Bay Area Sea Kayakers - Previous General Meetings

To give you an idea of what types of presentations we have at the BASK general meetings, here are some of our previous speakers and their topics:

Date	Speaker	Title	Description
Mar 29, 2026	Dan Arbuckle	A History of Sea Kayak Lineage: From Arctic origins to the modern sea kayak	Dan covered the history of sea kayaks by looking at three lineages; the Greenland, British, and North American. Starting with the deep roots of sea kayaking in Iniut hunting vessles of the Arctic region, Dan introduced the Greenland kayak (or qajaq) with its signiture low rear deck, narrow beam, and hard chines. He explained how the Britsh sea kayaks evolved from the Greenland kayak roots, incorporating new safety feature such as watertight bulkheads, perimeter deck lines, and a retractable skeg. Finally he covered how the Aluet baidarka influenced North American designs with larger volume, longer waterlines, and rudders for tracking control.
Feb 25, 2026	Steven Dobbs	Geology of the Bay Area Coastline - a.k.a. Cools rocks you can now point to next time you go kayaking	Dr. Dobbs discussed how California was born in the Mesozoic era (330-65 MA) when the Pacific Plate was moving under the North American Plate, forming the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada. He used graphic animations to illustrate plate tectonic processes in California, why we have earthquakes where we do, and how sea level changes in the Bay have affected the coastline. He then a provided a modern geologic overview from Tomales Bay to Monterey Bay, covering what types of rocks and landform features kayakers can expect to find along different sections of the coast.
Jan 24, 2026	Kame Richards	What kayakers need to know about tidal currents in San Francisco Bay	Kame talked shared a time-laspse video of currents and also countercurrents on the Bay Model. Using aerial photographs of the Bay, he showed how the currents interact with wind and landforms along the coast. He mentioned that sea state changes when you cross current lines, so it is important to know where you are relative to prominent currents. Finally, Kame explained how the Bay Model was designed to work, and how you can use pepper flakes to see how the water is moving.
Oct 29, 2025	David McGuire	White Sharks and Human Interactions in California	David talked about Sharks common to Central and Northern California, and explained Sharktober, a period of increased white shark activity and human interactions in the Red Triangle. David also discussed some insights on preventing human-shark interaction, and he covered threats to sharks and shark conservation efforts by his organization Shark Stewards.
Sep 21, 2025	Ellen Simms and Tom Colton	Wildlife Encounters by Kayak in British Columbia	Tom and Ellen shared their experience paddling 20 days along the BC coast in June 2024. They shared their experiences kayaking and camping, stories and media of amazing wildlife encounters along the way, and discussed at lengh some unfortunate wolf behavior, offering kayaker safety precatuations for others.
Aug 27, 2025	Jenny Zhang and Justin Smith	Ten Days, 220 Miles: Self-Supported Kayaking in the Grand Canyon	Jenny and Justin described their May 2025 ten-day, self-supported kayak trip down the Grand Canyon with four other paddlers. They talked about how they planned the journey, what daily life on the river was like, and the campsites, side hikes, and wildlife they experienced along the way, sharing memorable moments from traveling the canyon without any raft support.
Jul 27, 2025	Meg Marriott	Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge	Meg discussed the wildlife, management, and restoration of the National Wildlife Refuges, giving background on the USFWS and outlining key wildlife and ecosystem concerns. She described ongoing habitat restoration projects and explained how they incorporated climate change adaptation to address future sea-level rise.
Jun 25, 2025	Dallas Smith and Liz Wilhelm	Circumnavigating the SF Bay Area Water Trail by Kayak	Dallas and Liz described how they planned and completed their circumnavigation of the Bay Area Water Trail, including gathering information, selecting gear, choosing campsites, managing weather and challenges, and recalling memorable moments from the trip.
Jun 1, 2025	Brian Alger, Kris Chebul, & Paul Randall	BASK Joins La Bufadora Swim Team	Seven BASKers and two Pacific Northwest kayakers joined Bill Vonnegut for five days of rock gardening and surfing in La Bufadora, Baja Mexico, including five first-timers. They shared trip highlights, personal stories of challenges and accomplishments, and their initiation into the La Bufadora Swim Team.
Apr 28, 2025	Amber Champion	Sea Kayaking Adventures in Antarctica	Amber talked about her experience working as a sea kayaking guide in Antartica, giving an overview of in the day in the life of a kayak paddle guide there including daily operations, stories of wildlife encounters, as well as scenery and sights from Ushuaia, Falklands, South Georgia, South Shetlands, and Antarctica.
Mar 29, 2025	Joe Weber	Tule Boat Journey and the Ancestors Who Made It Possible	Joe Weber spoke about his heritage and Tule boats, sharing his Pomo–Lakota background, his training from his uncle, and his 11 years as a Tule boat instructor at the Big Valley races. He also highlighted his advocacy for Native rights, environmental stewardship, and his service as his tribe’s Housing Committee Chairman.
Feb 25, 2025	Larry Moss and Steve Goldfinger	Kayaking Trips for Mere Mortals	Larry Moss presented a talk on kayaking in Santa Cruz Island and Channel Islands National Park, highlighting the diverse experiences and essential planning for an outdoor tour suitable for all skill levels. Steve Goldfinger described a 2021 weeklong paddling trip on the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and Lake Mohave, where he and three friends escaped the pandemic, explored two stunning canyons, and endured triple-digit heat.
Jan 26, 2025	Paul Steinberg and Noy Davis	The South Sound Traditional Inuit Kayaking Symposium	Noy and Paul described the roots of Arctic paddling, the boats and tools used, and introduced the South Sound Traditional Inuit Kayaking Symposium (SSTIKS). They explored the millennia-old traditions of Arctic peoples and discussed the diverse cultures, crafts, tools, and techniques they developed. The talk also addressed the impacts of colonialism on traditional Arctic culture and showed how Arctic kayak technology shaped the modern kayak.
