Bucket list item: Bioluminescence Tomales Bay

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Activity: 4 hour night kayaking tour in bioluminescence Tomales Bay

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Website: Bioluminescence Kayaking

Description:  Bioluminescence is defined as:  "the biochemical emission of light by living organisms such as fireflies and deep sea fishes."  There is no easy way to describe the experience except to see it in person. In the meantime I can attest that it is by far one of the coolest things to see in nature. 

First, you arrive at the point of departure for the tour (bundle up!). There are only a few places in the world that have these bioluminescence tours so if you live in the bay area you have no excuse because there is one close by- Tomales Bay/Point Reyes. The other locations include Maldives and Puerto Rico. From pictures these locations are more spectacular because conditions lend themselves to brighter beaches full of bioluminescence, however I still recommend going to Point Reyes for this tour.

Once you arrive at the destination there is a safety and introductory section. Then you and your partner (kayaks are tandem) suit up in jackets, pants, and skirts (that go around the kayak to prevent water from coming in) and start the journey to the beaches. If you go from Point Reyes you will pass Hog Island. As you are kayaking it becomes very dark (this is standard as these tours only go during the summer and into Oct). After a few hours of kayaking, you arrive on a beach to take a break and learn about bioluminescence with some hot chocolate. Once the instructor has described the experience (ours said it would look like "fireworks, diamonds, or glitter!") you get back into the kayaks to go to the cove with the most activity. Once your paddles are in the water again, the area starts to glow. You can put your hand in the water to see it light up and make designs of your own.  There are even fish that swim around in bursts of light. I can not describe how incredibly beautiful and interesting it is to see this in action. 

Recommended: couples, groups of friends, outdoorsy people who are not afraid of the dark

 

Weekend getaway: Shasta Lake water sports adventure

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Activity: House boating on Lake Shasta

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Website: http://www.houseboating.org/Lake-Shasta-Houseboat-Prices

Cost:  $100 per person for the weekend, excluding food and activities

Description: A friend found a deal on houseboats through Travelzoo and we booked 4 total for a weekend in July. The link above includes other boats that are available to rent.

Accommodations: The boats were not luxurious, but it had all the necessary amenities. There were four bunk beds, two larger than the others and a pull out bed. There was a full kitchen with refrigerator, stove, coffee machine etc. Pre-planning our meals made it very easy to coordinate food supplies prior to arriving. We also brought speaks for music, electric pump for floaties, and plenty of trash bags/paper towels/bug repellant.  The nights were really warm during the summer so I recommend to pack light clothing and a light sleeping bag. 

There was plenty do to for one weekend: swimming, lounging on floaties, wake boarding, skiing, and playing games with friends. The wake boarding and water skiing was an additional cost, but relatively inexpensive. We rented a speed boat for the water sports and the docking station rented out the sports equipment for those that did not bring their own. 

Recommended:  Great trip for large groups of young friends. 

 

Sailing in Sausalito: Breezy like Sunday morning

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too cold for comfort :)

too cold for comfort :)

I was really looking forward to sailing from Sausalito around the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately, I did not chose the best day. I think i jinxed myself since it was an odd coincidence that the  first adventure not to go smoothly was also the first adventure on a Sundaze...All so suspicious.

I arrived early Sunday am ready for a nice day on the water with Bay Breeze Charters. Although, the company did warn about cold wind and potential rain, I did not think it would happen during the trip. The forecast looked gloomy with low chances of rain. Apparently, this was one of few days where the weather in SF was nicer than Sausalito- go figure!

We started the trip with mimosa, hot chocolates, tea, and blankets. I have to admit the view was beautiful as we sailed to the bridge. About 3/4 of the way through the trip to the furthest point it started to drizzle. Based on the video you can tell that it was also pretty windy. 

Once we got close to Alcatraz and the city we headed back. In total the tour was about 2.5 hours, 45 minutes of which was raining. I  can not fault the company for the inclement weather and they did emphasize to come prepared. However, I will say that the allure of a day on the seas is entirely dependent on the weather and to make sure to book at during peak season. 

  • Pros:
    • Nice view
    • Friendly crew
    • Punctual adevnture
  • Cons
    • Website booked far in advance 
    • Owner was unfriendly
    • Did not take calls for questions
    • highly dependent on good weather

Despite the mixed review for this trip, I am still optimistic that the next time will be much better!

