Kayaks, Sea Lions, and Seals, Oh My!

One of the first things we wanted to do as a family was learn how to kayak. We found Bodega Bay Kayak provided everything needed for beginners: kayak rentals, lifejackets and a hysterically entertaining onshore clinic by owner/comedian Bob Miller. Bob is a seasoned pro and his humor helps ease the fears of anyone who might feel a little apprehensive. We went out in Bodega Harbor which, compared to the Bay, has calm waters, isn’t as cold, and is quite shallow in some areas depending on the tide.

My husband and Daughter #2 are very sporty so we knew it would be a piece of cake for them. Daughter #1 and I are definitely not athletic so I wasn’t sure how we’d do. But guess what, kayaking is awesome! You simply glide effortlessly across the smooth water and you feel weightless. It can be silent, still and serene, or you can row like crazy for a major cardio-workout. We loved it all, we were hooked!


Last summer we had a wonderful multi-generational family reunion out here and we all went kayaking in the harbor together. We saw tons of gorgeous shore birds, pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, coots, ducks, and some others I couldn’t identify.


We also saw up to half a dozen harbor seals. They were all around and often swam up close to our kayaks. Legally I think we’re supposed to keep 50 yards away from marine mammals, but nobody told THEM that. They were gentle and friendly, and would swim quietly along looking at us for a while, then pop back under the water only to reappear someplace else a few moments later. They had smooth, sleek coats of gray or brown with dark spots.

There are also some big sea lions that hang out by the piers along The Tides Restaurant and Lucas Wharf. You can tell seals and sea lions apart because seals have little slits for ears and sea lions have ears that stick out. From what we’ve seen, the sea lions are also about twice the size of seals. And sea lions bark but seals don’t.

On one kayak outing, we saw some commercial fishermen throwing batches of leftover fish parts into the water near a group of sea lions. You would not believe the feeding frenzy that ensued right before our eyes. The sea lions were leaping out of the water grabbing for the meat in mid-air, thrashing, crashing into each other, and splashing all over the place. Seagulls appeared out of nowhere, swooping down to catch little pieces that were flying out of the sea lions’ mouths, while still maintaining a safe distance from the gnashing teeth. At the end of this spectacle, one fisherman leaned way out over the water to hold out a big slab of fish and a sea lion jumped clear up out of the water to grab it, just like at Marine World or something. I tell ya, you never know what you’re going to encounter on a kayaking adventure in Bodega Harbor.

Clam Chowder Day in Bodega Bay!

Yippee, the 6th annual free clam chowder contest is coming up again in Bodega Bay on Sat., Feb, 7, 2009, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. It's a blast, you've gotta come!

Unfortunately our daughter won't be serving the samples at Bluewater Bistro this year, we'll miss her. Maybe she can come for the weekend and join us as a taster?

Last year we came out with a group of friends for this event. I remember wishing we already had our Bodega Bay home so we could invite them all over after the chowder tastings to enjoy a glass of wine on the deck (it was sunny and warm) or by the fire if it had been cold. "Hopefully next year," we said.

Well it's "next year" now and we're here! We really have a home in Bodega Bay and can offer hospitality to our friends. "Here" just isn't exactly where we thought it would be... :-)

Go to the Sonoma Coast Visitor Center, 850 Highway One, next to the gas station, and pick up a map to the participating restaurants; follow the map and sample! Bring the map back to Visitor Center with votes for your favorites and receive a gift pack of coupons from the merchants in the area.

We Have Bobcats!

A neighbor told us there are at least three bobcats that live down in the ravine but we’ve only seen one at a time. Last fall, a real skinny bobcat used to walk through our yard regularly on his way to the meadow behind us. Once he came right past our front door, slowly sauntering with his head bobbing gently from side to side, checking out the scene. I watched from the window, maybe five feet away. He was much larger than a housecat and had huge feet. He was a little scrawny, his tan, spotted fur was scuffed and scarred, and looked as though he’d had a tough life. His big ears were tufted in black and of course he had the telltale bobbed tail. He walked with his mouth partly open, similar to domestic cats when they’re flehming. “Flehming” is when they draw air into their mouths so that the "jacobson's organ" at the roof of its mouth can send signals to the brain regarding the scent of an object. I guess bobcats do that too.