Oct 27, 2024	Cris Lewis	Lessons Learned 180 Miles Above the Arctic Circle: Circumnavigating the Lofoten Islands in Norway	Cris shared photos and stories of her recent trip circumnavigating the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
Sep 25, 2024	Jonas Ecker and Susan Starbird	Olympic Sprint Kayaking and Kayak Race Training	Jonas Ecker is a sprint kayaker, surfski paddler, and 2024 Paris Olympian for Team USA. His highlights from the 2024 season include winning the U23 MK1 1000m World Title and placing 8th in the MK2 500m at the 2024 Olympics with Aaron Small, setting a new American Record in the process.
Aug 10, 2024	Wayne Horodowich	Practicing Good Judgment—Adventurer’s Guide to Making Critical Decisions	Wayne's interactive presentation, based on his new book, was designed to help clarify and improve your judgment when making critical decisions on your next outdoor adventure. Practicing good judgment is a skill that can be developed if you have the right tools. He is an experienced paddler, educator, and adventurer and has been teaching sea kayaking since the early 1980s. During his 29-year tenure at UC Santa Barbara, Wayne developed the “Leadership Training Program,” which he used to train over 1,000 guides.
Jul 24, 2024	Sarah Allen	Elephant Seal Tales: 40+years of Monitoring at Point Reyes	Sarah regaled us with many tales from her long experience monitoring sea lions at Pt. Reyes. Recently retired from the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) after 26 years, her positions included senior science advisor at Point Reyes National Seashore, Oceans and Coastal Resources program lead for the Pacific West Region (PWR), and Regional Science Program Lead. She is broadly experienced in marine and terrestrial ecology, and more specifically in marine birds and mammals.
Jun 23, 2024	Cyril Derreumaux	91-Day Completely Alone Across the Pacific in a Kayak--Lessons Learned	Cyril became the first 100% human-powered kayaker to paddle the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii, earning him another Guinness World Record. The most important thing is not my adventure itself, but the learnings from it. He told us, "The most important (learnings) are what I can teach, pass on and transmit to others. I want to be a relatable and personified example of going after your passion, of going further, finding your inner drive, and always chasing the things in life that make you vibrate and feel alive."
May 1, 2024	Melissa DeMarie and Laura Zulliger	How to "Freshen Up" Your Kayaking: Cross-Training in Whitewater to Elevate Your Sea Kayaking	Melissa and Laura led a discussion about ways whitewater kayaking can not only enhance your sea kayaking but also deepen your understanding of hydraulics, boat control, and complex rescue scenarios. They guided us through some ideal approaches for folks eager to get started or intermediates looking to build more skills.
Mar 23, 2024	Josie Iselin	Art and Algae: An Artist's Journey into the Science of Seaweed	Josie Iselin is a local award-winning author, photographer, and designer of several books including Seashells, Beach Stones, and most recently, The Curious World of Seaweed. She is also co-director of a collaborative known as Above/Below, which seeks to elevate the level of recognition of our undersea kelp forests to the same level that is afforded the forests on land.
Feb 28, 2024	Aijun Zhang	Overview of NOAA’s Coastal Ocean Operational Forecast Systems and Forecast Products in San Francisco Bay	Aijun Zhang is a team leader from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service. He gave a presentation on his group's efforts to develop and implement 15 coastal ocean Operational Forecast Systems (OFS) in the past 20 years based on community ocean models. He provided an overview of the current status and development of these new capabilities, and how and where to access the OFS products, and also demonstrate the visualization from OceansMap and web pages from the San Francisco Bay Operational Forecast System (SFBOFS).
Jan 28, 2024	Katrin Tomanek	Inside Passage Solo Paddle Trip Report	Katrin spoke about her solo paddle this past summer up the Inside Passage, from Orcas Island, Washington all the way to Skagway, Alaska.
Oct 28, 2023	Bill Keener	Tales of Urban Whales	Bill Keener is a scientist with The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California where he studies the local whales, dolphins, and porpoises. He presented the latest studies of the cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) of San Francisco Bay and the coast of Northern California. Bill described the health of this busy marine ecosystem, and how we are learning to live with the harbor porpoises, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, and gray whales that kayakers can encounter in the Bay.
Sep 30, 2023	Dan Abbott and Annie Bauer-Civiello	Stewardship of Sustainable Reef Communities	Our featured speakers were Dan Abbott, Director of the Kelp Forest Program, and Annie Bauer-Civiello, Director of the Reforestation Program of Reef Check. They discussed their efforts to promote stewardship of sustainable reef communities worldwide by organizing citizen scientists, promoting education programs about reefs and the ocean, and developing ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions for reef conservation and reforestation.
Aug 30, 2023	Charles Foster	Sea Kayaking in East Greenland	Charles Foster has been to Greenland twice, including a 6-week trip. He presented a slideshow on sea kayaking in East Greenland and shared photos and insights as to what it's like to visit this magnificent area.
Jul 26, 2023	Michael Stocker	What Wuzz the Sound?	Michael presented an introduction to marine bioacoustics. He is the founding director of Ocean Conservation Research, a scientific research and policy development organization focused on understanding the impacts of, and finding technical and policy solutions to the growing problem of human-generated ocean noise pollution.
Jun 11, 2023	N/A	No featured speaker this month	We had on outdoor potluck General Meeting at Oakland Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, along with a kayak gear swap.
May 31, 2023	Joe Berkovitz	Floating Trails Paddle Planning Tool	BASK member Joe Berkovitz spoke about his new paddle planning tool called "Floating Trails," designed to be used across the U.S. The tool offers nationwide coverage of NOAA marine charts, and route drawing with automatic distance and bearing labels. This customization is much more powerful than what is available from NOAA's Custom Charts website. Joe Berkovitz is a paddler, software developer, and sculptor who lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts. A first-class navigator, Joe built this program to simplify preparing charts for kayakers across the continent.
