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The California Coast Kayak, Canoe, and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP Guide - Online Guide Book - The full text for my book is printed here. After the introduction section at the top, places to paddle are organized from north to south.
There are links to maps and web pages with pictures within the body of the book. From many of my web pages for specific areas there are links to tide predictions, marine forecasts, and weather forecasts.
(c) Copyright 2011, 2014 and 2014 by Mister Dave KayakDave.blogspot.com AnOutsideGuide.blogspot.com
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Sea Kayaking and Canoeing and SUP (Stand Up Paddle boarding) The California Coast Central and Southern Section
A Guidbook and detailed maps of over 40 spots to launch and paddle along the California Coast from Just North of Monterey to the Mexican boarder.
Please read disclaimer to see that we don't guarantee your safety - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Please read the Introduction for tips about paddling along the California coast. This includes specific information about the tides wind weather etc. Lots of useful information.
Places to paddle - The places to paddle in the body of the book are listed from North to South - I also have several indexes for the book.
The guide book covers from the area around Montery south all the way south to San Diego. It helps you answer the following paddling questions: Where to kayak in central California, Where to kayak in southern California, Where to kayak in Montery County California,
Where to kayak in San Luis Obispo County California, Where to kayak in Los Angeles County California, Where to kayak in Orange County California, Where to kayak in San Diego California, Where to sea kayak in California, Where to go sea kayaking in California
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ELKHORN SLOUGH
Map of ELKHORN SLOUGH
My web page for ELKHORN SLOUGH
The Elkhorn Slough is a protected wetland with easy launching.
Paddling a kayak or canoe is the ideal way to view the many varieties of birds that live and pass through here.
Kirby Park has a very easy launching spot with a kayak/canoe friendly floating dock, boat ramp, and a large free parking lot.
Kirby park is reached as follows: from Highway 1 just south of Moss Landing Harbor take Dolan Rd. east about 1.5 miles to Elkhorn Rd. Take Elkhorn Rd. north about 3.5 miles to Kirby Rd. which is an access road for the park.
Pastoral rolling hills and farmland provide a scenic backdrop as you paddle in the upper portions of the Elkhorn Slough near Kirby Park. If you pick the right day, you can start with a high tide in the morning and paddle with a dropping tide toward Moss Landing and then paddle back when the tide starts to rise and the sea breeze picks up -- riding with the tide and wind back to Kirby Park (check your tide tables).
You can also launch at Moss Landing Harbor by the lower end of the Elkhorn Slough which has a boat launch.
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MONTEREY
Map of MONTEREY and PACIFIC GROVE
More maps of MONTEREY and PACIFIC GROVE
Web page for MONTEREY and PACIFIC GROVE
The area around Monterey bay has some excellent scenic kayak spots. You can either launch from the protected harbor or better yet from several protected spots west of the harbor.
Lovers Cove is an excellent and very protected spot to launch. There is a short ramp down to the beach. There usually is no surf on the beach by Lovers Cove so you can also launch a canoe here quite easily.
West of Lovers Cove and just West of Coral Street there is a good spot which is often protected from the waves and swell. A small beach about ten feet from Ocean View Blvd. is a popular spot for kayakers and kayak fishermen to launch.
Just a short distance west beyond the Coral Street launch is another spot where one can launch on some days. This spot is further West of Lovers Cove very near to the Point Pinos Light House just before the coast of the peninsula heads southwest. Launch In a small cove between some finger rocks that can be very protected by the large finger rocks of Point Pinos. Park in one of the pullouts along Ocean View Blvd. a little bit (about 150 yards) west of Asilomar Ave. A small finger beach is about 3 ft. below the road here. The point can be calm and protected on the east side while the surf 20 yards away on the west side is huge and hazardous. On a windless December morning we launched from here with no surf when just around the point the surf and swell were 8ft+ (having been raised by a big storm and high winds the day before). We rounded the point and bobbed up and down on the giant glassy swells which provided us the opportunity of seeing otters closer then we had ever seen them before. The rolling swells prevented the otters from seeing us until we were right next to them. As we reached the top of each swell we would appear right next to otter after otter. Many of the otters seemed quite surprised to see us bobbing with them in their water
wonderland.
The water offshore from the Point Pinos Light House is also an excellent spot to see migrating Grey Whales that come quite near to the shore here.
(c) Copyright 2011 and 2013 by Mister Dave KayakDave.blogspot.com
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BIG SUR COAST OVERVIEW
The name "Big Sur" is often used to refer to the rugged spectacular coast between Carmel and San Simeon. Big Sur's "greatest meeting of land and sea" provides some truly magnificent coastline for kayaking.
The ocean along the Big Sur coast has many moods and can get wild and treacherous with huge waves. If the sea is too wild for paddling, don't worry, there are many excellent hikes to do along the coast while you're waiting for the sea to calm down.
The spectacular cliffs of Big Sur make access points for launching very tricky to find -- if you didn't have this book!
Hopefully, with the help of this book you can find some good launch spots and enjoy some wonderful paddling along the Big Sur Coast.
BIG SUR COAST web page - my web page with pictures of the Big Sur area.
I have a Central California picture web page with more pictures of
Big Sur and the Central California Coast.
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BIG SUR COAST POINT LOBOS
Map of POINT LOBOS
My web page with pictures for POINT LOBOS
Point Lobos just south of carmel has wonderfully dramatic scenery. Sea otters, seals, and sea lions abound in the water here along with dramatic rocky cliffs and reefs. There is a very protected launch spot at Whalers Cove and a more exposed (often treacherous) launch spot by Monastery Beach.
Point Lobos is reached by highway 1. It is about 5 miles south
of Carmel and about 25 north of Big Sur.
