Imagine paddling by a silvery moon
as the skylines of San Francisco twinkles around
you. Such a kayaking outing is one of the most memorable
paddles you’ll ever experience. Or
you can paddle up the
gentle waters of the Oakland Estuary toward the
marshes of San Leandro Bay, where you are treated to
views of harbor seals, herons and a host
of shorebirds.
With the gateway to the coast on one side and
California's wine country on the other, San
Francisco Bay is an extraordinary kayaking
destination. The bay offers year-round kayaking and
fishing opportunities, but the bay is most popular
in the summer. The quiet spring, fall, and winter
seasons offer a slower pace to satisfy paddlers who
yearn for a more peaceful atmosphere.
San Francisco Bay is a part of the San Francisco
Bay estuary system, which includes San Pablo Bay and
Suisun Bay, the Carquinez Strait, the tidal marshes
surrounding these waters, and river tributaries.
The San Francisco Bay estuary consists of 480
square miles and 12 islands. There are two separate
areas: the northern, which passes south and westward
from the Delta through Suisun and San Pablo Bays,
and the southern (also called the South Bay) which
extends southeastward toward San Jose. These two
areas join in the Central Bay near the Golden Gate
Bridge and flow out to the Pacific Ocean.
Northern, western and southern traffic sea lanes
converge halfway inside the gulf toward San
Francisco on the San Francisco precautionary area 11
miles off shore. From this point, the main channel
flows shoreward through four sets of buoys to the
Golden Gate. The channel divides the immense
horseshoe shallows surrounding the gate into the
wide South Bar and the northern Four Fathom Bank,
atop which rests the Potatopatch Shoal. Navigating
in this area requires the utmost caution, as the
seas will often vary with the weather, tides, and
seasons, and may become impassible for kayak
ers
Halibut fishing in central San
Francisco Bay is improving on the slower tides.
Rockfish and sturgeon are also taken here. Fish the
outgoing tide for halibut around Red Rock, and hit
the rocks for reds and blues and lings in the
afternoon.
The water is cold, and prolonged exposure can be
fatal if you capsize.. The wise kayaker will always
check the weather conditions before getting under
way.
The entire bay is relatively shallow, with
narrow, deep channels near the Golden Gate and
Carquinez Strait which tend to be maintained by
tidal currents. These tidal currents are swift and
should be treated with respect. Under spring or
storm tidal conditions, the current can be dangerous
to kayakers.
Average Temp |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
High |
58 |
61 |
62 |
65 |
65 |
68 |
68 |
69 |
71 |
70 |
64 |
59 |
Low |
46 |
49 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
53 |
54 |
56 |
56 |
55 |
51 |
47 |
Open: Kayaking is allowed twenty-four hours a day
with running lights at night, year-r
ound, seven days
a week.
Fees: Free and pay parking lots.