Kayak Connection — Local services in Watsonville Water Treatment Plant

Update January 2025: This time I brought my husband and we had an equally fantastic time to my experience with my college aged kid in the summer of 2023. We had Andy for our 2 hour sunrise kayak tour and she was amazing. She was incredibly knowledgeable, funny, and nice. It was $200 (plus tip which was not required but I highly recommend) for the private tour with each of us having our own kayaks. We chose the sit inside kayaks with the spray skirts and despite being somewhat awkward to get out of, they were highly maneuverable and easy to use. We started at 7 AM (winter) and like last time, didn't see any boats with motors until we were heading back to the dock at 9 AM.

I didn't bring a dry bag this time but kept my phone in my pocket to be able to take out periodically to take photos and videos. My husband brought his GoPro and got some really good shots.

Since we were in the sit inside kayak, we didn't need special pants; the spray skirt protected us. They provided the life jackets. I wore boots, boot socks, yoga pants, long sleeve shirt, a knit hat, and a rain jacket from REI and I was pretty comfortable. My hands did get a bit chilly but they were fine.

This is a great experience and I can't recommend this outfit highly enough.

July 2023 I was so focused on enjoying the experience I didn’t take any pictures. Our guide Cam was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in sharing his love of the water and wildlife.

We did a 5:30 am, 3 hour private tour on a Wednesday. It was so peaceful and we saw sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, and lots of birds. I thought 3 hours would be too much but it was perfect. We would paddle and then stop and observe the wildlife.

My 18 year old and I shared a 2 person kayak and were very comfortable in the pants and life jackets provided to us. We wore our own rain jackets under the life vests.

We’d completed the forms before we arrived and handed them to Cam making it that much easier to get started. Cam had gotten the kayaks ready for us so we were in the water within 10 minutes of arrival.

We both wore hats but didn’t really need them that early in the morning. I brought a small dry bag that I clipped into the kayak with a borrowed carabiner to not lose my phone.

Next time I’ll bring a waterproof camera so I can take pictures.

The harbor seals were playful and came so close to us despite us wanting to give them distance for their protection.

The birds were spectacular in both their behavior and quantity.

We didn’t see anyone else until about 7:45 am which was amazing.

I’ll be bringing my husband back to...

Apr.12, 2018 - I'd heard great things, but the entire Elkhorn Slough kayaking experience exceeded expectations! With Larry's (Kayak Connection) caring & knowledgeable assistance we picked an optimal departure time (tide/wind) & decided on kayaks (one-person sit-ins). After a short safety video, we met Amber in the equipment area. She was great, getting us set-up w/ pants, parka, paddle & vest. She & Larry explained the map & routes to us, then walked us to the dock to select kayaks. Mine was fine, but my 6'-2" companion's was too short for comfort and Larry swapped it for one that did fit. He also took our picture (attached)! :) They kayaks were stable and easy to maneuver. After only a short paddle from the docks, we started seeing sea otters! We saw them in groups of up to 30(?) -- mostly laying on their backs & snoozing, grooming, or eating. Knowing that, not long ago, only 50 of them were left, added to the special & happy experience! We also saw lots of seals, a few noisy sea lions & a myriad of birds. The many Brandt's Cormorants on the old wooden pilings & marina sign seemed to be brooding and the males displayed their blue necks. Overall, it was a top life experience! 5/8/18 edit - A bit embarrassed to admit this, but when going through my photos, I saw that I had somehow missed a WHALE between me & the otters! I've posted...

LOVE Elkhorn Slough! It's a beautiful spot, and you do see LOTS of Otters, Birds, and even Seals, which is very cool. I like that even though it's near the open ocean, it's protected from it by the Moss Landing inlet. I could do without the power station on the left-hand bank of Elkhorn Slough, but this being CA, and overpopulated, we must keep up with power demands right? Kayak Connection is a great place to rent a Kayak from, and the staff is friendly and helpful. The paddle I took through the Slough was lovely with lots of Otter-watching, and the only other negative attribute is that you can't really take-out anywhere EXCEPT one spot at Kirby Park, which I understand is currently closed right now due to road damage -- GREAT! 😜 Other than that, the other reason I want to come back is to master the turn right after going under the bridge returning to the Marina where I got caught in the cross-current coming in from the Ocean and had to fight to get back. It was a good lesson, so I want to return to completely master it this time. Overall, a REALLY lovely place that I enjoy visiting...