Whalers Cove which is in the State Reserve is an excellent safe place to launch -- even when there is much sea or swell (reservations may be required, see information below). There is a boat ramp here which is very protected. A canoe could launch here very easily. If it is too rough or windy outside of the cove one could just stay inside for a short paddle around the scenic cove. Venturing outside the cove on a relatively calm
day, you can paddle either east past moss bay toward Monastery Beach, or better yet, paddle west out toward or around the tip of Point Lobos. Paddling west about .5 mile you pass Bluefish Cove. About .5 mile further is Cypress Cove. As you approach North Point near the tip of Point Lobos, be aware of the wind
direction and seas. As you round North Point and the Pinnacle, you'll see Sea Lion Rocks ahead (.5 mile from Cypress Cove). If the seas/surf are good size, you might want to stop here because you may need to paddle out about .25 to .5 mile to round the many rocks, if the seas/surf are smaller, you may be able to go between some of the large sea stacks. From Sea Lion Rock it is about .75 mile to the rocks by Bird Island. Rounding the rocks by Bird Island adds another .5 mile. You're almost sure to see many sea otters, seals, and sea lions on this scenic paddle.
Monastery Beach just north of Point Lobos often has a nasty shore pound and is usually too treacherous to launch from. However, occasionally when there is little or no surf, one can launch easily from here--especially by the extreme southwest end of the beach right next to Point Lobos where the surf is smaller and you can park just off of highway 1 right next to the beach. We have launched from here and paddled all the way around Point Lobos. There were about 50 playful sealions in the water when we paddled here--they would come up on one side of the kayak and pop their heads out of the water and look at us--then all together, they would all go under the water and come up on the other side--they kept doing this repeatedly as we stopped paddling and enjoyed the show. From the south end of Monastery Beach it's about .75 mile to Whalers Cove--from there, you can follow the trip as I outlined from the Whalers Cove launch.
There are many scenic short hikes to do at the Point Lobos State Reserve. For a different view or to scout the point, you can hike all the way around Point Lobos (which includes most of the park's short hikes) About 6.0 miles from the entry station if you include all the loops out onto the many rocky headlands -- this can be shortened by skipping some of the loops.
Reservations may be required for use of Whalers Cove with a kayak--though the published regulations covering kayaks aren't clear. I have launched from Whalers Cove with no reservation. There is now a fee for launching your kayak - it used to be free. There is a fee for entering the Point Lobos State Reserve (Unless you have a state park pass. ) there is also a fee for making diving reservations for Whalers Cove. No fees for Monastery Beach.
For the state park information, visit my web page with pictures for POINT LOBOS
(c) Copyright 2011 and 2013 by Mister Dave KayakDave.blogspot.com
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BIG SUR COAST CENTRAL (CENTRAL CA COAST from South of Point Lobos to
Limekiln State Park)
Andrew Molera State Park
Pfeiffer Beach (National Forest)
Map of BIG SUR COAST CENTRAL
More BIG SUR COAST CENTRAL MAPS
My web page with pictures for BIG SUR COAST CENTRAL
This section of the Big Sur Coast has very few and not ideal access/launch spots.
Andrew Molera State Park
-----------------------------------
At Andrew Molera State Park, you can launch by the mouth of the Big Sur River. If the river is at a good level, you might be tempted to float down the river instead of carrying/rolling your kayak along the long dirt access road (you can't drive on the road). While the dirt access road is fairly long (1/4 mile??), it's wide and level so using wheels to roll your vessel is a good idea.
From the mouth of the Big Sur River, you can either paddle out where the flow of the river creates a rip current channel past the point or you can launch off the beach south of the river mouth.
Andrew Molera State Park is located along Highway 1. Parking is just off of Highway 1. There is a fee for parking unless you have a state park pass.
Pfeiffer Beach
-------------------
Pfeiffer Beach is fairly exposed, but if the surf is small you can launch off the beach here.
You can drive very near to the water at Pfeiffer Beach.
To reach Pfeiffer Beach, from highway one take Sycamore Canyon Road (which is 1 mile south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park) to it's end. Sycamore Canyon Road is a narrow winding road that is hard to see from highway 1. It's about 2.5 miles to the end. There is a fee for parking.
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BIG SUR COAST SOUTH Near Pacific Valley
Limekiln State Park
Mill Creek Picnic Area (We launched here and went south toward
the sea stacks offshore from pacific valley)
Sand Dollar Beach
Willow Creek Picnic Area
Dirt Access Road 2 Miles South of Gorda
Map of BIG SUR COAST SOUTH
My web page with pictures for BIG SUR COAST SOUTH
The Big Sur Coast near the Pacific Valley has some of California's most spectacular coast still in pristine natural condition. Huge cliffs plunging into the pacific, sea stacks, towering peaks, otters, and an abundance of other wildlife. The sea around here can get wild and treacherous and all the launch spots here are somewhat exposed. However, when the wind is calm and the surf/seas are small to moderate you'll be rewarded with an unforgettable paddle. There are also some wonderful hikes to do in the area when the sea/surf is too rough for paddling or you just want a break from paddling.
Limekiln State Park
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Limekiln State Park has a beach entry in a small cove that is somewhat protected. The beach here is quite steep so there can get to be a shore pound if the swell is large. You can park right next to the narrow beach so carting your kayak is very simple here.
The park is located off of Highway 1 X miles south of XX and X miles North of San Simeon.
Mill Creek Picnic Area (I now have a web page for the Mill Creek Picnic area with more pictures and information)
-------------------------------
Mill Creek Picnic Area offers a launch spot that is usable even when the surf is moderately large. After launching, you can paddle either north along the steep cliff, or south towards the wonderful sea stacks offshore from Pacific Valley and the towering Plaskett Rocks in the distance. As you paddle south, the sea stacks get closer and more impressive. After about 3 miles, you are amongst them. The next mile as you head toward Sand Dollar Beach, there are many scenic coves and sea stacks. If the surf is small, you can paddle inside on the shoreward side
of some of the sea stacks and explore the coves. In the coves and around the points, there are many shallow rocks upon which waves may break if the surf gets a little bigger, so be alert. Off of the tip of the point just beyond the cove by Sand Dollar Beach are several large and impressive rock islands including Plaskett Rocks.
