Kayaking with the Otters
A few weeks ago now we made our first trip to REI – basically the California version of Mountain Equipment Co-op – and got an unexpected to-do list of adventures in the Bay Area from one of the employees there. First up was the Elkhorn Slough – a little waterway off the Pacific Ocean near Watsonville, CA about 1 1/2 hours down the coast from us in Cupertino.
The instructor started by showing us the 2-man kayaks that we would be set up in and I was stoked – the paddler in the backseat got to work a rudder with two footpedals to steer the boat! The little excursion down the slough wasn’t a strenuous workout but it was an awesome experience to paddle alongside otters and seals and see some beautiful scenery. The guide mentioned not to get too close to the otters because although they look cute, they are actually part of the weasel family and can be pretty vicious – hard to believe!
Below is a sampling of our trip, but the whole set is on Flickr.
Tag Team
Otter looks like he's waving - behind those cute little eyes is a mean streak
Funny Lookin' Pelican
Turns into a pteradactyl when he spreads his wings
Workin' the rudder
This seal had his eye on us - no eye contact!
The Seal Crew
Christen Post-paddle
Jesse Post-Paddle
See our Flickr slideshow of the Elkhorn Slough for more photos and larger sizes!
Categorized as Life
Very cool! I’ve always been afraid to kayak because they seem so tippy, so kuddos to you two!
I love the ferocious otter -it’s clear that it’s trying to maul you from there.