u/23saround

Hey folks,

I’m about 1 year into owning my first kayak, and it’s been awesome. I live right where the Napa River meets the San Francisco Bay and it’s the perfect location for kayaking. I have a 17 foot touring kayak from Perception with hatch seals and a pump and have been working my way to and through the tidal marshes of this area. The tide is so intense in this area, I’ve been glad to have the long boat!

This summer, in July, I plan to take my kayak up to Tomales Bay for a 3 day/2 night kayaking trip. I’m an avid backpacker so I’m not really concerned about the camping side of things, but I’ve never been out of my little (and much warmer) corner of the Bay, so I’m more concerned about that side of things.

In July, the water temperature in Tomales Bay is around 53-54 °F. I understand that is below the 60° rule of thumb, but I’m not really sure how serious that 6-7° jump is. What kind of cold water gear do you recommend bringing with on this trip? Additionally, any advice for loading my kayak, or items unique to kayaking I should make sure to have?