Mill Creek Picnic Area is located down a short access road off of highway 1 about 2 miles south of Limekiln and 4.5 miles north of the Sand Dollar Picnic Area. Unless you know there is a coastal access here, you could easily miss this spot. You can drive very near to the water here, though you need to carry your kayak over some rocks to get to the small sandy beach to the north of the parking area. The beach may sometimes be submerged at high tide. The north end of the beach has an excellent rip tide channel that allows for easy launching and landing. We were able to make a perfectly dry launch and landing here even when the swell was breaking a moderatly large 4 to 5 feet on the point at the south end of the beach. On this same crystal clear windless December day we saw 10 sea otters as we paddled the approximately 10 mile round trip from Mill Creek around Plaskett Rocks.
Sand Dollar Picnic Area (I now have a web page for the Sand Dollar Picnic Area with more pictures and information)
---------------------------------
Sand Dollar Picnic Area has a beach launch spot that is somewhat protected by a sandbar/reef that is popular with board and kayak surfers. One major drawback to this launch spot is the long trail and stairs down the cliff over which you need to carry your kayak in order to reach the beach.
Willow Creek Picnic Area
-----------------------------------
Willow Creek Picnic Area (about 2 miles south of Sand Dollar Picnic Area) is another access point to the water. You can drive very near to the water here though the entry is quite rocky.
Dirt Access Road (Not recommended)
------------------------
Dirt Access Road 2 Miles South of Gorda. There is a small dirt access road about 2 miles South of Gorda that you may be able to drive down if the gate is open--or you can walk down. From the bottom of the dirt road, you must carry your kayak across some moderate sized bolders in order to reach a sandy beach that is usable as a launch spot if the surf is fairly small.
Walks/Hikes: Pacific Valley along cliff, Sand Dollar Beach, Cove Just South -- (Jade Cove?), Cone Peak. Be careful of poison oak and ticks that carry Lime Disease.
In Pacific Valley between about .2 and .5 miles North of the parking spot for Sand Dollar Beach there are several places where you can walk along the cliff viewing the wonderful sea stacks out on the ocean and the spectacular scenery. There are several sets of entry stairs across the fence on the ocean side of Highway 1 which the forest service has installed to provide access to the coast. Park next to one of the sets of stairs, cross the field,
and then hike along the top of the cliff enjoying the fabulous surroundings. Cattle, including a bull, sometimes still graze in the field here so give them a wide birth.
The trail to Cone Peak provides some spectacular views as you hike up the steep mountain side. You don't need to go all the way to Cone Peak to enjoy this hike. The first .5 miles provides magnificent views as you walk higher and higher up above the coast. The hike starts on the east side of PCH just across from the Kirk Creek Campground which is between the Mill Creek Picnic Area and Limekiln State Park. The drive up (or part way up) Nacimento Road which is just North of Mill Creek also provides similarly breathtaking views.
There are several campgrounds in this area including: Limekiln State Park, Kirk Creek, and Plaskett Creek.
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SAN SIMEON
SAN SIMEON MAP
My web page with pictures for SAN SIMEON
The coast around San Simeon near Hearst Castle provides for numerous paddling opportunities where you can observe sea caves, sea stacks, and elephant seals.
The William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach near San Simeon Point is an excellent and protected spot to launch. You enter the state park off of highway one near the San Simeon Pier (directly across from the road up to the Hearst Castle). This is about 12 miles north of Cambria. Drive down to the lower parking lot which is right on the beach. There are no stairs or ramps to go down, just cross the beach and launch through the usually small surf -- San Simeon Point protects the beach here. You can also walk Northwest up the beach towards San Simeon Point to launch -- right next to the point there often is no surf.
From the state beach launch near San Simeon Point you have several paddling options.
One nice option on almost any day (even if it is windy and/or rough other places) is to paddle west (to your right) paralleling the beach and then paddle along San Simeon Point out toward the end of the point. Paddle very close to the cliff and look in the sea caves and crevases as you paddle. The water near the cliff is usually glassy and calm even in the afternoon or when it is windy and/or rough other places. As you near the end of the point, there is an interesting island/rock which birds like to sit on. Looking back to the Northeast you can see Hearst Castle way up in the hills. If it's late winter or springtime, the hills are beautifully bright green. If it's a calm day, you can
paddle around the point and head Northwest up the coast. If you do decide to paddle around the point, watch for shallow reefs near the end of the point. You may need to paddle out aways before rounding the point (depending on the swell and seas).
Several miles northwest up the coast there are several large colonies of elephant seals. If you're feeling very ambitious and the sea is calm, you could paddle up towards them. You can also see them from the shore (probably better) if you drive Northwest on highway one a few miles and stop at some of the vista points where you can stand on the top of a low cliff just ten or fifteen feet above them. You can also take a nice walk along the top of
the cliff by some of these spots. Some of these vista points 3 to 5 miles North West of William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach also seem like pretty good places to launch a kayak on a calm day. Be careful not to disturb the Elephant Seals--you are supposed to stay at least 25 feet away from them. The coast has some wonderful rock formations and sea stacks in this area -- especially heading Northwest towards point Piedras Blancas.
Another paddling option from the same launch spot at the state beach near San Simeon Point is to paddle southeast going under the pier and explore the sea stacks to the southeast of the pier. If it's a calm day and the swell and surf are small, you may be able to paddle inside towards the landward side of some of the sea stacks.
There are also nice walks out onto the San Simeon Pier and San Simeon Point where you can get another perspective of the area.
--There are restrooms at William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach.
--There is a campground nearby at San Simeon State Beach.
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MOON STONE BEACH DR/LEFFINGWELL LANDING. (Near North end of dr.) (Map Complete)
MOON STONE BEACH DR/LEFFINGWELL LANDING MAP
Web page for this area by SAN SIMEON
The rocky coast and coves around Moon Stone Beach Drive and Leffingwell Landing provides some scenic paddling oportunities.
