Monterey Bay Kayaks — Local services in Watsonville Water Treatment Plant

Lots of wildlife on the Elkhorn Slough!

My husband and I rented paddle boards here on the 4th of July and had a great time! The staff is friendly and the set up is well-designed to get you geared up and out on the water in little time (there is a mini-course that you need to take to learn how to safely interact with the wildlife, etc before you leave - think it was happening every half hour).

We went in the morning (about 9:30) to avoid the crowds and the traffic on Highway 1. You need to take a little extra cash (think it was $8) to park in the area just outside the rental office. The rental office has a shop where you can pick up items (like sunglasses of sunscreen) if needed. There are clean restrooms in the office as well. Wetsuits and lifejackets are all available there and there's an area for changing/ leaving a few items in baskets while you go out on the water.

We estimate that we saw about 30 otters during our time on the water. Many were sleeping or feeding, including a mother with her pup. Lots of seals and birds as well. You will be sharing the slough with lots of kayaks and some motorized tour boats, but speeds of the craft were slow enough that there was only a gentle wake to manage as other craft passed by.

Special thank to Rob who helped us pick out our boards and gave us a refresher on proper form which really helps you be the most efficient on the water. The tide was coming in and this was coupled with winds coming off the bay which made going into the slough very easy and returning more challenging, especially as you pass under the bridge, which forms a bottleneck with stronger currents. Rob helped us plan our trip into the slough and back so that we could minimize our exposure to the wind and currents by hugging the southern shore. We arrived back deliciously tired (but not exhausted) and inspired by all the wildlife we got to see.

Thanks a million for a fantastic experience and we will...

Monterey Bay Kayakers - Moss Landing location was a huge disappointment. I have rented from many places with far better customer service. First they tell you must kayak with bare feet. The concrete walking from the rental place down to the water is very rough (they could have laid mats on the ground so it wouldn't be so hard on their customer's feet). You would think they would let you wear your flip flops. 95% of people had bare feet, a few oppose this rule and wore their flip flops.

The staff isn't professional and lack customer service skills big time. You get down to the beach area, there isn't staff available to rest the kayaks on the shore or to assist you into the kayak. The customers are dragging their kayaks from the beach to the water. In my case, I objected so the orientation guide dragged my kayak for me to the water edge.

The staff could care a less if you complain, they act as if you are the person with the problem. When I verbally expressed my dissatisfaction, the older man said I am sorry you feel that way and the mid 20s lady stated I could have brought my flip flops, in other words go against their rules. Never ever again!

The beach was soggy muddy, I ended up with mud all over their protective pants (comes with the rental).

Due to my poor kayaking experience (mud from the beach into the kayak), and staff that lack customer service skills I will not be going back. We all have choices on where we spend our money - little does the staff know we are paying their salaries.

Rent from the kayak place at the yacht club next door. You will have a better experience. The slough is beautiful with otters, seals...

Kayaking is one of my favorite outdoor activities and I was so glad to have been able to book the Elkhorn Slough tour on my birthday weekend. Upon arriving I was good to go since I had signed my forms online. It was so nice to have the option of wearing their gear for no extra cost which kept me a little warmer and dry. I brought water shoes which they recommend on their site. Marley was our tour guide. It was nice there were only three of us and I've been kayaking many times but she still took the opportunity to go over all the basics. How to enter and exit the boat, how to paddle, what to look for, and what to avoid. She helped us all individually into the water as well. I love birds and there is no shortage of fun waterfowl around. Marley was very knowledgeable about the types of birds we saw and what they were up to and that made it fun. The sea otters were as adorable as you can possibly imagine, especially the moms floating around holding their babies. The sea lions were fun to see sun bathing as well. Every where I looked I'd have to stop and take a picture or video. The slough was truly full of beautiful nature. My tour was February 9 which was a surprisingly perfect time to be out there. I highly recommend this business and this tour. I cannot...