Nick's Cove on a Frosty Clear Morning, January 4, 2009

It was the Sunday after New Years, and the Point Reyes landscape was white with a thick layer of frost that morning.  We had a group of six participants, a Blue Waters guide, Colin Crispin.  I was along to chronicle and photograph.  And enjoy a morning of paddling, of course.

We launched at 10 am at the boat ramp at Miller Park.  It was an ebbing tide, with low at around 11:30.  The morning fog was lifting and the wind was absolutely still.  I could see rafts of birds scattered across the bay, and flocks of Brandt's geese were flying low over Hog Island, searching for foraging grounds.

The plan was to paddle over to Hog Island and then head north on the outgoing tide  through the tide channels and down to Tom's Point.  These channels are verdant with eel grass and are known to be rife with marine life and sea birds.  On the way to Hog Island at least 10 Harbor Seals popped up to greet us.  Passing Hog, only a few birds were roosting on the point.  Everybody was out eating.

We passed huge rafts of Buffleheads, mixed with a good number of Black and Surf Scoters.  The Brandt's Geese continues to pass overhead, going North to the mouth for low tidal forage.  Far in the distance, by Tom's Point, we could see White Pelicans on the water and on sand bars.  The air was so clear we could see them easily without binoculars, and their reflections on the glassy calm water created optical illusions -- from that distance they looked like sailboats.

So that became our goal -- visit the White Pelicans.  A leisurely paddle on the outgoing current, looking at birds the whole way, and we were there in about an hour.  We took our time and I got some good shots.  I had hoped to get a push back in with the tide change but the water stayed still.  We had a long way to paddle back to see the elk herd at White's Gulch and no help from the tide.  We got a little workout and made it back there in about 45 minutes,  took a well deserved break, got out the glasses,and viewed the elk peppering the hillside.  We got back to the ramp about 15 minutes late, but no one was perturbed.  We had had a stellar morning of paddling, seen some great wildlife, and all felt great!