Elkhorn Slough revisited

I took my new (to me) Outback for a pedal on Valentine's day.  Luckily my wife likes to get out and she wanted a family paddle for 2/14.  She and I and our 12 yr old twins.

It has been several years since we were down there.  Great place for kids. 

There were more otters than I can remember that started as a big raft of about 15-20 males near the launch ramp and then smaller groups and then singles all the way up to Kirby's (about 4.5 miles) and back.

Sea lions now own the dock by the restaurant, It was covered with them from end to end including some really big bulls.  The harbor seals were hauld out on the East side of the Hwy 1 bridge and a little further up.

Probably 20 different water and shore bird species sighted as well.

Great day.  I would recommend it to those of you with youn 'uns.

The new/old Outback did fine although it did squeak some when I towed my son in his Scrambler for about a mile so he could take a breather. 

Now what is the 1st mod and wher should I drill those holes?

Thanks for posting your family outing, one of these days I'd like to make it there.

sounds like a great family outing, that paddle is on my to do list, one day, cameron

  Love to see some photos if you have any?  Always wanted to do Elkhorn.  What are the fishing regs, I know there are lot of rays, but that is whrere they spawn?  Nice to hear the otters have come back to those levels, more appetizers for the landlord! 

As long as the otters stay South of the Golden Gate we'll have abalone.  If they ever get past there they will lay waste to them. 

There is definitely plenty of food for the landlord.  Wish we had more of them. 

I know there are plenty of leopard sharks in the Slough.  I imagine it would fish a lot like the SF Bay.  A big tide there is about a 5 foot swing usually in the 3-4 ft range.

I have put the FF on the front hatch, this works great if ya don't need to get to it for way points, etc..., still, I'm able to deal with, notice ram ball on right, make sure if your using this spot, you mount in a way that your still able to use the stock pole holder.

Have to try Elkhorn soon, sounds nice...

 I heard a couple got capsized by a seal out there a while ago.

They also did not know how to self rescue... bummer

As long as the otters stay South of the Golden Gate we'll have abalone.  If they ever get past there they will lay waste to them. 

That's kind of like blaming sealions for the salmon decline, isn't it?

People are the problem, not the native wild life.

Anyway - thanks for the report. I too have that paddle on my to do list.

Hey hey, I was fishing for rays+sharks near the jetty on that same day. It sure was nice after the sun broke through the marine layer!
And yes, the sea otter population can clean-out an area pretty quickly, especially in regards to abalone. Most of the otters you see north of Marin Co are likely river otters; not sea otters. There is a direct correlation btwn the spike in sea otter populations off Monterey Co and the decline of black abs (thus why Monterey Co black abs were placed on the fed threatened/endangered list in Feb 2009).