walking while maintaining social distancing during the shelter in place directive.  The marina exercise loop is popular for walking.  It was a like a weekend day at the park today with all the people off work and school.  The Oakland airport is nearby. Watching the planes come in for landings is good from this location.

My maneuvering skills in the large Advanced Elements Straightedge 2 person kayak while paddling solo are improving.  Sitting in the back seating location works best.  Some ballast in the front would help when it gets windy.  The tides were high enough to make it over a normally too shallow area between the walking path and rocky landfill island.

This kayak is very comfortable for laying down and taking a nap.  It's like a floating waterbed.  I floated inside the rock wall area by the sheltered marina to snooze for a bit.

Photo Album at:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/E835eaZgonveNGSq8

MLK Shoreline 3-17-2020

Back from vacation 3 hours before the shelter in place order.  The next day, I double checked to make sure that kayaking is OK as a necessary outdoor activity that maintains social distancing.  I keep my distance from others out on the water.

The East Bay Regional park gates are closed so I needed to launch the Advanced Elements Straightedge 2 from the rocks at low tide.  There is also an improvised asphalt boat launch off Doolittle drive if you don't want to risk carrying the kayak over jagged rocks and mud.  The boat launch is directly across from the Aviation Museum.

It was a little tricky getting launched at very low tide.  When out of the channel, I would often stir up the mud hitting the shallow bottom.

The water fowl like Coots and Sand Pipers are feasting when the tide is low.  They mostly ignore me if I maintain adequate distance.

Paddled for a couple hours up and down the San Leandro Bay beside Doolittle Dr.  A little noisy from the cars passing by but peaceful with all the birds around.

Pokai Bay, Oahu, Hawaii 3-14-2020

After the theft of my inflatable kayak earlier in the week, I wasn't going to let this stop me from having a great vacation and getting back out on the water.  I rented a hard shell kayak for a half day from West Coast SUP.  Rolled the kayak to Pokai beach and paddled out to see some Green Sea Turtles!!!

I didn't have my phone with me when I spotted the sea turtles near the end of the rock wall but got some good pictures earlier while paddling around.

The other kayaking local was using an Intex Challenger K1 inflatable kayak that is a lot less expensive than the Advance Elements Island Voyage 2.  She was having a good time headed out with confidence past the rock wall.

The beach has close by parking.  I rolled the kayak down Waianae Valley Rd from West Coast SUP to the beach without too much effort.  They will deliver to the beach if you reserve in advance.

There were some young local sailors learning how to sail.  The breeze was steady and nice!

On the water traffic from local SUPs was light.  The sailors kept their distance and tacked when needed to avoid the paddlers.

Pokai Bay, Oahu, Hawaii 3-10-2020

I packed up the Island Voyage 2 kayak and flew to Hawaii with my wife for a weeks vacation.  The day after arriving, I had the kayak on the water at Pokai Bay in Oahu.  This is a great place to safely launch the kayak in sheltered water and paddle out onto the Pacific ocean without getting caught in any breaking waves.  The West leeward side of Oahu has some great beaches and has generally calmer conditions that the windward side.

The next day, after a 2nd visit to Pokai Bay, unfortunately, this Kayak was stolen out of my rental car while parked at Makaha beach.  With all the broken window car break ins that happen in S.F. and around the Bay Area, I should know better than to leave this in the back seat while going swimming.  The kayak didn't fit in the rental car small trunk space and the theft was quick with the car parked next to other cars along the side of Farrington Hwy. at the end of Kili Dr.  Whoever stole this kayak is wishing the worst possible karma on any who use this boat in the future.  The kayak serial # is listed on the Honolulu police report but I doubt it will be recovered.  Later in the week, I rented a hard shell kayak from West Coast SUP.  At home, I have another better Advanced Elements Straightedge 2 and have filed a claim for this kayak with the trip insurance company.  I'll use the insurance money to finance something different.

Hawaii has more people now on paddle boards than kayaks.  I prefer the seated paddling position.

Easy paddling off the beach.  There were very few people around on Tuesday morning.

Great views of the west shore of Oahu.

Once out past the rock wall, it's possible to paddle to the Waianae boat harbor without going through any breaking waves.

Pokai bay had one large sailboat anchored out.  This would be a good location to anchor out for a while.

The weather was constantly changing with periods of rain, clouds, sun, wind and big surf on the North shore.  Pokai bay was calm while at the North shore surf was up!

Here is the link to the picture album:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/aYQy9ugQk3VhfLmG8

I've added the location to the CalKayak map at:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=19tEJ9Rn87Y_uv6_Tbb1a-Dix2reqFwSx&usp=sharing

Alameda Point 2-15-2020

From Encinal Beach on the West bay side of Alameda to the Grand Street Marina on the East estuary side of Alameda was an 8.4mi paddle that took me 3hrs 40min.  The Google map shows the trip at:   https://drive.google.com/open?id=19tEJ9Rn87Y_uv6_Tbb1a-Dix2reqFwSx&usp=sharing

Encinal Beach is a good place for fishermen to find ghost shrimp for bait and a good place to walk your dog.  Alameda point has changed a lot since my first visits here when this area was part of the Naval Air Station Alameda.

This small beach is next to the boat launch behind Encinal High School in Alameda.   This has become a popular launch spot for launching row boats, paddle boards and kayaks.  The area is used by Alameda Community Sailing for youth sailing lessons and by the local Dragon Boat rowing teams.

This area is sheltered from the bay winds by a long rock wall and provides an excellent area for beginners at all type of paddling activities.

I learned how to sail on a 14' Laser at the Navy Rec Center, which is now the maintenance facility for the SF Bay Ferry shown below.

These docs where the Navy used to dock Air Craft Carriers are now used by the merchant marine ships.  The U.S.S. Hornet museum is docked here is open for visitors.

These container ships are rafted where the U.S.S. Enterprise used to dock in the 1980s

The rock wall is connected to the boat launch area.  I've hiked out to the end to go fishing in the past.

There are some spectacular views of the city off of Alameda point.

The shipping channel can get a little bumpy with traffic from power boats, pilot boats, tug boats, commercial ships and recreational boat traffic.  It's a busy estuary between Oakland and Alameda

The dry dock for Bay Ship and Yacht company is working on repairs for the fleet of ferry boats.  This was formerly Todd Shipyard when the Navy base was active.

The Google album of photos is online at:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/DWJCESpagBA9ruJg9

Pillar Point Harbor 2-7-2020

Visited Pillar Point Harbor to pickup a dungeness crab and paddle around.

Redwood City Marina

The Redwood City marina is sheltered from the bay winds and was calm in the morning with lots of  other crew boats in  the area.

The low freeboard dock for kayaks and crew boats makes launching and landing easy.

There were a few other kayaks and boats launching from the boat ramp.

The USCG scout boat was out with some early morning cruising.

The fire department water rescue was launching their airboat off the boat launch as I was finishing my trip.


The  Google Album link for  pictures is here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/cpWwV3zt33wjVq138