FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does Blue Waters Kayaking offer?
Multi-sport enjoyment of the Point Reyes area. We have kayaking, biking and hiking throughout the Park.
KAYAKING:
Tours: both public and private, for the day or overnight, with and without food options / Rentals: day or overnight / Sit-on-top or Closed Deck boats / Classes: From Beginning to Advanced
I want to visit Point Reyes for the day and go kayaking but how do I get started?
You have come to the right place! Whether you are a first time paddler or an expert at the sport, kayaking on Tomales Bay is a perfect way to get outside to explore beaches and marvel at the nature all around. First, take a look through the rest of the FAQ page and our website to become familiar with our offerings for rentals, guided tours, culinary events, youth camps and team building. Then, use our online reservation system to book online or give us a call.
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I want to stay overnight in Point Reyes area and go kayaking but how do I get started?
With so much to do it is easy to put together a fun multi-day visit and kayaking should be on your list of things to do! Kayaking is what you make it to be! Do it for the family experience, for romance, to explore a remote beach and relax, or to work off last night's dinner. Begin by finding a place to stay. For those who enjoy camping, rent a kayak for overnight and camp on one of the remote beaches on Tomales Bay (see our online guide for planning an overnight kayak trip). For those who like lodging based trips, we recommend the Tomales Bay Resort located next door to our kayak launch site in Inverness, CA.
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Helpful websites:
LODGING: Point Reyes Lodging Association
PARK ACTIVITIES: Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay State Park
DINING: Plenty to choose from. Point Reyes is famous for shellfish, organic cuisine and artisan cheese and breads.
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Do I need a reservation to go kayaking?
The short answer is Yes. You can book online or call the office to make a reservation for a Tour, Class or Rental. On the weekends we do take walk-in customers at both our Inverness and Marshall sites for rentals ONLY. If you don’t want to make a reservation give us a call to check how busy we are getting. We will need a credit card number to hold your reservation and we have a 7-day cancellation policy (See Cancellation Policy below).
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Should I rent a kayak or join a guided kayak tour?
Guided tours are the best way to learn about Tomales Bay and kayaking because you will spend time with a local naturalist kayak guide. Our tour guides provide safety and share with you the splendors of Tomales Bay. We offer public tours on Saturday and Sundays and private tours any day of the week. If you have young children, between the ages of 5 and 10 years, plan to doing a private tour or a rental. We provide closed deck double kayaks, which will keep you dry and track well in the water. Closed deck single kayaks are available by special request.
Our rental program is a great way to get out on the bay and enjoy alone time or have fun with your family and friends. We recommend a 4-hour kayak rental, which gives you time to enjoy the bay and take a rest on a nice beach. We have single and double kayaks. We offer open-deck recreation kayaks for novice paddlers or closed deck kayaks for the professional paddler. We provide a brief introduction to paddling technique and kayak safety before you embark on your adventure. Public beaches are only a short distance from the launch site, so pack a picnic. Rental rates .
Anyone can rent an open-deck boat (with some weight limits): We have stable, safe open-deck boats for beginners and even more advanced paddlers. We do require that each person has some kind of wetsuit on. We have 3 styles: Farmer John with the long legs, Farmer John with Shorts, and actual wetsuit shorts. We also require that each person wear a Personal Flotation Device at all times on the water.
To rent a closed deck boat: one person in each boat must have successfully completed a course to learn self-recovery in a closed deck boat. You could have learned that technique somewhere else, you don't have to have a certificate, you just have to be able to explain to us how you would rescue yourself (and other paddler) if your boat tipped over. We provide a Personal Flotation Device for each person, Spray Skirt for the boat, Paddles and a pump and paddlefloat for the boat.
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I am renting, what do I need to bring with me?
Always take plenty of water, sunblock, a snack, dress in layers and bring a change of clothes. There is plenty of room in the kayaks to stow away extra clothes or a picnic. If you are a novice paddler you will be renting one of our single or double open-deck recreation kayaks (also known as a sit-on-top kayak). These are self bailing boats, your feet and rear will get wet. With your rental you will get a wetsuit, a personal flotation device, and a paddle. We have a large but limited supply of spray jackets, so if you have a waterproof jacket, please bring it along.
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I am reserving a spot on a guided tour, what do I bring?