Leffingwell Landing off of Moon Stone Beach Drive is a good spot to launch if the surf isn't too large. There is a short ramp down to the beach so it's easy to get your kayak to the water here. The boat launch ramp is somewhat protected, but there can be a shore pound if the surf gets large.
Leffingwell Landing is located near the North end of Moon Stone Beach Drive.
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CAMBRIA -- HARVEY ACCESS WAY
(Easy access to water and easy launch -- scenic rocks and coves)
CAMBRIA MAP
Web page for this area by SAN SIMEON
Harvey Access Way provides easy access to the water with a launch that is often quite easy.
There are scenic rocks and coves paddling either North or South. Paddling south, you head by Cambria Air Force Base and many of the hills are undeveloped. It's especially nice in the spring when the hills are green.
You can park right next to the beach at the end of Harvey. It's about 12 feet to the water from your car.
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CAYUCAS STATE BEACH
Cayucas State Beach often has small surf which allows for a fairly easy launch and access to the scenic rocky coast to the west.
Cayucas State Beach is in the town of Cayucas which is along highway 1 about 7 miles North of Morro Bay.
You can park right next to the beach with easy access to the water from your car near the pier. Exit highway 1 at Cayucas Drive. Take Cayucas Drive Southwest until it ends at Cayucas State Beach and park along Ocean Front Avenue which is right on the beach.
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MORRO BAY
MORRO BAY MAP
My web page with information and pictures of MORRO BAY
The protected waters by Morro Bay provide excellent paddling oportunities for canoists or kayakers. One can explore the many birds found in the marshlands of the bay or paddle out to the sandspit to look around and picnic. The large east thumb of the bay by the south end of Morro Bay State park has the largest marshland area where many different types of birds can be seen.
Be sure to check your tides before paddling Morro bay: 1. The narrow north end neck of the bay can get a fairly strong current. 2. When you're out of your canoe/kayak exploring the sand spit, you want to be careful that a rising tide doesn't sweep your vessel away or a falling tide leave you high and dry.
While the waters inside Morro Bay are calm and protected, Morro Bay's harbor mouth is another story. If you decide to paddle outside of the harbor use extreme caution and be sure to check the swell and tides. The Morro Bay Harbor mouth is one of the most hazardous harbor entrances on the entire California coast. Often, especially in the winter, very large waves hit the coast here. Shallow and shifting sandbar conditions can create hazardous situations. Sometimes, huge closeout waves break across the harbor mouth.
The Morro Bay boat launch in Tidelands Park at the end of Embarcadero is an outstanding free launch spot with free parking. You can easily launch from here at high or low tide. It's only a short paddle across the bay from here to the sandspit. To reach the Tidelands Park, exit highway 1 at Morro Bay Blvd. and head west to Harbor St. where you take a halfright. Take Harbor St. until it ends at Embarcadero. Go left (south) on Embarcadero which ends at Tidelands Park.
Morro Bay State Park also has a launch spot. Morro Bay State Park is located 1 mile south of highway 1 on South Bay Blvd.
There are also high tide only launch spots at Baywood Park Beach and Second Street Pier. These spots are reached from highway 1 by taking South Bay Blvd. to Santa Ysabel. They are near the west end of Santa Ysabel.
There is also a launch spot from a small beach exposed at medium and low tides along Coleman.
--There is a campground at Morro Bay State Park and at Morro Strand State Beach.
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MONTANA DE ORO
MONTANA DE ORO MAP
The waters by Montana De Oro state park often have large surf. Occasionally, when the surf is small and the sea calm, Spooners Cove provides an excellent launch spot for some outstanding kayaking.
After launching from the small beach at Spooners Cove, you should paddle west until you are beyond the finger rocks and extending reefs on the south side of the cove. From here paddling south is most interesting. There are many interesting rocky coves you can explore. Between many of the coves there are finger rocks with submerged reefs that extend further west--similar to the reef on the south side of Spooners Cove. You may need to paddle out around these reefs as set waves may break on them.
There are also many hiking trails in Montana De Oro State Park. You can use the Bluff Trail to scout out the coast before you Kayak.
--Restrooms and a campground is located here.
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PORT SAN LUIS AND AVILA BEACH
Map of PORT SAN LUIS AND AVILA BEACH
More PORT SAN LUIS AND AVILA BEACH maps
My web page with pictures of PORT SAN LUIS AND AVILA BEACH
The coast near Port San Luis and Avila Beach offers some spectacular coastline with easy launching.
As you paddle here, the rolling hills--green in the spring or late winter provide a wonderful backdrop behind the rocky shore and cliffs.
To get to the Port San Luis and Avila Beach launch spots, get off highway 101 about 6 miles south of San Luis Obispo at San Luis Bay Drive or 2 miles northwest of Shell Beach at Avila Road. San Luis Bay Drive runs into Avila Road. Avila Road soon becomes Avila Beach Drive.
To reach the Avila Beach launch spot, turn off to your left on Front Street which is 2.25 miles from the freeway. Take Front Street to the beach parking lot.
To get to the Port San Luis launch spot, stay on Avila Beach Drive. As you drive with San Luis bay to your left, you'll soon see the sign and ramp for the Old Port Beach Launching Access. The Old Port Beach Launching Access is about 3.25 miles from the freeway.
The Old Port Beach Launching Access is a super easy place to launch and is free. At low tide, you can drive right down a ramp onto the beach here (At hightide it's just a very short boat ramp that you need to go down). Even on days when the surf is pounding outside the harbor, it's fairly easy to enter the water here. One can easily launch a canoe here on most days. There are also other pretty good places to launch a little bit further west up Avila Beach Drive but not quite as easy for getting your canoe or kayak from your car down to the beach and into the water.
Another excellent place to launch is the dock by the Port San Luis Boat Yard. There is a little break wall right in front of the dock which makes this launch spot more protected than the Old Port Beach. You can use this spot to launch if you don't want to paddle through any surf.