Apr 26, 2023	Laura Zulliger, Paul Randall, & Mary Ann King	Wales Celtic Classics: Five Days Exploring the Classic Sea Kayaking Destinations of the Anglesey Coast	Laura Zulliger is an ACA L5 Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor, Mary Ann King is an ACA L4 Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor, and they are compatriots in the California Watersport Collective. Laura is the European Program and Marketing Manager of Sea Trek in Sausalito, and is the Saltwater Program Director of the California Watersport Collective. Mary Ann is currently Director of the California Water Project at Trout Unlimited. Paul Randall has been paddling since 1995 when he worked as kayak instructor for Outdoor Adventures at UC Davis. When he's not paddling, he works as a water quality scientist monitoring watersheds around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mar 18, 2023	Johan Niklasson & Jonathan Luskin	Reindeer Cheese and Whiskey—Lessons Learned from Paddling Haida Gwaii, Helgeland, and Prince William Sound	Johan and Jonathan discussed several practical themes of their recent expedition to Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. They drew from their experiences paddling in Alaska, Norway, and elsewhere, and included such topics as planning, navigation, safety, wildlife, gear, and food. Johan started paddling in 1997, has been a BASK member since 2009, and served as BASK Vice President from 2021-2022. Jonathan began paddling in 2005, has been a BASK member since 2006, and served as BASK Vice President from 2020-2021, as well as BASK President from 2021-2022.
Feb 25, 2023	Various BASKers	Kayaking Pearls	On short notice, due to the postponement of our scheduled talk at the Bay Model, various BASKers stepped up to provide "Kayaking Pearls": Alan Kepner: The Eddystone Light Treve Johnson: Kayaking in Scotland David Kroll: A simple skeg solution Alan Kepner: I almost got run over by a whale Dave Littlejohn: A reading of a trip report by Doerte Mann Kim Patterson: A Monterey Whale Tale Tom Colton: Search for an abandoned cabin on Thornton Island
Jan 25, 2022	Maligiaq Padilla	An Evening Discussion with Maligiaq Padilla	Despite his young age, Maligiaq Padilla is a legend in sea kayaking. Born to an American father and a Greenland Inuit mother, he was raised from age four in Sisimiut, Greenland. Padilla's grandfather, a skilled kayaker in his own right, taught Padilla how to kayak, how to build the boats, and how to hunt using a harpoon and rifle. Included in his training were open-ocean skills and traditional kayak-building skills. Kayaks built by Padilla are housed at various museums in Greenland, Canada, and the US. In 2010, Padilla moved to Alaska, where he is working to revive traditional kayaking culture. He and his wife, an Iñupiaq attorney, have two children. Padilla is the only person in history to win four Greenland National Kayaking Championships, winning his first title at 16.
Dec 10, 2022	Alan Burns	A Brief Look at an Historic Ship and the Kaiser Shipyards where it was Built	At the outbreak of WWII, the mud flats and marshes of Richmond suddenly gave rise to a huge shipyard complex, the remnants of which we all paddle through today. Our speaker traced the history of this transformation, shipyard activity during the war years, the Red Oak Victory's involvement in World War II and the years afterward, the effort to save the ship from being scrapped, and current efforts to maintain and restore the ship. Alan Burns has been a docent on the Red Oak Victory since 2014 and is the ship's Purser. He served in the U.S. Navy as the Supply Officer aboard the USS Cacapon (AO-52) between 1964-1967, an era when the Red Oak Victory was still in service.
Oct 30, 2022	Jesse Pullin	Piloting Ships in San Francisco Bay	We heard what it’s like to board a big ship at sea and pilot it into the bay to the various ports. We also learned how to communicate with the pilot, where the blind spots and danger areas of the bay are, and how to read the online pilot dispatch sheet to know when ships are coming and going. Jesse Pullin grew up in Sebastopol, California and spent summers in Ketchikan, Alaska where his father was a sea pilot. After graduating from the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, he went to work on oil tankers in Alaska, cargo ships in Northern Europe, and government surveillance ships in Southeast Asia. He returned to the Bay Area in 2008 and started working on harbor tugs. In 2017 he joined the SF Bar Pilots.
Sep 28, 2022	Rich Luibrand	Kayak Camping in Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska	Rich Luibrand described his recent five-week kayaking expedition with four other BASK members in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park. With its jaw-dropping scenery, Glacier Bay has a unique allure: glaciers, snow-covered alpine peaks, whales, bears, and birds in abundance. Alaska is a wonderland where the highs are often accompanied by less-pleasant experiences such as biting insects, unforgiving weather, and tidal exchanges that can exceed 24 feet. Still, these annoyances can be minimized with insect repellant, proper clothing, and an attitude that embraces the hard work of carrying heavy kayaks and gear to high ground to keep them from being washed away by a rising tide. The good times seem so much better when you have earned them by enduring the hardships.
Aug 31, 2022	Nathan Moody & Krista Fechner	Circumnavigating Milos, Greece	Nathan and Krista shared their experiences paddling in the Aegean Sea around the island of Milos (with fellow BASKers Brian Alger and Lisa Rohe). They enjoyed warm turquoise waters, innumerable caves, stunning rock features, and scrumptious food on a guided trip with Sea Kayak Milos. They'll discuss the factors, focusing on history and geology, that make Milos a fantastic paddling destination suitable for paddlers of all skill levels.
Jul 27, 2022	Ge Wu & Mary Ann King	How to Step Up Your Paddling Game: Value of Deliberate Practice & Cross-Discipline Paddling	We joined instructors and athletes Ge Wu and Mary Ann King as they shared more about their paddling history. They also shared their experience and tips for how to enhance your sea kayaking with better/more deliberate practice and cross-discipline training. Both Ge and Mary Ann have competed at the highest levels of water polo and have pushed boundaries in other disciplines. They were excited to share their best takeaways so we can better reach our own paddling goals big and small.
Jun 22, 2022	Chev Dixon	Expeditions & Expanding the Sport of Kayaking	Chev Dixon is a rising star in the the world of kayaking with several expeditions under his belt. He is also the director of the Hudson River Riders, an organization dedicated to growing the sport, engaging communities of color in paddle sports, and creating opportunities for youth in nature. He has inspired thousands to get into sea kayaking and spread the love of the sport including many members of BASK!
May 15, 2022	John Muir	Historic Look at China Camp	John Muir, Friends of China Camp Director, told us about the Chinese fishing village and the traditional fishing vessels Grace Quan and Franca that he built at China Camp in recent years. John is the Curator of Small Craft at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, where he researches, designs, builds, and sails replicas of extinct historic Bay Area watercraft.
Apr 27, 2022	Cris Lewis	Weather and Wildlife in the Prince of Wales Archipelago of Alaska	Cris spoke about her 2021 three-week trip in the archipelago west of Prince of Wales Island in Alaska, with Ken Sund and Denise Harrington. They were able to kayak to remote islands and experienced many of the wild treasures of coastal Alaska. BASK member Cris Lewis has kayaked for more than 15 years, and loves nothing more than to disappear into a coastal wilderness with her sea kayak.