Always take plenty of water, sunblock, a snack and dress in layers. If you have joined one of our all day premiere nature tours (Drakes Estero, Tule Elk Tour, Paddle and Hike) then please bring a full lunch and an item to share as a potluck. We recommend you bring pants and walking shoes. You will be receiving more specific information pertinent to each tour.
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How do I choose the best tour for me?
All of our tours are rated for beginners or the professional paddler. Remember we have half day and full day trips. The Morning Paddle or Evening Paddle are 3-hour tours and are considered half day tours. Our premiere nature tours: Drakes Estero and Tule Elk, are offered as 4-hour or 6-hour trips. The 6-hour, full day, tours provide a more leisurely experience and time to enjoy a picnic lunch and a short stroll on a beach. The key to seeing wildlife is to spend more time in nature!
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How long should I plan on renting a kayak and when is the best time?
We rent for 2-hours, 4-hours and all day. Our most popular rental is the 4-hour option. Choose the best length for you and your group. The 2-hour option is great if you are a group of 4 or less and only have a short time. Remember, the key to seeing wildlife is spending more time in nature! It is a good idea to get as early a start as possible. If you are planning other activities plan on kayaking first. You want to paddle before the typical afternoon winds begin and then let it assist you on your paddle back. At Inverness, it is especially important to start your kayaking in the mornings.
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Which location should I rent from, Inverness or Marshall?
Inverness (West Side, South Bay): This is the better location for the shorter 2-hour rental or if you have young children. You will paddle north along the shoreline and into the Tomales Bay State Park. In the park you will discover small remote beaches and the more popular Heart’s Desire Beach. All the public beaches have restroom facilities. It is best to launch in the morning. The afternoons can get too windy to kayak and get anywhere - so do come earlier rather than later.
When kayaking from Inverness, it is important to stay out of the swim zones which are designated by floats, buoys, and lines between them. There are also private beaches that have signs on them and private docks. Public beaches do not have docks: Chicken Ranch, Shell Beach, Pebble Beach, Heart's Desire Beach, Indian Beach. The private beaches are: Teachers Beach, Shallow Beach.
Marshall (East Side, North Bay): This is the better location for overnight kayak trips, since it is only 1.5 miles from the first camping beach, Marshall Beach. If, you can not get an early start, then Marshall is a better choice since it tends to be less windy in the afternoon.You will paddle across the bay to the public beaches in the Point Reyes National Seashore.
The Marshall Store is in the same boatyard and they have delicious oysters.
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What if I have a group of people that want to go kayaking?
First, decide whether you are doing a rental or a tour. If you have more then 6 people then a private tour is the same price as our public tours, only we tailor the itinerary to your group. Guided tours provide the organizer the opportunity to have a more relaxed and enjoyable experience as you can rely on our skilled kayak guides to take the lead. We have lots to choose from when planning a group trip. We specialize in culinary and social kayak trips.
Make a list of everyone with their height, weight and age. You can make a reservation for the group or you can create an event and have your friends call in and put their own credit card down to hold their reservations.
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Can I take my dog kayaking?
We love pets, but the short answer is no.
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Is there a minimum age for kayaking?
If you are renting a kayak or going on a private tour your child must be at least 50lbs and or older then 5 years. On public tours the minimum age is 12-years. For Drake's and Tule Elk tours - we ask that the minimum age for a public tour is 14 years old.
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What is there to do and see?
Tomales Bay is a special, beautiful and dynamic place to visit - that is why we are here. Tomales Bay is a wildlife estuary next to the Point Reyes National Seashore. There is so much - sea otters, sea lions, tide pools, bat rays, hawks, pelicans, oysters, mussels, sea slugs, halibut and much more! Winter is prime time for birding. The fall is the best time to plan to swim in the bay.
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Cancellation Policy
We have a 7 day cancellation policy for all events. For groups larger than 8 people, we ask for a 14 day cancellation.
We kayak rain or shine. We will not kayak if the winds are too strong. For most people this is about 15 miles per hour. When the Bay is foggy and damp, it is frequently a great time to see wildlife.
We require a credit card to guarantee the reservation if calling in to make a reservation. If you cancel within that time or do not show up for your event, we will charge the credit card. We will issue a gift certificate for 50% of the value of the event that you can use for up to one year. These certificates are not transferable, not refundable, and not extendable without prior authorization. We try to be fair. We believe this policy is fair to you and also us. We have held that boat for you.
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