Pillar Point Harbor

I arrived at Pillar Point Harbor before sunrise.  Rested in the car waiting for twilight.  It was a breezy morning, overcast with rain clouds on the horizon.

There was no one at the Half Moon Bay Kayak Co where they rent paddling equipment during the summer season.  I enjoyed the easy access to the beach.

I paddled over to where the Half Moon Bay yacht club is located and back against the wind.  I didn't get out of the harbor since the weather was turning and I didn't want to take any chances out on the big blue water.  Maverics and Granada beach surfing will need to wait for a better weather day.

Earlier this year, I went out rock fishing on the Queen Mary out of this harbor.  We caught our boat limit and got some good cod fillets.

Picture album on Google Photos:  Pillar Point Harbor 11-30-19

Link to HMB Kayak Co website:  http://www.hmbkayak.com/

Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline

 The East Bay Regional Park Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline off of Doolittle Drive in Oakland gives access to the San Leandro Bay and estuary.  This channel is close to the Oakland airport and is often used by rowing crews for practice.  The access to the Oakland - Alameda estuary provides for a long paddling run.

Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline Boat Launch Nov 29th, 2019

There is a boat ramp and a dock area that are good for launching the kayak.  The parking lot is conveniently located with easy access.

Be careful when the tide is going out the dock is very slippery.

This was my longest paddle yet.  After an hour my hand started cramping and the wind picked up from the Southwest.  The long fetch and headwind slowed me upwind and helped downwind.  The clouds on the horizon and November chill in the air showed signs of approaching rain.  The morning started out clear and sunny and was cloudy by the time I finished.

There are a few interesting sites besides all of the cars zipping by on Doolittle Dr. and airplanes around the Oakland airport.  The Oakland coliseum and stadium complex are straight across from the boat launch.  The Oakland Airplane Museum is across Doolittle Dr.  I have come here before to watch fireworks before after A's games.  The area has a lot of birds and trails on both sides of the channel.

Thermalito Afterbay Feather River

Thermalito Afterbay, Feather River Nov. 24th, 2019

The Thermalito Afterbay is much larger than the forebay that I visited the day before.   Power boats are allowed for fishing and there were several fishing boats already out fishing when I set out on the kayak.  I brought sandals and insect repellent for this trip.  My toes were a little chilly.

The monument Hill boat launch is right off the 162 freeway coming from Oroville.   The bridge doesn't have a lot of clearance overhead.  Birds nests line the underside of the structure.

It was a little chilly in the morning but still a spectacular day for November.  The view of The Buttes mountains and a variety of birds make this a very nice place to paddle.

I hardly noticed the waves when the wind picked up or fishing boats zoomed by.  I spent about an hour paddling and visited both sides of the bay under the bridge.  There is a lot of area to explore with the outlet to the Feather River near Highway 70.

Thermalito Forebay Feather River

There was no one else in site when I paddled out onto Thermalito Forebay near Oroville ca.  The Oroville dam has an outlet that diverts water into the forebay before connecting to the Feather River.  There are no power boats allowed and this is one of the best places to paddle when there is no wind.  In the summer time, the aquatic center rents kayaks and is a popular destination.

Thermalito Forebay, Feather River Nov. 23rd, 2019

There is a good view of Tabletop Mountain when looking towards the Sierra foothills and a view of The Buttes when looking out towards the Sacramento valley.  It was a beautiful clear day with no wind around lunch time Saturday, Nov. 23rd, 2019.

 The local CA State Park ranger stopped by I was setting up.  He was happy to have someone to talk too since there was no one else around.  He asked if I had seen a stray dog he was looking for and I checked with him to make sure it was alright to kayak from the launch spot off the road.  He said it was OK where I was parked but not to leave any valuables visible in the car.  There is a paid state park entrance on the other side of the forebay that has a little safer parking area.

I realized that I needed two things after getting on the water.  Insect repellent for the mosquitoes.  Sandals that I could walk on rocks and get wet instead of bare feet.

I paddled for about an hour before spotting the two mosquitoes that were riding on my legs.  Resolved to come back the next day with proper foot wear and repellent.

First Kayak Trip with New Inflatable Advanced Elements Island Voyage 2

Advanced Elements Island Voyage 2

The Advanced Elements Island Voyage 2 kayak I purchased directly from the manufacturer in Benicia, CA after responding to a Craigslist ad.  I got a good deal from Advanced Elements.  Also, picked up a large volume bidirectional hand pump with a built in pressure gauge.  After showing me the setup kayak in the warehouse, the customer service manager met me and processed my order .  In the warehouse, they have a good stock of replacement parts. I got some good information while I was there about the company and picked up a catalog of their products.



The old West Marine K1 inflatable kayak was taking on water.  After paddling back from a 30 min trip sitting in a pool of water, I decided it was time to get a little better inflatable kayak. After the bladders gave out, and couldn't be replaced, I used 2" foam to keep afloat for a while.  The new kayak was a big upgrade.

The business wasn't open on the weekend so I took the day off work on Monday to pickup the new kayak and spend some time on the water.  After going out to Benicia and picking up the kayak in person, I brought the new kayak to the San Leandro marina boat launch for a first easy flat water paddle.  There was no wind and it was a nice sunny day, Monday Nov. 18th, 2019.

I was happy with the easy setup and compared to what I had before, this inflatable kayak was a huge improvement.  I felt confident that I wasn't going to sink and paddled out onto the S.F. bay.

S.F. Bay near San Leandro Marina Nov. 18th, 2019

I paddled out a good distance from the marina to the third channel mark before heading back.  I was thinking about all the great places I could get to with the new kayak and planned a trip for the next weekend.