Mar 30, 2022	1) Exequiel Lira 2) Tom Colton, Ellen Simms	1) Paddling to the Farallones 2) Learning French by Kayak	1) Exequiel spoke about his epic journey to the Farallones Islands with fellow BASKer Damon Paxton. 2) Tom and Ellen paddled for 6 months in 2014 with a French kayak club, despite having no clue what anyone was saying. They were led and misled through weekly lessons, a maritime festival, ninja camping on the Costa Brava of Spain, and the canals of Venice. They also discussed river kayaking through the Tarn Gorge. Tom and Ellen have paddled with BASK since 2010, grateful that the club speaks their language.
Feb 23, 2022	Dimitri Vandepoele	Crossing the North Sea	Dimitri is the first person to complete a solo, unsupported crossing of the North Sea in 2015, and he did it again (also solo and unsupported) in 2018. He remains the only person who has completed this solo crossing. He also completed a number of challenging offshore trips on the North Sea. Dimitri founded the NORTHSEAKAYAK team to unite Belgian like-minded paddlers.
Jan 26, 2022	1) Franca Cioria 2) Laura Watt	1) Paddling the Channel Islands 2) The Paradox of Preservation: Wilderness and Working Landscapes at Point Reyes National Seashore	1) Franca presented on her recent paddle to and around the Channel Islands. 2) Laura discussed the natural and political history of Point Reyes and challenged our understanding of the balance of human activities and wilderness preservation. Laura is a professor of environmental history and policy at Sonoma State University; her research uses landscape as a tool for understanding the complex interactions between people and their environments.
Oct 27, 2021	Cole Wilde	Paddling in Patagonia	Cole told the story of how three generations of paddlers embarked on a self-supported expedition down an a severely endangered river running through the steppes of Patagonia in their TRAK kayaks. The journey was over 330 miles from the Andes mountains of Argentina to the Atlantic ocean. Cole works as a sea kayak guide and instructor in Canada as well as in the Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia.
Sep 29, 2021	Cris Lewis	New Zealand and Alaska!	Cris Lewis gave a presentation on her solo kayaking expeditions in New Zealand and Alaska. Cris has been a BASK member since 2007. She is a retired biochemist who loves the outdoors and was lucky enough to visit New Zealand right before Covid struck.
Aug 25, 2021	Keith Miller, California Canoe & Kayak	The state of the industry and all things kayaking	Keith discussed the current developments and challenges in the kayaking industry. Keith is both a founding member of BASK and California Canoe & Kayak (1972), one of the top Specialty Paddlesports companies in the country. https://www.calkayak.com
Jul 28, 2021	Joe Berkovitz	Camping in the Westfjords of Iceland	Joe presented pictures and stories from a 2018 8-day group camping trip in the Westfjords of Iceland. The focus was on the picturesque nature and history of this remote area. Joe holds a BCU Sea Leader award, and is active in organizing trips and practice sessions for his home club, North Shore Paddlers Network.
Jun 30, 2021	Wendy Kordesch, Paul Hobi, Karen Reyna - Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary’s Seabird Protection Network	Secret Lives of Bay Area Seabirds	The Bay Area is home to hundreds of thousands of seabirds. This presentation discussed the severe places the birds call home, the challenges they’ve overcome, and successful efforts to protect their unique habitat. https://seabirdprotectionnetwork.org/
May 26, 2021	Petty Officer Cassandra Leitzke	Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) - SF Bay	Cassandra Leitzke, a qualified VTS Traffic Manager, discussed the VTS mission and how BASK paddlers can better interact and coexist with VTS and maritime traffic on the Bay.
Apr 28, 2021	Sejal Choksi-Chugh, Executive Director of SF Baykeeper	State of the Bay—2021	San Francisco Bay is under constant stress from industrial pollution, raw sewage spills, trash, oil tankers, hazardous chemicals, and more. Sejal Choksi-Chugh identified the major threats to the health of the Bay and discussed what we can do about those threats. SF Baykeeper patrols the Bay for polluters, and uses environmental laws and the latest science to hold them accountable.
Mar 31, 2021	Exequiel Lira	Antarctica 2017 Expedition	Exequiel shared an expedition that took place in 2017 at the Shetland Islands, Antarctica. With his partners Roger Rovira and Cristian Donoso, Exequiel paddled through the five main islands, encountering treacherous waters and hostile weather conditions.
Feb 24, 2021	1) Joe Petolino 2) Gwenn Bëzard and Stuart Cook	1) Photos: What’s Down There? Underwater adventures, from the Caribbean to the Coral Triangle 2) Presentation: Solo Multi-Day Sea Kayaking in Northern California	1) BASK Photo Talent Show Premiere: Joe Petolino’s love of the ocean extends below the surface; he has made hundreds of scuba dives locally and around the world. Joe shared some of his favorite underwater photographs, showcasing the diversity of life in our oceans. 2) Main Presentation: Sea Kayaking is instructed as a team sport, and for good safety reasons. Yet many paddlers, by choice or by necessity, end up paddling solo, including on multi-day trips. BASKers Stuart Cook & Gwenn Bëzard shared their inspiration for doing short, solo multi-day trips and what they learned in the process.
Jan 27, 2021	Penny Wells	BASK: 35 Years and Counting	BASK’s first president, Penny Wells, told us all about the early days of BASK: how it got started, early adventures (and misadventures), and its evolution throughout the years.
Nov 18, 2020	Peter Hargreaves	Kayak Polo – The Safest Full-contact Sport	Peter Hargreaves has been playing kayak polo for 12 years. In his presentation, Peter introduced us to this dynamic, full-contact sport that combines elements of water polo, basketball, and kayaking.
Oct 28, 2020	Priscilla McKenney	Kayak Expedition Destinations	Priscilla McKenney, whose over 30 years of experience includes working as a professional instructor, guide, and adventure-based program director, highlighted three of her favorite expedition destinations: Alaska’s Prince William Sound, Baja’s Sea of Cortez, and Stillwater Canyon of the Green River. The presentation concluded with tips on fitness, the benefits of racing, the joys of downwind surfing, and trying out different craft types.
