Dinosaur Cave Expedition Kayak Style

I arrive at Central Coast Kayaks for the Cave Expedition, envisioning a trip akin to a Disneyland ride until someone hands me a helmet and I realize, that they don’t hand you helmets at Disneyland! 

Donning a wetsuit, life vest, and helmet, I head for the beach to begin the 2.5 hour trip of a lifetime to the Dinosaur Caves.  The brochure describes it as “exhilarating and at times challenging.”  I was about to find out how accurate that is.

After a brief instruction on basic paddling technique and ocean safety, my group enters our kayaks, paddles past the breakers and heads for the caves.  We are going to experience not only caves, but also rock formations, arches and grottos that are only accessible by kayak.

As we paddle through entangling kelp forests, our guide, Vincent Shay, an expert kayaker and photographer, stops periodically to educate us on the different birds, marine life, and the geological history of the area.

Out of nowhere a harbor seal and her newborn appear. What a magnificent experience to watch mom tending to her newborn oblivious to gawking kayakers. After taking in that magical moment we paddle on and are soon greeted by two otters and their babies. It is an ocean maternity ward.

There are numerous caves to visit, all different sizes and levels of paddling ability. They have ominous names like Thunder Dome, Cathedral, and Big Cave. I was soon to find out why we wore helmets.

When we come to our first cave, I feel a sense of trepidation which rapidly disappears under Vincent’s watchful eye. He instills a sense of confidence in us.  He paddles into the cave, waits, and signals when it is the right moment to follow him in.

When it’s my turn, I take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, and paddle as hard as I can through the surging water rushing through the cave remembering Vincent’s rule to never stop paddling. It’s not a particularly wide opening because the tide is up. Hearing words of encouragement, “Back paddle, paddle to the right, paddle hard, paddle left,” I come out the other side in one piece, and grateful for that helmet protecting me from the barnacle-encrusted jagged rocks. It can only be described as a pure adrenalin rush.  Mother Nature is so powerful.

We go through more caves and rock formations, all increasing in difficulty as we hone our skills maneuvering through the surging water. We take a well-earned snack break on an isolated beach and rest before challenging ourselves to more caves and squeezing through more narrow rock formations. Upon completion of our tour we are given a photo disk of our adventure.

Ashala Tylor is a travel writer and photographer.

Thanks to Vincent Shay and Central Coast Kayaks for the tour.

Central Coast Kayaks, located at 1879 Shell Beach Rd in Shell Beach, offers several tours and lessons for the novice, family or large groups. Tours range from 2 hours to 6 hours. Kayak rentals are available.  Visit: www.centralcoastkayaks.com. or call (805) 773-3500.

Photography by www.vincentshaymedia.com