Dads and families kayak the San Francisco Bay for Father's Day
ALAMEDA, Calif. - Around the Bay Area Sunday, families celebrated Father’s Day with many activities suited to the warm weather.
In the early morning in Alameda, some families took to the estuary for waterfront activities that included kayaking.
At 9 a.m., the weather was clear and crisp, with barely a breeze. It was a beautiful start for families looking to create memories on San Francisco Bay.
Alameda native 6-year-old Vigo Navis suited up with a hat, sunscreen and a life vest and showed excitement as he jumped up and down with a paddle in his hands.
"We’re gonna go kayaking," he said as his father Kyle Navis stood beside him, sporting a life vest, hat and a paddle, ready for a day on the water.
Across the estuary on a rocky jetty, men were seen fishing from the rockpiles. Stand-up paddleboarders and small boat captains readied their rigs as the air warmed up for a promising day of sunshine.
Owner and operator of Stacked Adventures, Joe Stack, offered kayaking excursions in partnership with the Alameda Parks and Recreation Department. ]
He said the tours are designed for families and kids and that kayaking is a great way to see parts of the bay shoreline and wildlife that can’t be enjoyed from land.
"We get about seven to eight thousand brown pelicans that are starting to migrate in from Baja right now," Stack said. "The scenic beauty is just tremendous from the view of a kayak, especially with the San Francisco skyline and the USS Hornet in the background; it just makes for a really nice paddling experience."
In addition to kayaking being great exercise and offering aerobic activity for every age, this type of boating offers an opportunity to connect with one another in nature’s beauty.
Stack shared his favorite part of kayaking, saying "The Pelicans and the marine life out there are amazing. It's kind of nice to know we have this giant wildlife migration right here in our urban backyard that most people aren't even aware of because you must paddle out about a mile to see them."
Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter with KTVU Fox 2 News. She can be reached at alice.wertz@fox.com