Sep 30, 2020	John Dye	Sacramento River: Source to Sea Paddling Adventures with Rivers for Change	John Dye of Rivers for Change discussed sea kayak travels on the Sacramento River from Shasta Reservoir to the Pacific Ocean including maps, logistics, water issues, scenery, and resources to help ensure enjoyable and safe river travel.
Sep 2, 2020	Christopher Lockyer	Explore Atlantic Canada With Me	Christopher Lockyer, the driving force behind the Bay of Fundy Sea Kayak Symposium, introduced us to many of the paddling opportunities Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have to offer. From the highest tides in the world in the Bay of Fundy to the spectacular beauty, massive icebergs, plentiful whales, and abandoned communities of the Bay of Exploits, Atlantic Canada is a paddling destination not to be missed.
Jul 29, 2020	Various	Member Trip Reports	BASK Members who had been getting on the water in small groups helped spread the excitement by sharing experiences through live trip reports.
Jun 24, 2020	Cyril Derreumaux	Solo Paddling the Sacramento River, From Redding to the Golden Gate	After a COVID-19 pandemic-induced logistical setback prevented him from embarking on a three-month solo paddle to Hawaii, Cyril Derreumaux regrouped and set focus on a new challenge: he decided to paddle the Sacramento River from source to sea, solo. Cyril spoke to us about his nine-day journey following the flow from Shasta Lake down to its egress in the bay, the psychological challenge of solo paddling, and what it’s like to embrace uncertainty.
May 27, 2020	Mary Ann Furda, Steve Goldfinger, Mike Higgins	Pandemic breathing, projects, and Isla de Cedros	Mary Ann presented yogic antidepressant, Steve showed some of his projects, and Mike recounted tales of his expedition to Isla de Cedros.
Apr 29, 2020	Tom Colton and Ellen Simms	Vancouver Island Season 5: North and West	Tom and Ellen told us about exploring God’s Pocket, scaring off a wolf, rounding the feared Cape Scott, finding the failed Danish settlement of 1897, running low on water, and being stranded on a remote island.
Mar 25, 2020	Kathryn Hayes and Peter Caldwell	Sea Kayaking in Thailand	Kathryn and Peter shared slides of their sea kayaking adventure in Thailand.
Feb 26, 2020 Jan 23, 2020	BASKers	Sharing	BASKers shared tales, tricks, skills, experiences, and calls to action on matters affecting the paddling community, played music, read poems, talked about an upcoming paddle or a great book.
Oct 30, 2019	Cyril Derreumaux	Solo Kayak to Hawaii	Cyril told about preparing for this adventure, physically and mentally, the craft he is building, the logistics, and more. About his project: www.SoloKayaktoHawaii.com. And BASKers told tales.
Aug 28, 2019 Jul 31, 2019 Jun 2019 May 2019 Apr 2019	BASKers	Sharing	BASKers shared tales, tricks, skills, experiences, and calls to action on matters affecting the paddling community, played music, read poems, talked about an upcoming paddle or a great book.
Mar 27, 2019	Mike Higgins and Cris Lewis	Kayaking the outer coast of Chichagof Island and into Glacier Bay	Mike and Cris described their month-long tour of the outer coast of Chichagof Island and into Glacier Bay in Alaska.
Feb 27, 2019	1) Penny Wells and LaRhee Webster 2) Larry Moss	1) Alaska Mothership Abyssinia 2) Kayaking vs Rafting Trips	1) Penny and LaRhee, talked about Alaska mothership kayaking. Want to be free from bugs, bears, extreme tides, and rain? Crave hot showers, fresh food and post-paddle cocktails? Penny and LaRhee extolled the virtues of their favorite mothership, the Abysinnia. 2) Larry explained how the preparation and daily tasks of rafting trips can be more arduous than those of kayak touring. While focusing on the differences between a kayak tour and rafting trip, he also threw in stories and pictures from rafting the Grand Canyon.
Jan 30, 2019	Wendy Kordesch	Seabird Protection Network	Wendy Kordesch, PhD in ocean science, is the outreach specialist for the Seabird Protection Network, a program of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. She discussed how paddlers can be partners in the conservation of our local coastal wildlife, how to identify seabirds and sensitive wildlife, and how to avoid disturbing them while paddling.
Oct 31, 2018	1) Tom Colton 2) Margot Otway and Jim Ham	1) Kayaking with Wolves 2) San Juans Campouts	1) Tom shared photos, video, and audio of his rare encounters with wolves in the remote northwest coast of Vancouver Island. He and Ellen Simms logged just six sightings in over nine weeks of kayaking in the area. Tom included tips on what to expect and how to deal with problem wolves. 2) Every July, BASKers participate in the Casey Walker San Juans campout. Margot and Jim shared slides from recent years.
Sep 26, 2018	Steve Lynch	Rehabilitation of Stranded Marine Mammals, Why Make the Effort?	Steve talked about his experience as a docent and harbor seal care crew member at the Marine Mammal Center in Marin.
Aug 29, 2018	Mike Edwards	Antarctica, A Frozen Paradise	A musician, engineer and traveler, Mike talked about the natural history of Antarctica, as well as human exploration of the continent with focus on the amazing survival story of the Shackleton expedition on the Endurance.
Jul 25, 2018	Ben Botkin	Bay Water Trail	The Water Trail encourages people in non-motorized boats to safely enjoy the scenic, cultural, and ecological richness of SF Bay. Water Trail planner Ben Botkin provided an update on recent progress of the Water Trail, including grant-funded improvements, new facilities, maps, and website.
Jun 27, 2018	Mike Carlson	USCG Vessel Traffic Service: Intro to Central San Francisco Bay Traffic and How to be Safe	Mike Carlson retired from the US Coast Guard in 2010 after 24 years of military service. He served at several units, including one fast attack submarine, three Coast Guard cutters, and one Counter Terrorism Unit. Mike is currently a Vessel Traffic Management Specialist at VTS San Francisco.
