Monterey Bay Tours

Introductory Tours

• National Marine Sanctuary Tours
• Midweek Specials for Schools and Other Nonprofit Groups
• Whale Watching
• Sunrise Paddle
• Sunset Paddle
• Full Moon Paddle
• Paddle To Capitola
• Paddle to Natural Bridges

Intermediate Level Tours

• Cement Ship Paddle

Advanced Level Tours

• Kayak Connection to Kayak Connection
• Monterey Bay Crossing

Private Tours

How to Sign Up

Tour Confirmation Forms

Introductory Tours

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Tours

Explore the wonders of our nation's newest national marine sanctuary in sea kayaks. The three-hour tour places you in the home of sea otters while paddling through kelp bed forests. Shy harbor seals will follow our route out to Seal Rock where sea lions are gathered in concentrated numbers. Your guide provides you with lively background information on the hidden wonders in this enchanting meeting of land and sea. $50.

Midweek Specials for Schools and Other Nonprofit Groups

Bring your students for a 3-hour experiential ecological tour of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary during the week and receive an incredible deal: $25 per student and $50 per adult. You can combine this with a field trip to Seymour Lab and make it a full day of interactive learning. Everyone will be in a double kayak and you must bring adult chaperons. Call our Santa Cruz store at 831-479-1121 to make reservations.

Whale Watching

Please join us for a very exciting kayak outing. During the months of March, April and May we paddle out into the bay to find the California gray whale as it journeys back to its northern home in Alaska. The whales usually have their calves with them and the journey home is often slower and closer to shore, allowing us to easily view these magnificent mammals. We make no guarantees of whale sightings but we do guarantee a good time! $50.

Sunrise Paddle

Sunset Paddle

Join us for our most popular outing in Santa Cruz and Moss Landing. We meet 2 hours before sunset and go out for a paddle in the company of otters, seals, herons, and pelicans to watch the sky turn pink as the sun sets. Paddling a double kayak is a great adventure for both beginners and experts. Bring your friends and have your own private sunset adventure out in the Monterey Bay or in the intimate setting of the Elkhorn Slough. $30.

Full Moon Paddle

Join us for the experience of a lifetime. We'll watch the sun set and the moon rise, and then paddle under the light of the full moon. Our focus for this trip is to enjoy the full moon's shimmering light on the water and experience paddling in the dark. Paddling experience is recommended but not required. Bring layerable clothing, windbreaker, and a change of warm clothing. You provide the cookies, we'll bring a warm drink! Cost: $50.

Paddle To Capitola

This is our guides' favorite trip. We head out from the mouth of the Santa Cruz harbor toward the kelp beds of the famous surf break, Pleasure Point. Along the way we'll spot dolphins and porpoises as they frolic in the bay and when we reach the kelp beds we'll spy the shy seals and furry sea otters. From the Pleasure Point surf break we'll be able to see the stunning coast of Capitola, the Cement Ship and the cliffs beyond. On our paddle back to the harbor the new harbor lighthouse will be our beacon. Join us for a thrilling adventure! $50.

Paddle to Natural Bridges

Paddle from the harbor to Natural Bridges State Park and back. This is about an 8-mile paddle that will take you through kelp beds near Seal Rock and the rugged, open ocean coast of West Cliff. We can watch the surfers and the seals as they play in the ocean. Paddling back will be easy with the winds at our back, and the following seas make the return trip a breeze. Again we recommend doubles if this is your first paddle of this length. This trip requires more knowledge and experience than the Capitola paddle, and is a good way to build strength, experience, and knowledge of sea kayaking. This tour requires paddling stamina and kayaking instruction. $50.

Intermediate Level Tours

Cement Ship Paddle

Paddle from the Santa Cruz harbor to the cement ship at Seacliff Beach. Experience the local coast from the water, paddling through kelp beds inhabited by sea otter and seals. Continue on past Pleasure Point, Shark's Point, and Capitola Beach. Stop for lunch at New Brighton beach, a favorite spot for dolphins. In the afternoon paddle back to the harbor for a full day of paddling fun. This trip is a little longer and will give you more experience landing and launching through the surf. Bring your own lunch and water. $60. (includes boats, equipment and guides).

Call for next date.

Advanced Level Tours

Kayak Connection to Kayak Connection

Monterey Bay Crossing

This is the ultimate open ocean crossing. It's long, isolated and can get rough. So why do it? "Why not?!" What a wonderful feeling it will be to finish. You have to do our paddle to Moss Landing and other long distance trips before you can join this crossing. $75. (includes boat, equipment, guide, lunch, and shuttle back to Santa Cruz).

Private Tours

How to Sign Up

Please call us at 831-479-1121 to sign up. We will send you a letter of confirmation with directions and other pertinent information.

If you would like to sign up for a tour, full payment is required at the time you make the reservation. We need 48 hours notice for a full refund, 24 hours to reschedule. A full refund is available if we have to cancel for safety reasons. Light rain or fog will not always cancel as long as the weather conditions remain calm. Paddling in these conditions can be some of the best wildlife viewing.

If we do not have more than 3 people for a tour or class, we reserve the right to postpone or cancel.

Tour Confirmation Forms

[an error occurred while processing this directive]