Giacomini Wetlands Tour

Per Person: $115

We welcome experienced and first time kayakers alike on this unique paddle through the beautiful restored Giacomini Wetlands at the south end of Tomales Bay. Your tour will include a stop on shore with a short walk that will provide you with dramatic views of the wetlands & Tomales Bay. Your expert guides will point out interesting things along your route and provide some historical context of the area. 

During your tour, you will glide past native plants adapted to the saltwater and freshwater ebbs and flows. The wetlands character changes with the tides and rainfall throughout the year. In late fall and winter, hundreds of ducks, including bufflehead, wigeon, northern shoveler, gadwall, and pintails, enjoy the shelter and food provided by the wetlands retreat. Every visit is a new experience. River otters patrol the creek while kingfishers, bald eagles and marsh hawks soar over the extensive islands of pickleweed, salt marsh grass, and Oregon gumplant.

A BIT OF HISTORY: The Giacomini Ranch was established over 50 years ago at the head of Tomales Bay near downtown Point Reyes Station. In order to create pastureland from existing salt marsh, Rancher Waldo Giacomini built levees and tide gates to manage tidal incursion. The levees significantly altered the patterns of estuarine circulation and sediment deposition in the area. In 2000 the Point Reyes National Seashore purchased 563 acres of the Giacomini farmland in order to begin the long, delicate process of restoring the wetlands. The project took eight and a half years to finish. The levees have now been removed, adding approximately 4% to existing California salt marshes. The Giacomini Wetlands can be viewed from limited trails and viewing areas, or (even better) from a kayak at high tide, gliding through areas where the human foot is now forbidden but non-motorized boats are not.

Itinerary:		We will meet at White House Pool County Park, located a mile west of Point Reyes Station, where you will be welcomed by a guide.  After a welcome circle, gear-up, and a quick boat/paddle lesson, we will launch our boats and head north towards Tomales Bay.  Once we enter the main channel, we will usually veer to the east, enter the wetlands and tour the flooded project area. The route may change depending on tidal levels and the creek flow rate. Paddling through channels, shallows, and tidal marsh, we will explore as much of the wetlands as possible. We will stop along the way to enjoy a short hike with dramatic views. This tour gives us a great chance to share the restoration project and the history of the Giacomini Ranch.  We complete this day back where you left your car at White House Pool.
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 are 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 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 * Windbreaker jacket * Pile or fleece pullover or a wool sweater * Change of clothes, including dry shoes * Wool, capilene, polypropylene, or other synthetic long sleeve, undergarment that will keep you warm when it is wet AVOID cotton or cotton-blend clothing – especially blue jeans – as it retains water and will keep you cold if it becomes wet.
Release Form:		Please print out, read, sign, and BRING the release of liability and assumption of risk form with you on our trip.
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:* Up to 7 days prior to the event: A $5 per person processing fee will be charged for any cancellation on any reservation. Full refunds of any fees paid will be given during this time period, minus the $5 processing 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 and up to 72 hours prior to your event: you may reschedule for an additional 50% payment of the class or trip cost. Upon rescheduling, you will receive a new reservation confirmation. * Within 72 hours and 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 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 per person non-refundable deposit that was included in your reservation.