Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 1
What's New in this Edition 2
Map Legend 3
Paddling the Pacific Coast 4
Trip Planning, Water Safety, and Sea Sense 5
Boats and Gear 6
Weather-The Pacific High, Northwest Winds, and Paddling in the Lee 7
Tides and Currents 12
Swell and Surf 12
Open-Coast Paddling 13
Basic Kayak Navigation 14
Minimum Impact 14
How to Use This Book; Guide to Route Descriptions 16
The Lost Coast and Mendocino 21
Route 1 Shelter Cove to Usal Beach 22
Route 2 Noyo River Estuary 31
Route 3 Noyo Bay to Caspar Beach 35
Route 4 Russian Gulch to Caspar Beach and Beyond 39
Route 5 Big River Estuary 44
Route 6 Mendocino Headlands and Beyond 48
Route 7 Van Damme Slate Beach to Albion 52
Route 8 Albion River to Dark Gulch and Beyond 58
Route 9 Navarro River Beach and Albion to Elk 63
Point Reyes National Seashore and Vicinity 67
Route 10 Russian River Estuary to Duncans Mills and Beyond 69
Route 11 Russian River Camping Trip from Guerneville to the Sea 73
Route 12 Bodega Harbor and Goat Rock to Do ran Beach 77
Route 13 Estero Americano 82
Route 14 North Tomales Bay-Nicks Cove to Tomales Point and Beyond 86
Route 15 Central Tomales Bay-Inverness to Hog Island 92
Route 16 South Tomales Bay-Whitehouse Pool to Millerton Park 98
Route 17 Drakes and Limantour Esteros 102
Route 18 Drakes Beach to Chimney Rock and the Point Reyes Headlands 107
Route 19 Point Reyes National Seashore Outer Coast Camping Tour-Drakes Bay to Coast Camp and Stinson Beach 112
Route 20 Bolinas Lagoon and Duxbury Reef 117
San Francisco Bay 123
Route 21 China Camp and Marin Islands Reserve 124
Route 22 Richardson Bay to Angel Island 128
Route 23 Golden Gate to Point Bonita and Muir Beach 133
Route 24 Bair Island Reserve and Corkscrew Slough 138
Route 25 Newark Slough Wildlife Refuge 142
Route 26 Alviso Slough 146
Special Section: Bay Area Lakes and Reservoirs 151
Route 27 Bay Area Lakes 152
Route 27A: Lake Del Valle 152
Route 27B: Stevens Creek Reservoir 154
Route 27C: Lexington Reservoir 156
Route 27D: Loch Lomond 158
Route 27E: Calero Lake 160
Route 27F: Anderson Lake 161
Route 27G: Coyote Lake 162
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Vicinity 165
Route 28 Pillar Point Harbor and Devils Slide 166
Route 29 Pigeon Point to Franklin Point Rock-Gardens 171
Route 30 Santa Cruz Harbor to Three-Mile Beach and Davenport Down 177
Route 31 Santa Cruz Harbor to the Cement Ship 184
Route 32 In the Lee of Pleasure Point: New Brighton to Capitola and Beyond 190
Route 33 Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve: Moss Landing to Kirby Park 196
Route 34 Upper Elkhom Slough-Kirby Park Area 203
Route 35 Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge 207
Route 36 Montereys Cannery Row and Around the Peninsula to Carmel 211
Route 37 Stillwater Cove to Cypress Point 217
Route 38 Point Lobos State Marine Reserve to Mai Paso Creek 221
Big Stir Coast to Pismo Beach 229
Route 39 Andrew Molera State Park to Point Sur and Beyond 230
Route 40 Lopez Point to Cape San Martin 235
Route 41 San Simeon Bay and Beyond 240
Route 42 Cayucos State Beach to Point Estero 244
Route 43 Morro Bay Estuary 249
Route 44 Morro Rock to Spooner's Cove in Montana de Oro 254
Route 45 Spooner's Cove to Point Buchon and Port San Luis 258
Route 46 Port San Luis, Avila Beach, and Beyond 262
Route 47 Avila Beach to Shell Beach 266
Route 48 Shell Beach Dinosaur Caves to Pismo Beach 270
Appendix: Lessons, Tours, Rentals, and Clubs 275
Route Index 277
About the Author 278
