The PaddlerUK magazine September 2015 issue 4 | Page 70

PADDLERUK 70

Harbour seals

on the other hand are docile, curious and very quiet,
they will actually pop up behind your kayak and watch
you! Many a trip, I have turned around to look at
something, only to be shocked to see a large face with
dark eyes looking at me from six-feet back! There are
days when during the change in tide, I’ll be in the middle
of a ‘field’ of harbour seals all looking for fish and at
times, I can count as many as 12-14 heads popped up
out of the water all around me as they watch me pass.

From time to time, a pod of dolphin will come in the
golden gate bridge feeding. They usually stay
somewhat close to the bridge entrance, not venturing
too far into the bay. It’s always a treat to see them,
when they surface, they loudly expel air with force,
then inhale deeply before diving back underwater! At
times you can watch as they ‘zigzag’ or ‘crisscross’ and
then circle, in their planned attempt to herd a school
of fish together. It’s always a treat!
Last but not least and usually seen on every trip out, is
the small, black, harbour porpoise. They are shy and
elusive, about 5-6 feet long, but don’t mind getting in
quite close to the kayaks (we’re quiet). Most often they
are alone or in a pair, but I’ve seen groups as large as
10-14 feeding just outside the bridge in the main
shipping channel. It makes a trip such a rich experience
when one can see all these animals on one outing!

The bay has a total of 18 islands scattered throughout
the entire region, most are just rock outcroppings large
and small, but the three main islands that attract
kayakers are, Angel Island, Alcatraz and Yerba Buena
Island. Angel Island is my favourite. It offers many
beautiful protected coves to land on, where you can
have a lunch break or snooze. For the more
adventurous, you can hike up the trails onto the island
and explore its military history through many old army
buildings and fortifications. It even served as the ‘Ellis
Island’ of the West fo r quite some time. If you hike up
to the summit of the island, the view of the Golden
Gate Bridge and San Francisco is second to none!

Ayala Cove is also a great stop as it offers an
easy beach to haul out on, shady picnic benches,
bathrooms and even a café to get some hot
food. The cove has ferry boats coming and going
constantly, so one must be vigilant about staying
at a safe distance when transiting in or out.

Many local sailboats and small yachts tie up to
mooring balls in the cove during the summer
months and along with the tourists from the
ferries, it can get quite festive on the weekends.
It’s just a great place to spend a couple hours
relaxing and exploring.