In September, there were some mountain lion sightings in our area and the bobcats disappeared. The mountain lion was spotted on the golf course, near some homes and on some hiking trails. Bobcats are one thing but an encounter with a mountain lion can be very dangerous. I stopped going for walks alone and was extra-cautious when taking the dogs out to do their business on leashes. After a month or so, the deer began reappearing in the neighborhood and the park ranger said that’s usually a sign the mountain lion has moved on.

Recently we've been seeing a beautiful, well-fed bobcat hanging around our area. He too strolls through our yard out to the meadow in back. I don’t think he’s the same cat from last fall. This guy looks much healthier and plumped up, and his coat is a gorgeous orange-tan with dark spots. He’s a real beauty, his white ears are tufted in black and his bobbed tail has a funny curve. Not sure if it’s a congenital defect or the result of an injury.

I’ve learned that our local bobcats basically ignore humans as long as you give them plenty of space (we’ve photographed them many times from a distance). They are often hidden in the tall grasses of the meadows starring intently down gopher holes waiting patiently for a meal, while hikers unknowingly walk right past.

A neighbor told me that one day while walking along the paved road, he heard a rustle in a bush not more than a few feet away. He looked down just in time to see a bobcat emerge with a small rabbit in its mouth. The bobcat glanced briefly at our neighbor and then trotted away to sit in the field and enjoy his catch. Boy, was that a close encounter with nature!

Living in Paradise

Life at the coast is a blast! We’re surrounded by spectacular scenery and close encounters with nature. So far we’ve seen mule deer, jack rabbits, hawks, pelicans, seagulls, quail and a long-tailed weasel. We have the ocean and the beach and of course amazing sunsets!

Aerial Map of Bodega Bay

Our first purchase for our new home was this huge 36x36 aerial photo of Bodega Bay. Yes it was beautiful and dramatic, but it also helped orient us in our new surroundings. We originally saw this image on the wall in Vacation Rentals USA here in town and they directed us to The Map Store in Windsor. It’s fairly current, the image was shot in March 2004.

I Love Bodega Bay!

This is like living in heaven on earth. It feels good, it smells great, and it’s gorgeous. And everyone is so friendly. It was such a thrill to have Mary Cook at the post office hand over my new P.O. box keys and say “Welcome to Bodega Bay!”

On my way home from the post office, I didn’t get any further than the view across the street. Looking out over Bodega Harbor, I was floored by a spectacular show of kite boarders racing across the water, doing tricks and flipping in the air! I was in awe. I pulled over to watch the show, drink it all in, and thank my lucky stars.

Landing in Bodega Bay

I feel like we sort of crash-landed in Bodega Bay last spring and we’re still in a stage of recovery. We have a beautiful lot here and had been planning to build a house for nearly two years. Our youngest daughter was graduating from high school in June 2008 and it seemed the perfect time to fulfill a life-long dream of moving to the coast. We were consumed with the process of working with architects, engineers, contractors, the county, mortgage brokers, realtors, and financial consultants, painstakingly planning every single detail of the new house. Our new family home was coming to life, we walked through it daily in our minds, visualizing our new routines, imagining where we’d place all of our family’s cherished furnishings and personal belongings.

Everything was going smoothly. We got our building permits and were almost ready to break ground. We sold our family home in Petaluma and secured a temporary rental in Bodega Bay in which to live during construction, when suddenly it all began to fall apart. A series of red flags began popping up in alarming succession. The subprime mortgage mess was looking bigger than experts had initially predicted, real state values started dropping rather than stabilizing as expected, construction loans started going up, building costs weren’t coming in at the prices promised, and so on. We suddenly realized we had to pull the plug and reevaluate everything.

So here we are and not sure what our next step will be. The place where we're living is lovely, it’s really perfect for our family and work. But I’m still adjusting to the fact that it’s not at all where we thought we’d be right now. We’re grateful we got out when we did, thankful we didn’t lose our home as so many others did last year. So for now we'll just sit tight, make peace with the situation, and see where this leads.