May 30, 2018	Sarah Lummis	Eelgrass Ecosystems: Natural History and the Impacts of Climate Change and Coastal Activities	Eelgrass, the dominant seagrass species along our coasts, forms thick beds in areas with soft sandy bottoms and provides ecosystem services such as water filtration and sediment stabilization. A marine ecologist from UC Santa Cruz, Sarah described three eelgrass ecosystem projects, including one using monitoring drones.
Apr 25, 2018	Max Tarjan of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO)	Thirty-five Years of Waterbird Conservation in the San Francisco Bay	The San Francisco Bay Area provides important habitat for nesting and migratory birds despite having lost an estimated 90% of historic tidal marsh habitat to development. Since 1981, SFBBO has worked with Bay Area citizens to study and protect the area’s remaining waterbirds and their habitats.
Mar 28, 2018	Mike Higgins	Haida Gwaii	Last summer, four hearty BASK members (Cris Lewis, Ken Sund, John Somers, Mike Higgins) braved the Pacific Northwest to paddle the cold waters around Haida Gwaii. Mike spoke about how hard it was to get there, the amazing people they met, and the beautiful paddling they did.
Feb 21, 2018	Dick Ryon	Sardinia: A Land and Sea Adventure	Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean. Over the last 5,500 years, occupiers included Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Catalonians, and today, Italians. Along with Dick, Mike Edwards, Helene Baribault, Matt Denecour, Frank Zhang, and Debbie Hathaway comprised the first paddling group to make the crossing between Sardinia and Corsica.
Jan 31, 2018	Lyrinda Snyderman	Paddling the Upper Missouri River	Lyrinda and pals traveled the historic route of Lewis and Clark for 149 miles in Montana’s Missouri River Breaks National Monument. They encountered bighorn sheep and heard beavers gnawing at night. Great intrusive volcanic dikes punctuated the dramatically eroded white limestone cliffs.
Oct 25, 2017	Katharine Arrow & Steve Kasierski	East Fort Baker Project	Our speakers discussed the National Park’s plans for the marina/boatshop area and waterfront at Horseshoe Cove. Using historic waterfront photos, they showed how Fort Baker evolved into a military “working waterfront” and transitioned into the park era.
Sep 27, 2017	Melissa DeMarie, Kelly Henry, & Laura Zulliger	Barriers to Entry: A Closer Look at Women in Paddlesports	Fifty percent of the population is female. Is half of your paddling crew? Melissa DeMarie, Kelly Henry, and Laura Zulliger shared stories from their diverse paddling backgrounds and discussed their common effort to introduce more women to kayaking.
Aug 30, 2017	Joshua Ladau	Paddling in Paradise: Sea Kayak Adventures to Remote Tropical Pacific and Caribbean Islands	BASK member Joshua Ladau described his low-budget, guided and unguided adventures in five lesser-known tropical destinations: the Guna Yala (Panama), Sian Ka’an (Mexico), Exumas (Bahamas), Tetepare (Solomon Islands), and East Rennell (Solomon Islands), providing valuable information to others who might want to visit.
Jul 26, 2017	Kelly Henry & Laura Zulliger	The Dao of Paddling in Taiwan	Local sea kayak instructors Kelly Henry and Laura Zulliger spent an unforgettable six weeks teaching and paddling in Taiwan, then packed up their boats and explored over 200 miles of the remote and majestic eastern coastline, encountering welcoming locals and the ever-present Taiwanese Coast Guard.
Jun 28, 2017	Don Brubaker, Manager US Fish & Wildlife San Pablo Bay NWR	Management and Restoration of the San Pablo Bay and Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuges	Did you know over a quarter of all the estuarine habitat that existed in SF and San Pablo Bays occurred off the top of San Pablo Bay? San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge is undergoing restoration efforts to revert land back to estuarine habitat. Imagine kayaking there 125 years ago!
May 31, 2017	Lyrinda Snyderman & Ken Kelton	Exciting Tales of Kayaking Exploits	Frolicking with the sea lions at Año Neuvo…and why you shouldn’t do that. Ken recounted his encounter with a great white shark and the media feeding frenzy that followed. Lyrinda told of her encounter with feeding humpbacks, which she caught on video, and her experience of going viral.
Apr 26, 2017	Peter Brastow & Peter Summerville	Ecology, Biodiversity, and Stewardship of Yerba Buena Island	Our presenters described the natural environment of Yerba Buena Island and the City’s efforts to manage the island for local biodiversity. They discussed their efforts to develop a long-term ecological stewardship program and how that interfaces with the redevelopment of Treasure and Yerba Buena Islands.
Mar 29, 2017	Mark Manes	Piloting in San Francisco Bay	Mark Manes has piloted over 900 ships of all sizes and shapes including oil tankers, bulkers, naval vessels, cruise ships, container ships, yachts, and car ships. He introduced BASK to the challenges to piloting in San Francisco Bay, and some of the hazards that we can avoid as recreational boaters.
Feb 22, 2017	Kim Grandfield	Sea Kayaking the Grand Canyon	In April 2016, a group of mostly Bay Area kayakers joined Kim Grandfield for a trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, paddling the rapids and exploring the landscape on many day hikes. In his film “Sea Kayaking the Grand Canyon,” Kim shared that adventure.
Jan 25, 2017	Adam Ratner	Behind The Bark: Saving Seals and Sea Lions in California	With 40 years of experience, the Marine Mammal Center has been able to give over 22,000 marine mammals a second chance at life with the support of the community and over 1,200 trained volunteers who conduct rescues, feedings, basic medical procedures, and education work.
Nov 9, 2016	Richard Lang & Judith Selby Lang	One Plastic Beach	Since 1999, Richard Lang and Judith Selby Lang have been visiting Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, gathering plastic debris washing out of the ocean. By carefully “curating” the bits of plastic, they fashion it into works of art that show, with minimal artifice, the material as it is.
Oct 12, 2016	Ben Botkin	San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail – Explore the Bay Area’s Largest Open Space	The SF Bay Area Water Trail is a growing network of designated launching/landing sites around SF Bay. Water Trail Planner Ben Botkin explained how BASK members can get involved and help to further shape the future of water access on the Bay.
Aug 31, 2016	Bill Keener	Porpoises, Dolphins, and Whales of San Francisco Bay	Golden Gate Cetacean Research biologist Bill Keener presented results of the latest research on the porpoises, dolphins, and whales of SF Bay. We learned about changes to the local ecosystem that played a role in bringing back porpoises to the Bay, and what this may mean for our coast.