Avila Beach just to the East of Port San Luis is also fairly protected and offers easy entry through usually small surf. The surf is usually smaller towards the Northwest end of the beach.
Paddling to your left down the coast (East to South East) toward Shell Beach from either Old Porte Beach or Avila Beach, you reach some beautiful towering cliffs called Fossil Point (1.25 miles from Old Porte Beach, .25 miles from Avila Beach). You can paddle fairly near to the cliffs as the water gets deep in front of them. There often is some interesting backwash off the cliffs. As you pass fossil point, there is then a cove to your left, if you paddle into this cove, be carefull of some reefs where sneaker waves may break (especially just southeast of Fossil point). As you paddle further, you pass another point and a small secluded bay (Mallagh Landing) that is almost hidden.
This beach is quite protected and often is a good spot to stop and land for a break.
From Mallagh Landing you can paddle as far as you like down the coast. Shell Beach has many scenic sea stacks. You can even do a one way two car shuttle ending at Shell or Pismo Beach. Be sure to check out were you are going to land. See the "SHELL BEACH and PISMO BEACH" section of this book for more information.
Other paddling options include: Paddling inside the harbor west toward the breakwall. After passing the Port San Luis Pier, the last 0.5 mile is quite scenic -- you can paddle very close to the steep cliff that rises above the bay. There is a very nice secluded beach nestled against the cliff right before the breakwall. Landing on this beach is usually very easy, however, if the surf is extremely big and wrapping around or breaking over the breakwall, the end of the beach furthest away from the breakwall is the best spot to land.
When you reach the breakwall, another option is to paddle out around the break wall and then North up the rugged coast. The end of the break wall and the coast going North are quite exposed to wind and swell, but very beautiful.
--Bathrooms Just west of the Old Port Beach Launching Access.
--Avila beach has restrooms and outdoor showers.
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SHELL BEACH and PISMO BEACH
Map of SHELL BEACH and PISMO BEACH
More SHELL BEACH and PISMO BEACH maps
My web page with pictures of SHELL BEACH and PISMO BEACH
Paddling below the cliffs by Shell Beach there are some very nice sea stacks and rock formations. Often times, the surf is small here and you can paddle very near to the cliffs and sea stacks.
Shell Beach has a very protected launch spot in a small cove at the bottom of a long set of stairs at the end of Pier Avenue (along Ocean Avenue between Cliff Avenue and Windward). Even when the surf is fairly large, the launch here is pretty easy. Unfortunately, you need to carry your kayak down a long set of stairs.
Very near to the access stairs at the end of Pier Avenue are some caves and arches you can sometimes paddle through. An arch and a cave are in the islet that is just off shore from Margo Dodd Park. There are also some caves in the cliff that you can sometimes enter, land in, and explore just east of the islet. Some additional caves are further east right below the Dinosaur Caves Park. All these caves and arches are often referred to as Dinosaur Caves. They are near the Dinosaur Caves Park and Margo Dodd Park.
The surf size and tide will determine what cave/arch you can paddle through. The arch in the islet can be paddled through more often. The cave in the islet sometimes has waves breaking in it and a surge that could crush you against the ceiling – be careful! For the cave in the islet, you can paddle from the backside so you can see the waves coming (depending on the surf size and tide).
To scout the islet cave before you paddle, you can see the small entrance from the cliffs by Margo Dodd Park. The arch is harder to see from shore, however, from some of the overlooks in Dinosaur Caves Park you can see it if you know where it is.
OTHER ACCESS POINTS:
There is also a wide access trail from Spyglass Park at the end of Spyglass and access stairs off of Ocean between Vista Del Mar and Placentia --these spots are only be usable for launching when the surf is small. The Spyglass launch is also only usable at high tide as a rock shelf is exposed at low tide.
Pismo Beach can also be used for launching and landing when the surf is small. It's just a short paddle north from Main Street in Pismo Beach to the scenic cliffs and sea stacks by Shell Beach. There is a short ramp at the end of Main Street where it is very easy to get your kayak to the water. The beach access is also quite easy at several spots south of Main near the Pismo Beach Pier.
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SANTA MARIA RIVER MOUTH WETLANDS/NIPOMA DUNES PRESERVE
There is a moderately large wetland area by the mouth of the Santa Maria River. Paddling a canoe is a great way to see the numerous birds that live in the wetland area. Depending on the river level and tide, you may even be able to paddle up a few miles up the river.
You can access the wetlands from the Guadalupe entrance to the Nipoma Dunes Preserve. From highway 1 in Guadalupe, take main steet west until it ends at a beach parking lot. From the parking lot at the beach you can cary, drag, or wheel your vessel about 50 yards Northeast across the sand to a good spot to launch in the wetland.
You can also launch a kayak in the ocean here if the surf is small, although it's just a long beach that isn't that
interesting unless you paddle quite far to the south towards Mussel Rock and Point Sal. However, the coast along this area is almost totally undeveloped.
Walking along the pristine beach here a low tide is very enjoyable. You can also climb the 450 foot Mussel Rock which is the highest sand dune on the west coast.
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POINT SAL (Road was washed out durring El Nino and has not been reopened)
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JALAMA COUNTY PARK
The surf
(Checked this out -- surf often large)
The surf at Jalama County park is often very big. The beach is very exposed to swells here.
If the surf is small, however, the scenic undeveloped coast here can provide some excellent paddling.
From the fee parking lot that is right on the beach, it's very easy to get your kayak to the water here.
Even if the surf is small, there's almost always some waves to paddle through when entering the water.
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GAVIOTA STATE BEACH
(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 Holister 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.
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REFUGIO STATE PARK
Refugio State Park has an easy beach launch. Normally in the summer there is no surf here and one could easily launch a canoe. Even in the winter, the surf is is usually small here. There is a fee for entering the park here (unless you have a State Park pass). You can park right next to the beach and only need to carry/wheel your canoe or kayak across the beach to the water.
Going Northwest up the coast the cliffs are fairly interesting and at medium through low tide, there are some small beaches to land on for a break.
