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
"We had a great experience on our Kayaking trip to Sand Harbor! Our guide was so knowledgeable about the area and really made the trip enjoyable for us. I highly recommend going on one of their guided tours. The lake is so beautiful and you get to see so much more of it on the trip than just staying on the beach." -Melanie R.
"The views were awesome. Our guide, Parker, was so nice and so knowledgeable about the area. It was my first kayaking experience, so it will be a special memory." -Peter C.
"We had a wonderful SUP day with Chase as our guide. We took off from Sandy Harbor on the longer paddle board trip with a last minute (day before) reservation. As newbies, we had a quick lesson in the basics and off we went. It was a great place to SUP because the water is crystal clear, the vistas breathtaking and our Chase shared lots of interesting facts to answer all our curiosities. Lunch on the beach after was peaceful and relaxing. Go for the longer trip! And enjoy it." Anna R.
"My husband, 15-year-old daughter, and I booked the Friday, December 28 sunset snowshoe tour with Tahoe Adventure Company. It took a while to confirm but once I spoke with Katie we were all set. We were a bit nervous for the tour as the day was a dark 20 degrees with howling winds. We met our guides 30 minute late, but they were kind and patient with us. Once we got geared up and hiked the icy road under the freeway, then we were off. The Pacific trail was in deep snow and out of the wind. We were comfortable the whole time. Our guide spoke about the terrain and glaciers that formed the area. Michelle took some awesome photos of us with the mountain peaks at sunset. All in all, it was a beautiful experience." -Trip Advisor Review
-- Trip Advisor Review
"Thanks for the kayak and sail package. Me and my friends had a wonderful time. Loved every bit of it, including the lunch. Our trip started with kayaking and though all of my friends were doing it for the first time, everyone could do it easily and our guide, Sean was really cool. Sean allowed us to have fun the way we wanted to and never rushed us. I would highly recommend this to my friends." Ben C.
-- Ben C.
"Had a wonderful excursion kayaking Sand Harbor area. Guide informative about lake and Tahoe history without it being rote or stale. The packed lunch was light and tasty. Very much enjoyed and hope to do another tour in September when I pass through." -Jonnie B.