No Place Like Home: Central Coast Kayaks

Posted: Aug 19, 2010 8:35 PM by Jeanette Trompeter
Updated: Aug 20, 2010 9:20 AM

You can just rent the kayaks and explore on your own. But I highly recommend the tour for your first trip out. The aquatic expertise of your guides will ensure you get the most our of your adventure. Owner Paul Schiro wants to make sure anyone who takes a tour sees as much as possible. "The sea caves, the rock grottoes, the kelp forests, all the wildlife..." he says. "There's been times we've paddled out there with whales and dolphins and all sorts of stuff."

Part of the tour is an education on the wildlife of the area. And there's nothing that peak an interest in a species, like getting a good look at them in their natural habitat. You'll learn about the species you see on the rocks, and in the water and how the kelp beds serve as a protective carpet of sorts for the marine life below.

The education turns into an adventure when you learn how currents, tides and swells can effect your exploration. The trip can be as lay back or as aggressive as you feel inclined. But you'd be surprised how a little instruction, and time on the water makes adventurers out of just about everyone.

Teddy Larew is hooked. When I went through Thunderdome...you go inside there and yell something and it echoes. It's pretty cool. "I want to go through all the waves, I want to hit all the caves, I want to go through again!"

"That's my greatest thrill." says guide Justin Jewell. When I see someone come in with a ton of anxiety, apprehension, and being able to communicate with them, and then seeing their smiles, when they come in. That makes my day. I love my job. It's a great bonding experience for couples, families and getting their whole family out is something special to me and I like seeing their faces when they come back in. It brings a smile to everyone's face."

Schiro agrees. "People come and do this...they're wet, tired happy. They're exhausted and smiling and we make a living off of it, so it's a wonderful wonderful thing."

No worries if you've never tried something like this before.
"I think the oldest person we've had kayaking is 93 years old, and we cater to anyone 12 and over. So...." says Schiro.

They've gotcha covered with all you need to explore the magic of what lies beyond the beaches of the central coast. And it's all in own backyard. Another reason, there's no place like home.