GAVIOTA STATE BEACH
Santa Barbara County California
Santa Barbara County tides and external links
(Camped here -- can park near beach for launch. Try paddling up toward the Ranch and Point Conception)
From Gaviota State Beach one can paddle west along the Hollister Ranch towards Point Conception.
You can park right next to the beach for easy access to the water with your kayak. The surf is usually fairly small on the beach here so the the launch is usually pretty easy.
--Restrooms and a campground is located here.
More information about stand up paddle boarding and kayaking Gaviota:
This is not a beginner paddle! Once you leave the Gaviota State Beach area, access to the coast may be limited. At low tide there are more places to land.
The coast up towards the Hollister Ranch is supposed to be more open to the public. Maybe that will be true someday! I have checked this out myself - I drove up to the entrance gate to "The Ranch" and the person at the entrance gate would not let me go in. In the past, I have heard stories of the Hollister Ranch security guards harassing people - even stealing their surf boards when they lose them on a wave.
Article 10 SEC 4 of the California Constitution is supposed to allow access to the ocean, however at the ranch landowners have kept people out of the area and kept delaying any agreements they made with the state by delaying and refusing to allow people in.
I have a web page with more information about the Hollister Ranch.
Santa Barbara County paddling - more kayak and SUP information for Santa Barbara County