Jul 27, 2016	Erin Blackwood	Environmental Research in San Francisco Bay and Beyond	Scientists and students at SFSU’s Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies have studied SF Bay and marine environments around the world since 1978. Erin shared current research on habitat restoration, harmful algal blooms, and the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification in coastal environments.
Jun 29, 2016	John Bourgeois	Restoring the Wild Heart of the South Bay	SF Bay has lost an estimated 85% of its historic wetlands. When complete, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project will restore 15,100 acres of former industrial salt ponds to a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other habitats, improve flood protection, and provide additional recreation opportunities.
May 25, 2016	Patrick Tierney	Exploring and Protecting the Last One: The Free Flowing and Wild Yampa River	We explored the wild side with Patrick Tierney, a veteran river rafting guide and former national park ranger. We learned why the Yampa river corridor is considered one of the richest in native flora and fauna, geology and history, as well as a scenic and fun rafting trip.
Apr 20, 2016	Barbara Kossy	Birds, Kayak, Climate: Every bird has a story.	BASKer Barbara Kossy is an active member of Sequoia Audubon Society and contributor to the annual bird counts, birding Princeton Harbor by kayak. She filled us in on what those birds are up to, where they’ve been, where they’re going, and how they might deal with climate change.
Mar 30, 2016	Lyrinda Snyderman, with Larry Moss & Nathan Moody	Kayaking the Lower Colorado	Lyrinda regaled us with LoCo tales of high winds and “tides,” caves, emerald waters, rainbow-colored hot springs, and hanging gardens. Nathan and Larry were lured up and down the LoCo by Hank Ni’s promise that every destination was “just around the corner…”
Feb 24, 2016	Keith Miller	The State of the Kayaking Industry	Keith Miller, founding BASK member and California Canoe & Kayak Jefe, discussed trends and usage patterns in our sport, suggestions on promoting safe introduction to kayaking, how “sea kayaking” is being re-defined, continuing trends of industry consolidation, and geographic challenges of being a west-coast business.
Jan 27, 2016	John Boeschen	The Truth Abt Thursday Nites in Pictures	John Boeschen recounted tales from 15 years of Thursday night paddles, paddling regardless of weather (gale, what gale?) Paddle, Photograph, and Report—the holy trinity of the Thursday Night Paddle. We heard the unvarnished truth about the Thursday night paddles as only John could tell it.
Oct 28, 2015	Will Travis	Meeting the Challenge of Rising Sea Level	As an expert on sea level rise adaptation, Will described the impacts that climate change will have on the Bay Area. He discussed what is being done to reduce these impacts and how climate change adaptation is being incorporated into the Bay region’s planning for economic prosperity.
Sep 30, 2015	Sejal Choksi-Chugh of SF Baykeeper	Baykeeper Protects the Bay (and Kayakers!) from Pollution	Sejal spoke about Baykeeper’s vision to make SF Bay the cleanest urban estuary on the west coast and highlighted Baykeeper’s science, advocacy, and litigation victories. She described ways that kayakers can help make the Bay safe and healthy for both recreation and wildlife.
Aug 26, 2015	Peter Donohue	Whale Watching	Peter, who has been whale watching from his kayak for over 10 years and has seen hundreds of whales, shared strategies for viewing grays and humpbacks in our local waters.
Jul 29, 2015	Mike Higgins	R2AK—The Race to Alaska	BASK's own Czar of the Left Coast returned to a hero's welcome fresh from an epic 750-mile race through the Inland Passage from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK.
Jun 24, 2015	Entrepreneurial Kayakers	Gear Swap	With some eager to acquire that perfect kayaking accessory and others hoping to whittle down their inventory, BASKers engaged in a lively evening of bartering at the Aeolian Yacht Club.
May 27, 2015	Tom Colton	Adventures on the Coast of Vancouver Island	Over two summers, five BASKers explored remote islands, reassembled a sea otter skeleton, located a native burial cave, got lost in the fog, and saved a small plane from disaster.
Apr 29, 2015	Mark Berger and Winny van Veeren	Kayaking Alaska’s Prince William Sound	In 2011 Mark and Winny, along with paddlers Cris Lewis and Anne Kang, spent 16 days kayaking in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, with stops at Chenega and Nellie Juan Glaciers.
Mar 25, 2015	Dr. Thomas Nuckton	Hypothermia Research	Tom's research on immersion hypothermia, including studies of Alcatraz swimmers who swim year-round in San Francisco Bay without wetsuits, has been used to validate Coast Guard immersion survival tables.
Feb 25, 2015	Mai Maheigan	Paddling in Sensitive Seabird Sanctuaries	Mai works with the Seabird Protection Network to reduce human disturbance of marine wildlife in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and other areas along the California coast. (This was a repeat presentation of her September 2014 talk.)
Jan 28, 2015	Anne Kang	Changing Plans in Sitka	Anne, along with fellow paddler Cris Lewis, thoroughly planned a five-week kayak excursion in Alaska, then wisely opted to use their Plan B when inclement weather dictated a change.
Oct 29, 2014	Dean Peterson	The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary	Dean serves as a naturalist with Team OCEAN on Monterey Bay, interacting with fellow kayakers and providing an on-water presence to help protect wildlife within the Sanctuary and beyond.
Sep 24, 2014	Mai Maheigan	Paddling in Sensitive Seabird Sanctuaries	Mai works with the Seabird Protection Network to reduce human disturbance of marine wildlife in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and other areas along the California coast.
Aug 27, 2014	Chris Amy	Mothership Kayaking in Alaska	Chris—accompanied by his wife Nancy, David Kroll, and Bill Rostenberg—enjoyed the luxury of hot showers, warm dry beds, and meals fresh from the sea aboard the mothership Abyssinia.
Jul 30, 2014	Sharon Fleming, Ron Gestler, Sally Tobin & Johnny Werbe	Exploring the Green River and Glen Canyon	Four BASK members teamed up for a rewarding 10-day, 120-mile paddle down the beautiful Green River in Utah, followed by a scenic kayak exploration of nearby Glen Canyon.
