Bioluminescent Kayaking Adventure

Bioluminescent Kayaking is one of the coolest things I have ever done. Our guide started the trip by saying this is something everyone should experience at least once in their life and I agree 100%. Kayaking under a dense sky of stars was a beautiful experience in and of itself. Add a psychedelic sea of glowing water beneath you and you're in for a treat. I loved watching the fish dart beneath my boat like shooting stars. So cool!

A couple times in your life, you'll see or experience something that you consider to be one of the top most amazing things you've seen ever. This is one of those times. We set out in our ingeniously water-sealed kayaks into Tomales bay as fog floated lightly over the water, giving it a shimmery, silver look. Hog island stood eerily out in the distance with all sorts of bird species nesting on bare branches and making some really strange noises. On the way to Point Reyes, we saw abundant wildlife - river otters, pelicans, HUGE jellyfish (we jumped on the dead ones), and more! We got off our kayaks to have some tasty regional treats and some hot drinks (much needed on the cold water) as we waited for the sun to go down. After it got dark, we excitedly splashed in and out of the water seeing the bioluminescence light up as the waves gently hit the shore. Back in our kayaks, we could see fish darting about the water like shooting stars as the dinoflagellates lit up around them. Paddling was like dipping into a magical pool as the water sparkled upon contact. You could even cup some water into your hands and watch the dinoflagellates flicker for a second before going dark. This is also an incredible star-gazing opportunity since the Milky Way is right above the bay with very little light pollution - I hadn't seen stars that bring since being in the Andes Mountains in Peru in the middle of nowhere. Super awesome... this is one of those priceless things that should go on everyone's bucket list. Next stop: Puerto Rico. ;)

Bioluminescent kayaking is the first time I've ever LOVED fog before. On the first half of our journey, we kayaked across Tomales Bay through thicker fog, which was actually really cool, because you kind of felt like you were in a bubble the whole time because the atmosphere is opaque. We couldn't see the wildlife as well as on a clear night, but we could hear it and see it some. It was eery and beautiful and you could just see the shapes of the islands as we neared, until they came into full view. The whole paddle there felt like a cross between a mystical adventure conjuring up images of Scotland, and a scary movie which was funny and fun and we had a great group laughing and making jokes. When we landed on the beach at Hog Island, it was just starting to get dark. The guides set up tables and we had hot cocoa and brownies, cookies, fruit cobbler bars, chocolate croissants and almond croissants TO DIE FOR from a local bakery in Point Reyes. After our dessert picnic on the beach, it was dark and someone shouted that the bioluminescence had begun. I still had NO IDEA what that meant. I ran over to the water... which looked normal to me... until my friend ran into it and started moving around. HOLY COW. It's like GLOW IN THE DARK WATER. When you move, the water glows for a few seconds where the movement occurred. If you swirl it in circles, there's a glowing circle in the otherwise "black" water. If you send a spray of water in the air, it glitters across the sky and sparkles when it lands back on the water again. If you run your hand through the water, it glows all around it, and when you lift your hand back out, it glitters like a brilliant night sky during a meteor shower. I felt giddy and ridiculous the whole time just staring at my hand being like OMG IT'S GLITTERING! Fish swim by in beautiful glowing streams that look like comets and moon beams. It's INCREDIBLE. INSANE. MAGICAL. Le sigh. The fog was so thick (the thicker the better for this kind of thing), the bioluminescence lasted ALL the way back to shore. It usually stops about halfway back because of light pollution. I don't recommend this trip, I think it's mandatory for anyone who wants adventure, beauty and magic for an evening.

If you're even remotely considering this, sign up immediately. You will not regret it. It's even more beautiful, serene, awe-inspiring, and breathtaking than you're imagining. The guides are super knowledgable and friendly. I'd never been kayaking before and I had an absolute blast. We were lucky enough to go on a clear moonless night and the contrast between the vast, starry cosmos above and the glittering lights from the plankton below was almost absurd in it's picturesque beauty. Basically, nature was just showing off. But I loved every minute of it. Also, there were sea lions. And a tree filled with birds. And hot chocolate.

If you like shiny things, you'll love this. What could be better than paddling in a kayak and watching every ripple and disturbance of the water create glowing pixie dust!? It really is an unforgettable moment the first time you splash around in the water and just see the water sparkle. And lets not forget the sea otters and glowing fish that you will get to see on the adventure! And better yet, if you are lucky (we were!) you will even get to experience a clear night sky filled with stars where you can gaze at the many constellations above you as you paddle through the water. Well what are you waiting for?