Tomales Point Exploration


1/2 Day (4 hour) The area around Hog Island is rich in wildlife and scenic beauty making it the perfect place to spend the morning exploring from one of our double kayaks. Over 400 Tule Elk inhabit the northern part of the peninsula, and can be regularly seen from the water.  As we paddle along we will also discover the myriad of diverse animals which inhabit the Bay and its shores. In addition to the Tule Elk, it is common to see harbor seals, bat-rays, leopard sharks, osprey, river otters, and sea lions!

Full Day (6 hour) This kayaking tour will explore the rugged inner shoreline of the Point Reyes National Seashore Tule Elk Reserve on Tomales Bay.   Our day will take us to the waters where Tomales Bay opens up to the Pacific Ocean, an area with an abundance of wildlife, and an extremely low level of human infringement.  Marine mammals such as seals and sea lions are commonly seen.  Though such encounters are rare, whales and recently a sea otter have been spotted in this area of the bay.  We will stop on a remote beach to rest and explore.  Bring your own lunch.  There will be plenty of opportunities for activities like tide pooling, photography, hiking to look for Tule Elk, and much more.  

Directions: We’ll meet you at the parking lot of the Miller Park Boat Launch, which is located on the east side of Tomales Bay on Hwy.1 (next to the Nick’s Cove Restaurant) Miller Park is about 4 miles south of the town of Tomales, and 12 miles north of Point Reyes Station. 

Itinerary: After organizing gear and going over basic kayaking instructions and safety procedures, we’ll launch our boats, and paddle across the bay. We’ll explore along the Pt. Reyes shoreline, enjoying the wildlife and beautiful scenery and we’ll look for a nice beach to stop and have lunch, go tide pooling, or take a hike.  We’ll go rain or shine.

Equipment: Our double kayaks track well, are difficult to capsize, and are easy to maneuver. All the necessary gear such as life jackets, paddles and spray skirts is provided.

What to Bring: Come prepared for variable weather. Bring clothes that reflect your degree of sensitivity to heat or cold.
* Sun screen & lip balm
* Hat with sun visor
* Wool or fleece hat (for cold days)
* Sunglasses
* 1 liter (minimum) water bottle
* Shorts or baggy pants that can be rolled up to your knees are best for paddling
* Shoes you don’t mind getting wet such as Teva type river sandals, wetsuit booties, or aqua socks
* Tennis shoes with wool socks or rubber boots are good in cool weather
* Waterproof jacket
* Wool, capilene, poly pro, or some other synthetic long sleeve, long underwear shirt that will keep you warm when it is wet (Cotton or cotton blend clothing retains water and will keep you cold if it becomes wet)
* Pile or fleece pullover or a wool sweater
* Change of clothes, including dry shoes
* Potluck lunch (if booked on full day tour) – please bring picnic items that you can share with other people

Cancellation Policy:

Please understand that when a reservation is made with Blue Waters Kayaking, it is a commitment on our part to hold seats in a kayak for you.  This often involves considerable work on our part to make sure that the right equipment is ready for you at the right place and time. We can (and often do) turn away others from that particular date (or trip).  If you decide to cancel, it can be difficult for us to book someone else on that trip, and in some cases may cause a trip to be cancelled due to the effect on minimum group size requirements. With this in mind, we have implemented the following cancellation policy:

*  All reservations are subject to a 5% non-refundable handling fee at the time of booking.

*  Up to 7 days prior to the event: Full refunds of any fees paid will be given during this time period, minus the 5% non-refundable handling fee. There is no charge for rescheduling during this time period.

*  7 days prior to the event: Your reservation is considered final, and all fees are due and payable.  Unpaid credit card deposits will be charged. After this time no money will be refunded

*  Within 7 days (including the day of the event): all cancellations and no shows will be charged in full with no refunds or reschedules unless due to inclement weather. (see below)

We attempt in all cases to determine prior to your tour launch if weather will impede your trip. However, there are rare occasions where we have launched and weather patterns change suddenly at which time we must return to shore.

In this case the following policies apply and each patron is responsible to contact the office to make arrangements.

~~Where tour is cancelled after we already launched the kayaks and must return to shore within the first hour patrons can:

  • Reschedule with a future trip
  • Receive a 50% refund

~~Where tour is cancelled before we have launched the kayaks patrons can:

  • Reschedule the same trip on a future date (at no cost)
  • Cancel completely. Each patron is responsible to contact the office to make arrangements.  In the event you choose to cancel you will receive a full refund minus the 5% handling fee.