Is there a full moon? Then it's time to hit the kayaks! By Judy Green -- Bee Staff Writer Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, August 18, 2005
Lapping water and dipping paddles may be the only sounds kayakers hear if they take a full-moon tour this weekend on a lake or along the coast. Away from city lights, they can expect to see the bright lights of Venus, Jupiter, Scorpio and Sagittarius - even by the light of the moon.
Paddlers of all abilities can enjoy nature's monthly bright light on Lake Tahoe through a tour planned by Kevin Hickey of Tahoe Adventure Co. in Tahoe City. The cost is $60 per person.
Company owner Hickey said first-timers often are amazed at how easy the sit-on-top boats are to maneuver after a short lesson. "Ninety-nine percent of people fear it's too hard, and most are surprised and wonder afterward what they were worried about."
Tahoe participants will meet on the beach for outfitting and a short paddling lesson before slipping a single or double kayak into the water and following the guide to make basic turns. Depending on the group, Hickey will guide participants out about a half-mile or farther, paddling a total of about two miles.
"We start out at just before sunset," Hickey said from Truckee. He expects the air will be cool and the sand warm from the day. The water will be calm and quiet as the wind dies down and other boats button up for the night. Kayakers can anticipate watching the sunset's colors glowing and changing as the sky fades to dark.
Although visibility will be fair in the moonlight, Hickey attaches green glow sticks to the bow and stern of guests' boats, and red ones on the guide boats and paddles, for safety.
After about two hours on the water, paddlers go back to shore and warm up with hot drinks and snacks.
Visitors Love To Adventure With Us
"Did the Sunset Tour and it was great, the weather was in our favor. The tour guides were friendly, it's not rushed and they don't bombard you with non stop information, just enough to keep you interesting and for you to enjoy." -AVP.
"Did a snowshoe tour. Location was fabulous with great views of the lake and mountains. Our guide Nicole was wonderful with our group of first-timers. And I loved her knowledge and commentary about the area. Would definitely do another tour with them." -Michelle M.
"How lucky we were to have a full moon on one of the few nights we were in North Tahoe. An amazing evening on the water paddling out into the lake, watching the sun set over the horizon on one side and then oh so dramatically the moon rise on the other. A serene experience we would definitely recommend!" Jackie C.
"We had a wonderful adventure to Thunderbird Lodge. The kayak trip to the lodge was beautiful and at a casual pace. Our guides Bailey and Collin were very informative and shared their knowledge of the history, nature & geology of Lake Tahoe. The tour of Thunderbird Lodge was interesting and thorough. We then had a great picnic lunch on the grounds before paddling back to Sand Harbor. We would say that if you could only do one thing at Lake Tahoe, that this trip would provide some of the best Lake Tahoe has to offer." Angie R.
-- Angie R.
"Also, many thanks to Katie for her attentiveness. As a solo traveler, I couldn't book this trip just for myself, I'd have to wait for others to book a trip since there is a four-guest minimum. What she did is she took down my name and number and called me when someone booked in the date range I wanted to go, so that I could go with them. Great service, and as someone who's often been excluded from activities as a solo traveler, that is very much appreciated!" -Trip Advisor Review
-- Trip Advisor
"My boyfriend and I did the Sand Harbor Kayak Tour in late August. Cannot recommend the kayak tour enough while you are in Tahoe. Of everything we did in Tahoe (and this was my second trip) this was by far our favorite activity. Sammy was our tour guide and she was spectacular. We kayaked to a small beach, went swimming and rock climbing and when we came back Sammy had set up a whole picnic. She taught us a ton about the area and is a great photographer, she took our favorite photos from the whole trip. The picnic set up, everything we learned about Tahoe and the area, and overall the whole day were fantastic. Sammy was a phenomenal tour guide and made our trip the best. Overall 10/10 would recommend." -Janice D.