Tim Kizirian - Drakes Estero Out-and-Back Paddle: Reliable Tidal Window in Point Reyes

Tim here again. If you paddle only one flat-water spot in Point Reyes, make it Drakes Estero—four narrow fingers of bay water that close to power boats after March 1 and stay blissfully quiet through summer. It’s a day trip you can drive from Chico, paddle, and return before bed.

Launch logistics

Put in at the Crown Road dirt lot. High-tide launch times vary, so check NOAA table “Drakes Entrance.” I aim for 1.5 hours before peak so the incoming tide carries me in and the ebb helps me out.

Gear rundown

14-foot touring kayak, skirt, PFD, 2 liters water, dry bag with shell and sandwich. No fancy fish-finder or sail; wind is unpredictable past noon.

Route

I paddle two miles up the Home Bay finger, hugging southern shore to watch bat rays in four-foot water. Harbor seals loaf on mudflats; maintain the mandated 100-yard buffer. At the narrow top I beach on a shelly bar, eat half the sandwich, and note tide slack in my logbook. Total paddle time upriver: 45 minutes.

Return

Ebb tide meets me mid-channel, halving effort. I steer to windward if afternoon breezes kick. Back at launch around three hours total, including break.

Stewardship

Shell middens near the upper flats are protected archaeology. Land only on non-midden bars—look for clean sand. I learned the difference on an NPS ranger talk; post it here so you skip the citation I once almost earned.

Why flat water?

Not every outing must test white-cap skills. A mellow estuary paddle trains stroke efficiency and navigation on tide tables. For inland paddlers like me, it scratches salt-water itch without surf risk.

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