Adventure Camera - Reflections of the Bay

With all of this crazy weather lately, getting outside to bike or kayak has been a bit of a challenge.  On windy, rainy days, we usually stay a little closer to home, and decided to try out a paddle we've been planning for quite some time-- Alviso Slough.  Just minutes from the hubbub of the heart of Silicon Valley, Alviso Slough's quiet, natural sanctuary is seemingly out of place.  However, it's a wonderful place to paddle and escape it all.  As you paddle away from the newly-constructed (and very nice!) launch facilities, the tech buildings melt away behind you, and you're surrounded by innumerable waterfowl, harbor seals, and tall reeds.  Worries are forgotten, and stress is left behind.

The funny thing is this-- there are little (well, actually, some are quite large...) sanctuaries like this all over the Bay Area, from Monterey up to Point Reyes, and not just for kayaking.  Peaceful hiking trails, adventuresome mountain bike tracks, and quiet road bike rides abound all over the place, if you just know where to look.  It's one of my favorite parts of living in the Bay Area-- nature's always close by.

But back to our paddle on the slough... The tides lined up perfectly on a dark, cloudy day, and there wasn't a soul in sight as we launched our kayaks and set out towards the Bay.  The water itself was quiet too-- calm and glasslike.  As the clouds rolled through, we watched their reflections in the water, and felt like we were floating through nothingness.  It was one of those truly surreal experiences, and made for an amazing trip full of reflections, both in the water, and in life.

Have a reflective day!