--Restrooms and a campground is located here.
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EL CAPITAN STATE BEACH
El Capitan State Beach has some fairly interesting paddling which is similar to Refugio. There is a fairly easy beach launch. The launch and access to the launch spot aren't quite as good as at Refugio.
--Restrooms and a campground is located here.
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GOLETA SLOUGH -- GOLETA BEACH COUNTY PARK
(Checked this out -- Popular with kayakers, launch for ocean or slough)
Both the slough and ocean here are popular for paddlers.
The slough has numerous birds and is good for canoeing.
The ocean here is scenic, especially in spring when the mountains behind the city are bright green.
At the southeast end of the parking lot, there is a ramp that goes part way across the beach toward the water in the slough. This is a very easy place to carry and launch a canoe for paddling in the slough. If you are going to paddle in the ocean, you can also launch from the same spot or just launch from the beach North West of this spot. The surf is usually small here so the launch is normally quite easy.
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CHANNEL ISLANDS
My web page for THE CHANNEL ISLANDS
California's Channel Islands are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean along the Santa Barbara Channel and San Pedro Channel. Five of the islands are part of Channel Islands National Park.
Channel Islands National Park includes the Islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara. The waters surrounding Channel Islands National Park make up Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
The Channel Islands are mostly undeveloped and have an abundance of sea life. The snorkeling and diving by the Channel Islands can be excellent with very clear water.
Kayaking and standup paddleboarding (SUP) are excellent ways to see the beautiful islands. However, since the channel crossing to get to the islands is 11 to 20 miles and crosses major shipping lanes, I don’t recommend paddling from the mainland to the Channel Islands. I know two people who have paddled to Catalina Island and one got run over by a boat on the way – fortunately, he survived.
Here are the Channel Islands listed from North West to South East: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, San Clemente
I have a separate web page for Anacapa Island.
Getting You And Your Kayak or SUP To The Cahannel Islands
Transport To Channel Islands National Park Here is the link for transport to the islands in Channel Islands National Park.
While Catalina is the most visited, none of the major boats that transport people will transport your kayak to the island. There are companies that will rent you a kayak on Catalina Island.
Paddling From Mainland To The Channel Islands - Since the channel crossing to get to the islands is 11 to 20 miles and crosses major shipping lanes, I don’t recommend paddling from the mainland to the Channel Islands. I know two people who have paddled to Catalina Island and one got run over by a boat on the way – fortunately, he survived.
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PALOS VERDES PENINSULA -- Malaga Cove, Bluff Cove, Point Vicenty,
Marine Land, Royal Palms Beach.
My web page for the PALOS VERDES PENINSULA
The coast by the Palos Verdes Peninsula provides a scenic rocky coast line escape very near to the hustling LA Metropolitan area. While the coast is very scenic, the coastal access to launch spots is somewhat difficult at all access points except for Royal Palms Beach.
Malaga Cove
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Malaga Cove has a steep paved ramp that leads down to a rocky shoreline where it is possible to launch at higher tides when the surf is small. Further down the access ramp turns to dirt and leads to sandy RAT beach (named either to refer to young surf rats or as the acronym 'Right After Torrance'). The lifeguards won't let you launch after they arrive in the morning. Because of the north facing direction of the coast here, in the summer the surf is usually small. Paddling west from here, you get scenic views as the Palos Verdes cliffs rise higher and higher above you.
Bluff Cove
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Bluff Cove or "The Cove" as some people refer to it has a very long trail which is wide (it used to be a dirt road) most of the way down to the rocky beach. The section at the very bottom end of the trail is narrower because it gets washed out periodically. If you have sturdy wheels on your Kayak, you can roll it until you get to this narrow section of trail.
Once you get down to the water, the launch which is protected by a reef is very easy. There is a channel through the protecting reef to get to the water outside the reef. However, in the winter, if the surf is big, the channel will get closeout sets which break in it.
In the winter, Bluff Cove is very popular with board surfers. Give the surfers plenty of room. And unless you are an
outstanding kayak surfer, you shouldn't ride waves where board surfers are surfing. On small days when there aren't board surfers around, it's a good place to kayak surf on the long gentle rollers.
In the summer, Bluff Cove's North West facing direction means there usually is almost no surf here, though at low tide, you may find some very small waves that are fun to play on or learn kayak surfing.
From the launch spot at Bluff Cove you can paddle to the south west (left) side of the cove out through the channel to the open ocean. There is also a smaller channel toward the right side of the cove.
Once outside Bluff Cove's protecting reef you can paddle southwest (left) down the coast or northeast (right) up the coast.
Paddling south, you pass below towering cliffs. After paddling about 1.5 miles, you pass the remains of the ship the Dominator. You then go around Palos Verdes Point and reach Lunada Bay which you might want to paddle into and explore. Resort Point is the next point south. You can paddle further south towards Point Vicenty.
Paddling north from Bluff cove is also an interesting trip. Flat Rock Point is the prominent point you'll pass in about .25 mile. Beyond Flat Rock Point you view the city and beaches in the distance and parallel the rugged cliffs of the peninsula.
Point Vicenty
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A long trail leads down to the shore here.
Royal Palms Beach
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Royal Palms Beach has fairly easy access to some wonderful paddling. Palos Verdes' rugged rocky coast, tall bluffs, and rolling hills are very beautiful.
Royal Palms Beach is probably the easiest place on the whole Palos Verdes Peninsula to access the ocean with a kayak.
There are several spots to launch from here. Which is best depends on the tide, surf size, and swell direction.
You can park very near to all the launch spots.
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ALAMITOS BAY - Naples Island - Kayak, Stand Up Paddle Board, and Canoe
My web page for ALAMITOS BAY and NAPLES ISLAND
Alamitos Bay is at the South end of Long Beach in Los Angeles County at the outlet of the San Gabriel River. Alamitos Bay is a protected harbor so there aren't any waves.
You can explore the scenic Naples Canals by Naples Island, numerous yachts, Long Beach Marine Stadium and Los Cerritos Wetlands.
