Up until the pandemic, I had never tried kayaking (or many of the other outdoor activities catalogued on this blog). This whole “Trying New Things” blog sub-chapter was no doubt catalyzed by my desire to continue experiencing life when I couldn’t do my past and since enjoyed indoor activities, and a lot of that involved trying new things outside. I continue to explore new outdoor experiences after growing affection for such pursuits during that time.
I’ve tried kayaking about four times or so now, mainly at spots around the SF Bay Area. My first kayaking experience, however, was in Lake Tahoe and I highly recommend that venue as a perfect beginners kayaking experience. The water is still (since it’s a lake and not a river, bay, etc), the water is clear (beautiful views deep into the lake), and the scenery is idyllic. For my first experience I did a tandem kayak (me in the front and my partner in the back) in a clear-bottomed kayak, so my views through the kayak were truly spectacular.
When selecting a kayaking experience as a beginner, I learned that there are a few important factors to consider, including but not limited to: type of kayak, venue, time of day kayaking. Kayaks come in many flavors in terms of how many people they seat (often single or double), whether you sit in or on top of them (different levels of comfort and/or difficulty depending on balance), and style of kayak (e.g. clear bottomed vs traditional opaque, carrying capacity for items in water proof bags and bottled water, etc). For me, having my first experience kayaking in a two person kayak really helped me learn. Where you sit in a two person kayak is also important. The back person is powering the kayak (arguably the more challenging job) and the front person is steering the direction (and also the “selfie” person as one of our kayaking guides once called it).
After this Lake Tahoe experience, I went on to have a variety of other kayaking experiences, including a bioluminescent kayaking tour in Marin, CA. Although it was hard to photograph, the bioluminescent aquatic life was amazing and we had a great time on this tour. But it was cold and dark and therefore much more challenging and less comfortable than a day kayak rental. Although it was well worth the unique experience, I would not recommend it for a first time kayak experience.
Another great kayaking experience I had that was very memorable but a little more advanced was kayaking in single person kayaks in the river in Monterey, CA. We got to see lots of sea otters (famed at the local Monterey Bay Aquarium and in the local river), including families with baby sea otters! This was one of my favorite favorite kayaking experiences but because the river flow is pretty intense relative to a lake or bay, it was also by far the most challenging! It took a ton of energy to go around the river (especially coming back against the current) but my friends (also beginner kayakers) and I had a ton of fun enjoying the local scenery and of course the adorable otter sightings!
Kayaking is such a fun pastime, and every experience is different. It’s also something people of very different levels (beginner to more advanced) and enjoy together over great scenery, beautiful aquatic life, and fun memories!
Millennial's Delight 