Trip Report: Angel Island Rip Tide Whitewater (SF Bay)

For those "whitewater" paddlers who know their way around a sea kayak, another alternative to hitting the river is to checkout the rip tide in Raccoon Straits on the way out to Angel Island in the San Franciso Bay. The put in is on the beach by Sea Trek Kayak in Richardson Bay. You can also rent a sea kayak from Sea Trek for a reasonable rate - be prepared to prove that you have the necessary skills for self-rescue and that you have some experience in order to rent a closed deck boat.

The few times that I have been out in the riptide, it seems to get started right around the time that the tide is turning and will vary dependent on the relative strength of the flood/ebb flow. It's fun to play there and you can ride through it and paddle back around again, assuming you are a strong paddler.

If you want to take a class, Sea Trek Kayak offers "Angel Island Skills" which is a pretty challenging all day paddle including a series of self-rescue exercises in the riptide.