Read more about paddling here at my web page for ALAMITOS BAY and NAPLES ISLAND Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP
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HUNTINGTON HARBOR
My web page for HUNTINGTON HARBOR
Huntington Harbor has several convenient places to launch. Along with the yachts and canals between the large houses, some of the nearby large wetland reserve is accessible for exploration at a relatively high tide.
View the launch spots for HUNTINGTON HARBOR
--A campground is located at Bolsa Chica State Park.
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UPPER NEWPORT BAY (Newport Back Bay)
My web page for UPPER NEWPORT BAY
Upper Newport bay is a protected wetland which is excellent for both canoeing and kayaking.
Gliding along on the water here it's possible to get within a few feet of many of the wide variety of birds that live here.
The best place to launch is North Star Beach by the Newport Aquatic center which has free parking and free launching from the beach. You can also use the dock at the Newport Aquatic Center for a small fee and rent canoes and kayaks.
Other spots to launch nearby are the Newport Dunes (fee for parking and rental kayaks available) and off of back bay drive (free parking but only good to launch at a fairly high tide).
The afternoon onshore sea breeze blows up the bay and normally calms down in the evening so I like to paddle here starting at North Star Beach in the late afternoon and head up the bay with the wind at my back and then paddle back in the evening around sunset when the wind has died down and the water has glassed off. The current from the tides normally isn't as big of a factor in paddling here as the wind is, but if you can time the incoming tide with your trip up the bay and the outflowing tide with your trip back, it makes the paddle that much easier.
--A campground is located at Newport Dunes.
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NEWPORT HARBOR/CORONA DEL MAR/CRYSTAL COVE
Map of NEWPORT
Newport Harbor has many places where it's fairly easy to launch a canoe or kayak. The parking at many spots is free, though sometimes it's hard to find an available spot so you may need to drop off your canoe or kayak and park aways from where you launch.
You can either stay within the harbor or paddle outside the harbor.
If you paddle south east outside of the harbor you will go past the beautiful cliffs and rock formations of Corona Del Mar including Arch Rock -- a natural bridge of rock. Further south you will pass another arching rock and then reach crystal cove state park.
The place to launch inside the harbor which is closest to the harbor mouth is the small beach by Shell Street on the Corona Del Mar side of the harbor. From Bayside Drive, take Fernleaf to Ocean, turn right on Ocean. At the first street you come to (Dahlia) turn left and drive down to Shell Street at the bottom of the hill. Drop off your gear with your kayak or canoe at the bottom and park back up along Ocean or Dahlia where parking is available and free.
A nice feature about this paddle is the fact that you can launch from a protected harbor and in a fairly short distance be out on the ocean seeing some wonderful scenery.
Paddling South towards the harbor entrance from the beach by Shell Street, you pass some big rocks that jut out of the water and inspiration point to your left above. You then paddle along the jetty -- If you stay on the far lefthand side (out of the main traffic lanes), you won't have to cross the main boat channel when you exit the harbor to head down to Arch Rock. Its about one third of a mile to the harbor entrance from the beach by Shell Street.
Once you are beyond the jetty and outside the harbor, you can see Arch Rock about two thirds of a mile in the distance down the coast. Be careful and alert to the boat traffic here.
You often can hear playful sea lions on the bell buoy straight out from the break wall. It's about a .15 mile paddle out to the bell buoy from here. By the bell buoy you can get an excellent close up view of the sea lions. If you decide to paddle out to the bell buoy, be cautious with the boat traffic -- especially on crowded weekend afternoons.
Instead of paddling straight towards Arch Rock from the bell buoy or end of the jetty, it is more interesting (and safer) if you paddle towards the Corona Del Mar Beach and then paddle along the coast as you head down to Arch Rock.
Once you reach Arch Rock, the second arch is about a quarter mile further. About 200 yards beyond the second arch is Crystal Cove State Park. If the surf is small, you can stop on the beach and relax or picnic. Be careful of submerged and partially submerged rocks if you land here. If the tide is high and the surf is very small, you can paddle through the second arch rock. (I will be posting a video of me paddling through second arch rock later)
At Crystal Cove, the coast gets more open with more beach and a little less rocky. You can continue down the coast along the open bluffs as far as you like. You can also launch off the beach here at Crystal Cove, although you'll have to enter through the surf (usually not too large but often larger then Laguna). Also there are many submerged or partially submerged rocks here ,you must pay to park (unless you have a State Park Pass), and it's a long walk from the parking area to the beach. The best launch here is reached from the Northwest most parking area. A bike/pedestrian trail goes all the way to the beach and there are no stairs (It's best to have wheels for your kayak).
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LAGUNA BEACH
LAGUNA BEACH MAP
Laguna Beach has many coves and wonderful rock formations which are beautiful to paddle by. Normally the surf is smaller in Laguna than at other surrounding areas which makes the beach entries required here fairly easy on a day with no major swell.
You can paddle along the rocky coast and land in a secluded cove for lunch. The City of Laguna Beach is kayak friendly, it's legal to launch and land on any of the beaches.
The diving and snorkeling can also be excellent in Laguna, I often snorkel from a kayak here.
Crescent Bay / Seal Rock / Emerald Bay / Cameo Cove:
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The access to the beach at Crescent Bay is either via a long ramp at the end of Cliff Drive (good if you have wheels for your kayak) or a shorter series of stairs off Circle Way. Parking by either of these spots is free although convenient spaces are often taken -- especially on summer afternoons.
If there is no major ocean swell, the entry from the beach is pretty easy.
About 200 yards from the beach, Seal Rock usually has many Sea Lions on and around it. Paddling near it you get an
excellent view of the Sea Lions -- often barking at each other or frolicking in the water. Watch the Sea Lions here for a while before paddling further.
Paddling northwest from Seal Rock, you paddle along the rocky coast with its high cliffs. At lower tides, a seal or two often rest on some smaller rocks along here.
