Greetings from Australia good folk, I’m taking a trip to to your fair land in September starting on the West Coast - LA, San Fran the usual tourist trip I guess and then onto the Great Lakes district, predominately around Flint.
Would anyone like to suggest a day trip, best patch to see in these areas with hire equipment available please.
Time of year and time constraints will preclude any over night trips unless of course it is a cracker - must see.
Any help in pointing me towards locations and hire equipment greatly appreciated. And if anyone would like details on Australia reach out and I’ll try an help.
Cheers and happy paddles. Trevor
For Northern California
Try Half Moon Bay/Princeton Harbor area for coastal trips and rentals (Calkayak.com).
Also, south of there you can do Elkhorn Slough which is just north of another good area, Monterey Bay. I don’t know the rentals there, but there are a number of them available.
Both areas are on your way north along the coast from LA to San Francisco.
If you don’t do those but do stay in San Francisco itself, look up kayak rentals out of Sausalito and Marin County, just north over the Golden Gate Bridge.
September in California…
– Last Updated: Apr-02-12 12:03 PM EST –
September in California is actually about the best time of the year, wheather-wise. Nothing about it being September would stop you from doing an overnight, if you wanted to.
For an overnight, I would suggest paddling Tomales Bay and camping on a beach. Tomales Bay is less than 2 hours north of San Francisco. Blue Waters Kayak can set you up with all the gear you would need.
Monterey Bay Kayaks and Kayak Connection are two rental companies for Elkhorn Slough (recommended by prior poster). Elkhorn Slough is a great paddle, and you will see lots of wildlife.
I don't think Half Moon Bay (also suggested by prior poster) is all that exciting to someone who paddles a lot.
Between LA and SF there is some nice paddling at Morro Bay and just south of there (Avila Beach & Seal Beach). Even further south of there are the Channel Islands - which would be awesome to paddle. can be done as a day trip, but a few days is even better.
not LA or.Flint!!!
Of all the places to.see why would you go to LA and Flint?
That’s like.going to Alice Springs!!
Day trips with hire equipment
Thanks Mate will look up your suggestions.
Flint, or Detroit Area
The best outfitter in the Detroit area is Riverside Kayak Connection. They can outfit you. Depending on your time availabilty there are litterally hundreds of mind blowing trips throughout the great lakes.
Riverside hosts many summer weeknight and weekend paddles and has a pretty interactive following. The Detroit River and where it hooks into Lake Erie offers lots of interesting scenery. The islands in the western basin of Lake Erie(South Bass, North Bass, Middle Bass and others) are worth a day trip and it’s an easy drive. Michigan itself has dozens of amazing rives and more shoreline you can paddle in a few summers. With the right skills and planning you can occupy yourself for an afternoon to weeks of spectacular paddling.
Every Great lake offers spectacular paddling. This is not complete list.
Superior has the Apostles, Pictured Rocks, Isle Royale, Keweenaw Peninsual, Grand Maris (Minn & Mich)Slate Islands, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Pukaskwa. Down Wind Sports Hosts a kayak symposium in Grand Marais, MI.
Georgian Bay has the French River Area, North channel, Mink & McCoy Islands, Parry Sound area, Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin Island, Kilarney, Tobermory Area and Fathom Five national Marine Park.
Lake Michigan has Sleeping Bear Dunes, North and South Manitou, Beaver Island, Mackinaw area, Little Traverse Bay, miles of shoreline from Indina to the tip. Door peninsula and the dunes area in Indiana.
Lake Huron has lots of shore, the tip of the thumb area and a couple of water trails. Riverside hosts a kayak symposium in Port Austin, MI.
Lake Erie has the Erie Islands many rivers - Maumee, Black, Portage, Vermilion, Grand Rivers, Presque Isle shoreline in Pennsylvania, shoreline all around Catawba Island, Point Pelee, Pelee Island, Toronto, etc. Our group hosts an informal gathering on South Bass Island every June, this year it is June 8-10 (South Bass Island Kayak Rendezvous)
PM me if you have any more questions or want to hook up with local paddling community an hour south of Detroit.
Emanoh