Kayaking Tomales Bay — Rentals and Tours from Point Reyes and Inverness
Tomales Bay is one of the calmest paddle spots in the Bay Area. Blue Waters Kayaking runs rentals and tours from Point Reyes Station and Heart's Desire Beach in Inverness. Sea Trek in Sausalito leads bioluminescence paddles on summer nights. Drakes Estero closes to boats March through June for harbor seal pupping.
Tomales Bay is sheltered from ocean swell by the Point Reyes peninsula, which makes it one of the calmest paddle spots in the Bay Area. Blue Waters Kayaking has been running rentals and guided tours out here since 1992, with their headquarters in Point Reyes Station and weekend rentals at Heart's Desire Beach in Tomales Bay State Park. Sea Trek in Sausalito leads bioluminescence paddles on Tomales Bay during summer and fall. One thing to know before you plan: Drakes Estero closes to boats from March 1 through June 30 for harbor seal pupping. The NPS posts closure details on their site.
Point Reyes Station
Blue Waters Kayaking
Take-away rentals from their Point Reyes Station headquarters run seven days a week, starting at $35 an hour for a single kayak. Heart's Desire Beach rentals are Saturdays and Sundays. Guided tours include the Heart's Desire Tour, Tomales Point Exploration, and bioluminescence paddles in summer and fall.
Inverness
Heart's Desire Beach
Inside Tomales Bay State Park, about 20 minutes from Point Reyes Station. Blue Waters sets up here on weekends. Calm water, white sand, granite cliffs — you paddle out and the Inverness Ridge rises behind you.
Sausalito
Sea Trek
Rentals and tours on Richardson Bay from their Sausalito location at the Bay Model. They also run bioluminescence tours on Tomales Bay during summer and fall, paddling out at dusk.