After passing a small cove, you reach Emerald Bay. Even on summer days, you seldom ever see people on the beach here. You can stop for a picnic here or at Cameo Cove around the next point where you'll see people even less often.
Paddling to the point beyond Cameo Cove, you get a nice view up the coast to Crystal Cove State Park or back down the coast to Seal Rock. The paddling distance from Crescent Bay to this point is about 1.5 miles. Off the end of this point there is a mostly submerged shelf rock which you normally can either paddle inside of or outside of if you decide to paddle around the point.
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LAGUNA BEACH (Continued)
Main Beach /Divers Cove / Fishermans Cove Boat Canyon / Santa Ana Cove /Crescent Bay / Seal Rock:
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Laguna's Main Beach has metered parking spots right next to the beach and it's often very easy to launch your kayak here. The only problem is the parking spots are often taken and the meters go for a maximum of two hours. If you get here very early in the morning, though, you can get a parking spot and get in a paddle before the meters are enforced (8:00 am). After parking, you can carry or roll your kayak the short distance to the edge of the boardwalk and lower it easily over the edge of the boardwalk or carry it down about four steps to the fairly narrow beach.
Divers Cove and Fishermans cove also have access / launch spots and are alternative launch spots for this paddle. However, getting your kayak from your car to that water is a bit more difficult at these coves than by the Main Beach. Divers Cove has a ramp down to the beach. Fishermans Cove (also known as Boat Canyon) has some stairs to the beach. While getting to the beach is a bit more difficult, the Northwest end of the beach at Fishermans Cove is
one of the most protected launch spots along the Laguna cost. Even when the surf is up at other places, the launch from Fishermans Cove is usually easy.
You can scout out all the above launching spots by walking along the scenic path that goes along the cliff top for about .75 mile between the Main Beach and the stairs to Fishermans Cove.
The scenery going Northwest from the Main Beach is very spectacular with the many little coves you'll want to explore as you paddle here. You soon pass Bird Rock and a little cove. Next you round the point to Divers Cove. Then there is a slightly submerged shelf rock that you may want to go outside of as you paddle to Fishermans Cove, Santa Ana Cove, and Crescent Bay. You'll want to explore Seal Rock before you head back. It's between 1.25 and 1.5 miles from the Main Beach to Seal Rock, depending on how far you paddle into the little coves you pass on the way.
Brooks Street:
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The surf entry here is often a little bit harder than at Crescent Bay or Main Beach. Paddling south from here provides some outstanding scenery. Brooks Street has a short series of stairs for accessing the water.
Victoria Beach:
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Paddling either North or South from here there is great scenery. However, the steep beach here can often have a nasty shore pound which makes the entry more difficult then Crescent Bay or Main Beach.
Victoria Beach has a ramp to the beach which you can use to wheel your Kayak down to the beach. The ramp is located at the end of Victoria Drive.
Aliso Beach:
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At Aliso Beach, you can drive right up to the beach for easy access to the water. However, the surf is often a bit larger here then at other places in Laguna. From here you can enjoy wonderful scenery paddling either south towards Three Arch Bay or north towards Goff Island.
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SALT CREEK
Salt Creek Beach Park has meter parking and a fairly long ramp down to the beach. The surf here usually breaks a little ways from shore and when no major swell is present usually isn't too powerful.
The best place to launch is a bit further North up the beach from the ramp. You can go North following the lower paved path that parallels the beach.
From Salt Creek Beach Park, you can either paddle north past Three Arch Bay or South around Dana Point. Both directions have beautiful scenery and are worthwhile.
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DANA POINT HARBOR/DOHENEY BEACH/DANA POINT
DANA POINT MAP
Dana Point Harbor has a very easy launch spot from a sandy beach where there is free and pay parking. You can paddle around the scenic harbor with it's pretty cliffs and also paddle out of the harbor around Dana Point.
The west end of Doheney Beach provides a good launch spot through surf which is usually very small and week in power. It's a shorter paddle from here around Dana Point.
When you get in the open ocean on the south side of the breakwall, the swell can get pretty powerful -- you can see why the Dana Point area used to have a great surf spot before the harbor's break wall was built.
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San Diego County - Carlsbad AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON
My web page for AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON
The Agua Hedionda Lagoon provides calm water for paddling a canoe, kayak or SUP.
An easy launch spot is by the Snug Harbor Marina 4215 Harrison St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Read more about paddling here at my web page AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP
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LA JOLLA
LA JOLLA MAP
La Jolla has some beautiful steep cliffs to paddle along and caves.
The boat launch on the beach at the end of Avenida De La Playa is a good and popular place to launch.
The surf is usually small by the boat launch -- especially in the summer since it is protected from the south swells that come during the summer months.
The surf here is popular for kayakers to play around in. Even though the surf is usually small here, it breaks a little ways from the shore, so you can ride the waves.
Paddling south from the boat launch, you paddle over or outside of some reefs -- depending on the swell size and tide. If the surf is large, these reefs are popular with board surfers, please respect them and give them wide birth.
If the tide is high and the waves aren't too big, you can paddle very close to the steep cliff a little further south. Hundreds of cormorants perch on the cliff. You can also walk along the top of this high cliff after you are done kayaking for a different perspective of the beautiful cliff -- turn off of Torrey Pines Rd. on to the appropriately named road Coast Walk. The road dead ends. Park and then walk.
Paddling west along the base of the cliffs, you soon pass the La Jolla Caves. With high tide and small surf, some folks paddle into the largest cave.
A little further west, you pass La Jolla Cove a little cove popular with swimmers, snorklers, and divers -- be careful not to run into any of them. This little cove is quite protected (except on a north swell) and is another place where you could launch or land. There are stairs going down to the cove here. It's often hard to find a parking place near here.
As you swing out and round the point, the swells are often larger and you usually need to paddle farther from shore. Paddle as far south as you like. Return back the way you came.
(c) Copyright 2011 and 2013 by Mister Dave KayakDave.blogspot.com
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