On the peaceful waters, you are surrounded by several different species of birds hunting for their meals, fish that fly up out of the water, and sometimes even sea lions.

The outting is serene and at the same time somewhat athletic, as the paddling gives you a pretty decent upper body and cardio workout.

The waves and currents are minimal in this location, so it's a good area to take kids for their first kayaking experience.

Rentals are available, starting at $10 per hour for a single kayak, $15 for a double, and $20 for a triple.

Kids must be at least 8 years old and life jackets are a must.

If this is your first kayaking trip, check and gauge weather conditions prior to going out, to make sure the winds and currents aren't too strong (even in this location) for you to paddle against. Remember, if it's easy to paddle out, it may be hard to paddle in.

Make sure you wear shoes that can get wet, as they most definitely will. You may also want to bring a change of clothes for after the trip... and don't forget your sunscreen!

If you're going to be kayaking in a double or triple kayak, it's good to keep in mind when choosing your seat, that the person in the back will have the most control over steering, so the strongest goes in the back. Needless to say, my very athletic and kayaking experienced dad got that seat.

Even though I was in the front, I was briefly in the position of master of the helm, when our kayak was blown by a gusty wind into a muddy bank and it became my job to get us unstuck. See, we all have our moments of glory...

Kayaks were originally used in the arctic of North America for hunting. In fact, the word "kayak" means hunter's boat. It was an extremely dangerous way to get a meal... getting knocked out of your kayak by an angry walrus into sub-freezing waters with no thermal protection was a "game over" scenario. Talk about extreme sports...