Kayaking Among the Friendly Denizens of Monterey Bay

The kayaking instructor’s caveat was succint: “Don’t get too close to the sea lions.”

He went on to explain that these powerful water mammals are basically friendly, but could get excited if a kayak came too close to the rocky breakwater where they congregate.

Perhaps hoping to be tossed a bit of food, the sea lions might dive into the water and, if they landed on a kayak, their weight could capsize or crush it.

We were lined up on the sandy beach near Fisherman’s Wharf for instruction and then a guided tour of Monterey Bay by kayak, an ancient way of exploring coastal waters that is cresting into new popularity.

For my wife, Elfriede, and me, all of Monterey Bay formed our landward horizon in the sunlight of that radiant afternoon. Closest to us was a new perspective on old Monterey, from the resort hotels framing the waterfront to Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row, the new Aquarium and the sculpted coves of Pacific Grove.

View From the Water

Across the bay to the north were Santa Cruz and Capitola, five hours away by kayak though scarcely an hour along the curve of the coastal highway.

Sitting so low in the water creates a view that is different even from that of a sightseeing cruise boat. Small white-tipped waves sparkling close to eye level add a mood of fantasy to the harbor. The honking serenade from sea lions under the piers, where they are accustomed to having tidbits tossed their way, rolled across the water toward us as if we were in an orchestra pit.

The instructor-guides of Monterey Bay Kayaks kept their kayaks between those of our small group and the sea lions that covered the huge rocks at the end of the breakwater.

“This is close enough!” they would call out as we rounded the breakwater into the open sea.

The sea lions shook their heads as if in disappointment. We had kept our cameras tucked in waterproof plastic under our parkas so that they wouldn’t tempt our attention away from the guides who were leading us toward the kelp beds of the sea otters.

Decided to Return

But without exchanging a word, we had already decided to return on our own the next morning.

When we did, the Monterey Bay Kayaks staff remembered us and let us launch ourselves through the surf.

The sea lions seemed to have been waiting for us on the outer breakwater rocks, which are closed off to access from shore. We eased slowly toward them, as we have done toward the great white swans that swim protectively in front of Cliveden House on the Thames.

Elfriede tucked her paddle under the line that secures the bow cover of the kayak and got out her camera. I held the kayak virtually motionless for so long that the sea lions appeared to get bored. One white-tufted old giant stretched out on a rock to bask in the warm sunshine.

The sea lions, like the sea otters, are a protected species, and we did not want to disturb them by going any closer than the limit our guides had set.

Hams on the Sea

The sea lions seemed to be posing for Elfriede. Old graybeard heaved himself upright and showed his best profile. When we backed gently away, several slipped into the sea and swam around us, as if to wish us bon voyage.

The sea otters also seem to feel unafraid and at home in Monterey Bay. Later that morning, we paddled around a drifting cluster of kelp. A sea otter cradling what appeared to be her young lifted her head out of the kelp and opened one eye.

The peaceful morning of traveling across Monterey Bay by kayak reminded us of what environmentalist colleagues have taught us: We share a biological heritage with fellow air-breathing, warm-blooded mammals such as the seals and sea lions, sea otters, whales and other ocean creatures who also possess complex social instincts.

The sea otters and other mammals couldn’t always feel safe in these coastal waters. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the otters were killed off for their fur pelts, which were more prized in high society than mink, sable or ermine.

California sea otters today number only about 1,500 and are on the federal list of endangered species. They live along 220 miles of Central California coast, primarily in the kelp of Monterey Bay.

Kayaking Visitors

Seals and sea lions are also protected. The Eskimos once used their skins to cover the frames of ocean kayaks. Sea lions of the present generation share Monterey Bay with fiberglass kayaks.

Monterey Bay Kayaks, like other companies along the Central California coast, offers classes and tours for every range of ability. We were part of a group on a two-hour introductory tour of the bay, including basic kayaking lessons. We learned how to put on life jackets, and then the waterproof apron that would seal the opening around our waists against seawater.

Next, we stepped into the kayak and adjusted our feet to the rudder controls inside the hull. They make steering through ocean waters much easier than with paddles alone.

Stepping out of the kayaks again, we reviewed paddling strokes and techniques. Safety procedures were stressed for any emergency that might be encountered.

For the first launching, we settled back into the canoes at water’s edge, fastened the aprons and were launched by the staff through the mild surf.

The water was calm, and everyone was soon paddling around to line up behind the guides for the first sightseeing tour. More advanced lessons cover self-launchings, landings through the surf and how to right a kayak if it rolls over.

‘Fun, Safe Experience’

The half-day Monterey Bay tour for first-time paddlers is rated a “fun, safe and very special experience” for the Monterey Bay visitor. The cost is $48 per person. The price is the same for the easy kayaking experience of Elkhorn Slough inlets and tidal channels off the bay, a naturalist’s dream that supports more than 80 species of fish and 250 species of birds.

Monterey Bay Kayaks’ full-day tour around the spectacular peninsula to Carmel is $60 per person, including lunch. This is about 14 miles of paddling that encompasses calm, protected bays and sometimes challenging open ocean around Point Lobos and Cypress Point to the landing on Carmel Beach.

For beginning kayak tours, landings through the surf are made safe and easy by the instructor-guides who wade out into the water, grasp the bow and guide the kayak onto dry sand.

Timing No Problem

For those who have done canoeing, it’s no problem to time the right wave, ride it straight ahead onto the wet sand, then step out quickly to pull the kayak up onto dry sand as the surf recedes. Elfriede remains in the bow seat, holds both paddles and protects our cameras while I step out and complete the landing.

If you haven’t visited Monterey Bay for a while, it may come as a pleasant surprise to discover the status that kayak touring has achieved. And it won’t be easy to resist the experience.

For details on their tours, write to Monterey Bay Kayaks, 693 Del Monte Ave., Monterey Bay, Calif. 93940. Or phone (408) 373-KELP.

Among other companies involved in the kayaking boom along the California coast is Sea Trek Ocean Kayaking of Sausalito. This group is putting together trips in waters from San Francisco Bay to the China Sea. You can write to them at Schoonmaker Point, Sausalito, Calif. 94965; phone (415) 332-4477.

California Canoe and Kayak at Point Richmond conducts classes that include evening films and lectures. It is at 249 Tewksbury Ave., Point Richmond, Calif. 94801; phone (415) 234-0929. Point Richmond is part of the seaport city of Richmond.