Elkhorn Slough

If you haven't paddled Elkhorn Slough, this is a paddle you must add to your bucket list. This past Friday my daughter and I headed down to Moss Landing for a great paddle on a gorgeous day.

 High tide was predicted at 4.5 ft. at 12:08 at Moss Landing and we were on the water by 11:00 to ride the tide to Kirby Park. There are a couple of launch options if you want to paddle Elkhorn Slough. We launched at the public boat ramp located in front of Monterey Bay Kayaks where there is a $6 parking fee and a $5 launch fee and there are restrooms available. If you don't have your own boat and gear, Monterey Bay Kayaks and Kayak Connection have rentals available and also offer guided tours along with many other outfitters. Make sure to check tide charts and plan your paddle accordingly. You can also launch from Kirby Park and paddle with the outgoing tide to Moss Landing and return with the incoming tide.

High clouds hung above us and barely a breeze could be felt as we paddled past a jetty occupied by hundreds of Pelicans. As we glided past the Pelicans on our right we soon came upon a dock on our left stacked 3 or 4 seals and sea lions high. They were fun to watch because if one seal moved the entire group would become boisterous as if they were being bothered. As we passed under the bridge we spotted the first sea otter, then another and another and so on. I was amazed at the number of sea otters and they were definitely the highlight of the trip. We kept our distance as we watched them float on their backs and eat. Every once in a while one would notice us and stretch its' head high above the water and stare at us.

We continued paddling at a leisurely pace observing harbor seals and sea lions hauled out on the mud flats, otters floating about, and grebes, gulls and loons soaring, diving and darting all around us. The scenery was spectacular and the paddle refreshing.

We returned to the put-in after paddling a little over 8 miles and spending nearly 4 hours on the water. If you would like to explore this area with Delta Kayak Adventures, we'll be adding this special adventure to our calendar once or twice a year.