Russian River Kayaking (Jenner)

Russian River joins the Pacific Ocean at Jenner. The mouth of the estuary is almost blocked off by a sand bar even at a high tide at this time of the summer separating the salty ocean water and sweet river water. On the sand bar were several seals with their pups lounging in the sun. Several huge conical rocks jutted out of the water, their jagged edges eroded by wind and waves. Cormorants were perched up on top of the rocks. Sonoma Coast State Park website provides more information about this beautiful beach.



Sonoma Coast State Park
(Russian River Estuary joining (almost!) the Pacific Ocean)

It was easy to put-in the Kayak at the Jenner Visitor Center ( a nice cement boat ramp is provided). We went past Penny Island to the Goat Rock beach. The beach separates the estuary from the Pacific Ocean. We rested here and had a picnic lunch. We had the whole beach to ourselves pretty much. We were not sure how the surf was going to be at the mouth of the river; otherwise we would have definitely gone there. We did enjoy sitting on the sandy beach, resting our backs on large driftwood log while watching gentle waves coming ashore and coastal fog rising over the grassy hills.


Our Kayak at the Goat Rock Beach (on the Estuary side).

After a nice siesta we headed back to the visitor center after circumnavigating Penny Island.



Someone is napping...

We would definitely come back here again, perhaps for a camping stay.