Places to go in Aptos (Santa Cruz)?

I'm looking for a place to kayak in the Aptos area. Preferrably 30 minute drive max. Freshwater only please,  and trip would consist of going out, then coming back to same spot, so no river runs. Just someplace I can paddle from 6am until 2pm before I get with family. Thanks!

Loch Lommand out of Scotts Valley, Pinto Lake off Freedom Blvd Watsonville come to mind

Apparently Loch Lommand is closed for the year due to low water level. I'll check out Pinto Lake, thanks!

Most all of the streams and lakes in this area are very low and many are closed due to drought conditions. This combined with the typical traffic levels are going to limit your options to about nada. You might want to consider paddling around Elkhorn Slough at Moss Landing, Cannery row at Monterey, or the Santa Cruz Harbor; after these winds lie down of course. These are all fun and beautiful locations for an intermediate paddler with proper safety gear.

If you time you launch properly, you can take a round trip through Elkhorn Slough riding the tide. You can launch near the boat ramp at Moss, or the back of the Slough at Kirby Park.  Unfortunately there in no fishing in the slough after a short distance past the Hwy 1 bridge.  Monterey Coast Guard Pier or MBK beach are easy launches with short paddles to Cannery Row. Be careful about fishing as there are a couple of marine reserves there. Santa Cruz harbor and Capitola Pier launches are also easy and gives you access to kelp beds for fishing and sight-seeing.
 

I'm a little worried about heading out to Elkhorn Slough, I don't quite know enough about tides reading the ocean. I was planning on taking a tour there with Kayak Connection to get a feel for the area instead of trying to go at it by myself. We'll see how it goes.

Elkhorn would be my suggestion. 

Hwy 1 Bridge
http://www.protides.com/california/837/

Kirby Park
http://www.protides.com/california/1385/

Launch @ Kirby with an outgoing tide & come back with the incoming tide.  If in doubt, there is almost always a group of kayaks throughout the day launching from the ramp/beach area by Elhkhorn Yacht Club/Launch Ramp parking lot.  Just follow them up the slough though that area is the most prone to tidal currents.

Elkhorn Slough has an incoming current going to high tide followed by roughly 4 hours of slack tide and then an outgoing tide over a 12 hour interval. Easy to check the tides and launch during a slack time.

Winds are nominal until after 11 am and peak in the mid-afternoon and are going from the west most of the time. Either go first thing in the morning or launch at the east end of the slough so you have a tail wind on th return trip.

It is very shallow in the slough so best to go during a "high tide" of +3 feet or better or stay in the center of the channel.

Easily the safest place to kayak in the area and nearly zero boating traffic and if you do encounter a boat they are not going to be traveling fast and throwing up a wake.

No need to be intimidated by paddling Elkhorn Slough. Just avoid paddling back into a stiff breeze combined with an incoming tide. Launch in the morning and return before the onshore breeze really kicks in, and read the tide chart. You could totally time it wrong and have a battle getting back to the launch at Moss Landing. Even if that happens, it wont be dangerous; just a shit ton of work. Lots of bird life and seals and otters.

I've fished on Pinto Lake before and although the mussel inspection fee on the website says $5 it really is $10.  They claim they haven't updated their website yet.  Nice and easy for a newbie like me.  Great time!