Jun 25, 2014	Gary Goldfinger	Circumnavigation of Isla Ángel de la Guarda	Gary, the nephew of BASK member Steve Goldfinger, kayaked around an isolated biological reserve in Baja California's Sea of Cortez, exploring its diverse wildlife and photographing its unique desert scenery.
May 28, 2014	Meg Marriott	Wildlife Biology on the Bay	As a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge specialist, Meg's duties on San Pablo Bay include ongoing restoration efforts on the Marin Islands, an effort frequently supported by BASK volunteers.
Apr 30, 2014	Bruce Rogers	Sea Cave Development	Bruce, president of Western Cave Conservancy and a former USGS field geologist, has a wealth of knowledge about sea caves throughout the country, including BASK's favorites on the Mendocino coast.
Mar 26, 2014	Matt Krizan	Matt's Backyard Odyssey (part 2)	Matt returned to finish sharing his incredible offshore adventure along the entire coast of California—including an exhausting 42-mile crossing in the Channel Islands—and the lessons he learned.
Feb 26, 2014	Matt Krizan	Matt's Backyard Odyssey (part 1)	Matt secured his place in local kayaking lore with his solo, 36-day journey from Oregon to the Mexican border, starting with a harrowing crash-landing after his rudder failed.
Jan 29, 2014	Barbara Kossy	Seeing Sardinia by Kayak	Barbara leads kayak trips around Sardinia—melding history, nature, and local culture—and offers suggestions regarding the pros and cons of using a guide versus taking a self-guided trip.
Oct 30, 2013	Lyrinda Snyderman	Guerrilla Camping along the Inside Passage	Lyrinda paddled with friends for two weeks, camping among the moss-covered trees of Tongass National Forest, where they saw bears, whales, and the Le Conte Glacier as they traveled.
Sep 25, 2013	Dick Ryon	Big Sur Trips	Dick participated in two kayak adventures along California's Big Sur Coast: one a leisurely rock-gardening paddle from Carmel to Bixby Bridge, the other from Stillwater Cove to Pfeiffer Beach.
Aug 28, 2013	Bill Keener	Return of the Harbor Porpoises	Bill, with Golden Gate Cetacean Research, has been documenting Harbor Porpoise behavior for years and is excited to witness their reappearance in San Francisco Bay after a decades-long absence.
Jul 31, 2013	Bryant Austin	Photographing Whales	Bryant has made it his mission to inspire understanding of the ocean's largest creatures through photography, often accompanying them for months in the water to capture incredible, close-up images.
Jun 26, 2013	Joe Petolino & Friends	A Trip to Thailand	Six BASKers traveled around southern Thailand, shopping for food in colorful outdoor markets, observing spectacular wildlife on land and in the water, and kayaking through amazing caves and lake scenery.
May 29, 2013	David Lindberg	Gray Whale Survival	Assisted by marine paleobiologist Nick Pyenson, David has undertaken historical research on gray whale diets since the Pleistocene to show how they have survived by adapting to changing food sources.
Apr 24, 2013	Reg Lake	Patagonia Ice Field Exploration	A legend in the world of kayaking expeditions, Reg shared a three-week journey amidst towering glaciers in the icy fjords of Chile's Patagonia with Outside magazine editor Grayson Schaffer.
Mar 27, 2013	George Wolfe	Rock the Boat—Saving America's Wildest River	George, a kayaker and satirical writer, organized an expedition down the entire 52 miles of the notorious Los Angeles River and became entangled in a legal controversy of national proportions.
Feb 27, 2013	Various Club Members	Inventors Night	Always eager to solve kayak-related problems or make things work better, BASKers proudly showed off their DIY drysuit/bootie driers, paddle camera mounts, mesh cockpit covers, and more!
Jan 30, 2013	Sergey Yechikov	Kayaking from Sitka to Juneau	Inspired by the tales of Jack London, Sergey took his sectional kayak to Sitka and spent 60 days—paddling alone for over 600 miles—experiencing Alaska's wildlife, scenery, and solitude.
Sep 26, 2012	David McGuire	Saving Sharks	David is the founder of Shark Stewards, an Earth Island Institute project dedicated to saving threatened sharks by creating ocean sanctuaries in addition to establishing the No Shark Fin campaign.
May 30, 2012	Maryly Snow & Barbara Kossy	Kayaking Bulgaria and the Black Sea	Maryly and Barbara paddled from near the Danube to northern Turkey in the shadows of the Thracians, enjoyed wonderful food and friends, and visited the burial site of a vampire.
Apr 27, 2011	Susan Euing	Least Terns of Alameda Island	Susan, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, monitors Northern California's largest colony of endangered Least Terns and knows where people can watch them in action from kayaks.
Jan 26, 2011	Kim Grandfield	Kenai Kayak Expedition	Kim traced the southern coast of Alaska's rugged Kenai Peninsula, from Homer to Seward, on a three-week, 250-mile kayak journey with Dick Lampman, Jerry Leugers, and Dick Ryon.
Sep 29, 2010	Ian Wren	San Francisco Baykeeper	Ian is a scientist with San Francisco Baykeeper, an organization dedicated to reversing environmental degradation and promoting strategies to protect the water quality of the San Francisco Bay-Delta watershed.
Jul 28, 2010	Jude Stalker	Paddling in Sensitive Wetland Areas	Jude works with the Marin Audubon Society, showing people ecological characteristics of the Bay's tidal wetlands and pointing out ways kayakers can avoid disturbing sensitive species that call them home.
May 26, 2010	Christopher Richard	The Primeval Waterscape of San Francisco Bay	The Curator of Aquatic Biology at the Oakland Museum, Christopher studies how San Francisco used—and abused—its many creeks and lakes as it grew into today's modern metropolitan center.
Apr 28, 2010	Dick Ryon	Amazing Glacier Bay	For six weeks, Dick paddled with Diana Van Konynenburg among humpback whales and ice from calving glaciers, exploring countless bays and inlets while covering 450 miles of gorgeous Alaskan scenery.
Mar 31, 2010	Barbara Kossy	Birding from a Kayak	Barbara's kayak offers her a unique viewpoint from which to observe a wide variety of seasonal coastal birds before she returns home to research where they go when they leave.