Stay tuned.

Whale & Dolphin Watching in Monterey Bay

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Dophins

Whale watching is more exciting than it sounds! 

A weekend in February I traveled from SF to Monterey for a whale watching tour. I had anticipated an hour tour with 3 whales. I thought that would be a reasonable expectation.  Unfortunately, conditions are often unpredictable and no company can guarantee that you will see whales during your visit. That being said, there is a good chance that you will encounter sea animals in Monterey despite the time of year. Depending on the month and migration patterns you can expect that grey whales, blue whales, or killer whales.  For a schedule by month visit here. 

During the 2-3 hour tour we saw one whale breach and approximately 3 spouts from the water coming from whales under the surface. The wonderful surprise were the hundreds of dolphins. The pod chased the boat and jumped into the air. They also followed along very closely and appeared to be racing out boat. Although the video is not the best quality (due to excitement, rain, and turbulence) it gives a great pictures of the dolphins I saw during the journey. I could not believe how many I saw at once and how playful they were. 

I would highly recommend going through a local tour company, in particular I went with Monterey Whale Watch and had a great experience with highly educated guides. Don't forget to take a cash tip! Two thumbs up.

Until Next time. Stay Tuned.

Welcome to Miami. Bienvenido a Miami: Tips for a weekend getaway

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Long weekends are the best of times and the worst of times. The best is having that extra day that allows time to travel out of town for the weekend. The worst part is that extra day makes you (or at least me) overly ambitious as to all the things you can do. Somehow the time flies faster than a normal weekend where expectations are lower.

During MLK weekend (Jan 17th) my friends and I met in Miami. Although it was a quick trip, it was just what I needed- friends, fun, sun and some local activities. 

Below are a few things we did during the weekend. I can't wait to go back again and explore what the locals do. Email me any suggestions for the next trip!

Adventure:

Even a relaxing weekend was no excuse to pass on an adventure. I had the perfect plan in mind- JET SKI Rental. After calling no less than 10 companies, I settled on Jet Ski South Beach. I chose this company because they were the most flexible with their reservations and the friendliest on the phone. A few companies had better prices, but they were sold out earlier in the day. Jet Ski South Beach accommodated a last minute request, stayed open late, and let my friend and I share a jet ski for a reasonable price.  They also took us out pretty far so we could enjoy a view of South Beach on the way back. Two thumbs up!

Cocktail Hour:

  • The Villa by Barton G-  Italian Designer Gianni Versace's mansion was converted into a boutique hotel. They have an upscale bar, but be prepared to dress well!
  • Broken Shaker- Very cool atmosphere for a drink with some friends. They have a few bars throughout the venue all around tiki lights and a pool. 

Food:

  • Upscale:
    • The SLS Hotel has a great restaurant -the Baazar by Jose Andres. Favorite dishes included the scallops, beef, and of course the must have Foie Gras PB & J. :)
  • Casual Dining:
    • Sazon- delicious and inexpensive cuban cuisine. The chicken and rice was tasty and large. It was great to share if you want to try a few appetizers. 

Until Next Time. Stay tuned.

JETPACK!

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Be a superhero! Fly the Jetlev Jetpack! 30 feet in the air! Over 30 mph top speed! Walk on water! Submarine below the water's surface! Call Jetpack America at (888) 553-6471 to book your flight today or visit our website at JetpackAmerica[dot]com to purchase and schedule online.

Jet packing is one of the coolest SATURDAZE activities around! I first heard of jet-packing from a link my grandmother sent me. I was immediately hooked. For those of you that do not know what jet packing is I will try to explain. The jet-packer (in this case me) was strapped to a 30 lb. backpack. The pack is attached to a hose that propels the jet-packer in the air with water pressure. For the first time rider the jet ski or pod give you throttle. The better you do, the more throttle you can play with.  Eventually you can control your own pack.

The instruction prior to launch was to do very small movements that would then change the direction and height at which I was flying. At first it was very simple and I floated around with ease. As I started to overanalyze my movements became less subtle and I had a few crash landings. 

Some of the novice moves include dolphin (going in and our of the water), stairway to heaven (walking up the air) and superhero (arm in the air as you fly high).

The video music selection was supposed to be ironic or comical. After I posted the video on instagram a friend reminded me of the Kenny powers episode (also a video above). I hope you enjoy the reference.

Until next time. Stay tuned.