Guess I am the Goldilocks of kayaking . . . constantly testing out this boat and that and being hopeful that eventually I will find one that will be “JUST RIGHT.”

When will I find the boat that is just right for me? Statistics say that the average height for US women is 5’3″ to 5’4″. So at 5’4.5″ why do I have so much difficulty finding a kayak that fits? Especially in the realm of whitewater kayaks. Sea kayaks by nature are narrower and manufacturers have started working on low volume designs that are more friendly smaller adults.

I just deleted a whole rant about whitewater kayaks but will save that for another day. Currently there is an Eskimo Kendo Starlight sitting in our boatbarn that Goldilocks thinks is going to be “JUST RIGHT.”

Ah . . . the maiden voyage of Big Red. Today we launched Big Red from the Noyo Beach. She is a Wilderness Systems Northstar – tandem sea kayak. This is the 6th of our brand new, specially made for us kayaks and she is a shiny beauty. So how did she do? GREAT!!!

The Mendocino Coast is an amazing place to sea kayak with exposed rocky reefs, sea caves, rock gardens, beautiful intertidal life, interesting marine mammals, and pelagic birds; however, it is not always the most kayaker friendly area. We paddle the Mendocino Coast all the time and use our local knowledge and paddling expertise to guide others. We have found the Wilderness Systems Northstar to be one of the most stable yet maneuverable tandem sea kayaks available for kayaking the Mendocino Coast. It is user friendly for beginners and performs well for experienced paddlers and the outfitting is very comfortable.

Here are a few photos of Big Red’s maiden voyage. The top one is her at sea with the lost coast in the back ground. The next is Big Red exiting the Sinkhole sea cave followed by Big Red in the maze. Finally Big Red lands on Naked Beach followed by her older sister the Mango Tango.

The wind has been howling on the Mendocino Coast but we’ve found a peaceful paddling refuge on the Noyo River. At times we bemoan the wind for interfering with our plans of whale watching, surfing, and coastal paddling; but we also appreciate it in the bigger scheme of things. The winds are essential this time of the year for upwelling nutrients in the ocean and are great for drying out our favorite mountain biking trails. They also have given us reason to kayak on the Noyo River more.

The Noyo River is beautiful in spring. It’s beauty extends beyond greenery and blooms to the sounds of song birds and the ethereal feeling of spring. A perfectly timed paddle with the tide and the efficiency of our sea kayaks make the experience effortless and dream-like.

Of course we enjoy being entertained by the wildlife. Curious harbor seals follow us about and we are still regularly seeing “Cate’s Odd Duck” (a lone harlequin duck). The osprey have returned and have discovered that a large white goose has taken up residence in one of their prominent nests. We are curious to see how long this situation remains.

While I have not been successful in my goal this spring of videoing whales from my kayak, I happened to catch a river otter scampering on the bank with my camera. As the winds continue, I hope to capture some more footage of our wildlife on the Noyo River. Wow, I can’t help but think how lucky I am to have all of this in my backyard and to be able to share it with others.

Put me back in the water. I have had too many Cate vs asphalt encounters in my life to enjoy antics such as sea kayaking down the street. Some how the guys convinced me that I should be the test dummy for this little project. Yes, I was wearing my helmet.

On Saturday we had a great coastal exploration of the rugged Fort Bragg Coastline. Rain was in the forecast for the Mendocino Coast and the skies were a bit gray, but the tide was high and the ocean was calm and beautiful. We had the pleasure of sharing the calm before the storm with a family from Santa Rosa.

We got to explore some of the “inside” passages along the Fort Bragg Coastline that are only accessible to kayaks and only on certain tides. Two of the photos here are of one of my favorite spots which we call the “maze.” I paddle this area a lot and each time continue to be awed by these awesome geological features. As we watch a blowhole, I marvel at the handiwork of the ocean in carving this beautiful coast.

We are thrilled to see the return of the Pigeon Guillemots to the Mendocino Coast. At first we hear their high pitched wheezy whistle and then start seeing them in the water and flying to their nests. We are careful to give their nesting areas a wide berth. They too are fans of the rugged Mendocino Coast as they like to nest in the sea caves, arches, and nooks that the ocean has carved into the rocks.

After a meander through our coastal rocks and checking out some oyster catchers, we ventured out to sea to look for whales. We love our tandem sea kayaks because they are so stable and fast that we can easily guide novices out into the ocean. The sun poked out, and we were all quite warm as we paddled about a mile off shore to look for whales.

The whales were not particularly cooperative with our mission to see them. Sighting three spouts were the extent of our whale watching; however, we got to see some murres and had a great viewing of the colony of California Sea Lions that hangs out near and on the Noyo’s bell and whistle buoys.

Our return to the Noyo Beach was easy as the wind and swells carried us along. With our coaching, our novice kayakers were able to surf a couple of the swells which is an exhilarating feeling. As we returned to Noyo Beach, we were greeted by some friendly dogs who were enjoying another beautiful day on the Mendocino Coast.

Attention all marine mammal fans. We are having another spectacular whale migration. The past 2 days in Fort Bragg have been sunny and warm with calm wind conditions which makes for ideal whale watching. We were scouting the surf from the headlands yesterday and saw half a dozen spouts within a mile from shore. We were on a surfing mission with our surf kayaks so no kayak whale watching, but now I am on a mission to get some video footage of the whales from a kayak. Each time that I have been out whale watching in my kayak, I have been too enthralled with the experience to pick up my camera. Which is saying something as I am quite a bit of a shutterbug.

Come paddle with us to SEA the Whales or watch for my next posting to see if I got my video.

Just finished reading the article from Newsweek titled “Why We Need More Time in Nature.”

I couldn’t agree more and reading the comments posted indicated that many agree.

Even more interesting would be research on why many of us feel such a draw and connection to water. Perhaps it is because our bodies are over 70% water or maybe that our planet is mostly made up of water and our lives depend so greatly upon it.

Regardless, my recommendation is to get out there and enjoy it.

Since starting my blog, I have been scanning the internet for ways to find other kayaking blogs. Many of the different manufacturers have blogs that you can access from their website, but a recent posting on paddling.net alerted me to paddlingplanet.com. If you are interested in all things sea kayaking and the most comprehensive listing of paddling blogs, be sure to check it out. As I am in the hunt for a second digital waterproof camera, another blog that I recently found was paddling with a camera.

I am continuing to research paddling websites on the internet and am impressed by the activity in many of the paddling community forums. Paddling.net definitely appears to be one of the most diverse and popular. Being a California Whitewater Boater, I of course find Boof to be entertaining and useful. Kayak Mind is a smaller but growing online paddling community with a very visually appealing layout. I first got interested in Kayak Mind when I found out it was how the Boater Chick Festival got started.

YouTube continues to be a big source of paddling entertainment. One of my favorite YouTube videos was The Cold Edge: Winter Sea Kayaking in Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska. We have been inspired by the video world and have recently posted 2 videos of our paddling here on the Mendocino Coast – Rock Gardening on the Mendocino Coast and Sea Kayaking on the Mendocino Coast.

There is so much information on the web, but here are a few of the most interesting and useful resources that I have found. Please feel free to share with me what you have found interesting or useful and I will continue to review and post them. But for now, I am off for a paddle.

I am Woman . . . hear me ROAR!!!

I am a Woman of Water who plays in and on the water as much as possible and wants to share my experiences in this world of water with others.

Exploring and playing on the water in a kayak is my current passion, but I am interested in all things to do with water and the sea.

Share with me the adventure of being a Woman on Water.