Bay Area Sea Kayakers (BASK) is a group of several hundred sea kayakers who live throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our interests include flat-water paddling, kayak-surfing, expeditions, and playing amongst the rocks, in conditions that range from mild to wild. Our club exists to bring paddlers together for companionship, safety, exploration, learning, and great food and drink! We welcome as members all individuals interested in kayaking. We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive paddling club and to sharing our enthusiasm, skills, and knowledge to increase equity and access to our sport.
BASK trips range from local to international, and are all member-initiated with shared responsibilities for safety. BASK does not supply boats or equipment, although some members are willing to share their equipment. You have to be a member or a guest of a member to participate in on-the-water BASK events and a signed activity waiver is required. Follow the links to learn more about the benefits of membership and to join BASK.
We invite you to attend one of our monthly meetings, currently online due to the pandemic! They are free and open to the public. The format of each meeting may vary a bit month to month, but they tend to include members sharing stories, featured speakers, club news, and information about upcoming events. It’s a great way to meet club members and learn about paddling opportunities. For more information see the Events page!
Would you like to speak at a BASK meeting or have an idea for a speaker? Contact the Speaker Seeker. Interested in what type of speakers we’ve had in the past? See the list of previous general meeting topics.
BASK Health Guidelines
For the safety of participants at all BASK paddles and other in-person activities, please stay home and join us another time if:
- You're experiencing symptoms of any infectious respiratory illness
- You're testing positive for COVID-19, even if you're feeling well
- In the past week, you've been exposed to someone with COVID-19 via shared air
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 within a week of attending an in-person BASK activity, please let the event initiator know. This will allow the initiator to inform other participants, who can then choose to self-test or take other precautions such as obtaining pharmaceutical COVID-19 treatments if they develop symptoms.
Next BASK General Meeting: Saturday, March 18 (In Person)
Journey to us by land or by sea for a meeting and home-cooked pizza party at the Aeolian Yacht Club in Alameda. Participate in the annual changing of the guard of BASK officers. Hear the adventures of BASK paddlers Johan Niklasson and Jonathan Luskin paddling the wild Haida Gwaii islands of British Columbia. Out on the deck, pizza masters Woody Holton, Darryl Thomas, Angela Davis, and Kathleen Scanlon will fire up their portable ovens and show us how to make awesome pizzas. A $10 donation is requested to cover food costs.
Time: 10 am to noon, with lunch following
Location: Aeolian Yacht Club, 980 Fernside Blvd, Alameda, CA
Please sign up to attend.
Meeting Agenda:
- Welcome new members
- Upcoming Events
- Election of of BASK officers for 2023-2024
- Vote on the 2023 Budget for BASK
- Muscle of the Month with Mary Ann Furda
- Who has the most fun at the Skills Clinic?
- Gearhead with Nathan Moody
Presentation Description: "Reindeer Cheese and Whiskey—Lessons Learned from Paddling Haida Gwaii, Helgeland, and Prince William Sound" by Johan Niklasson & Jonathan Luskin
Johan and Jonathan will discuss several practical themes of their recent expedition to Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. They'll draw from their experiences paddling in Alaska, Norway and elsewhere, and include such topics as planning, navigation, safety, wildlife, gear and food. Johan started paddling in 1997, and has been a BASK member since 2009. He served as BASK Vice President from 2021-2022, and is currently a member of the BASK Communication Committee. Jonathan began paddling in 2005, and has been a BASK member since 2006. He served as the BASK Vice President from 2020-2021, the BASK President from 2021-2022, and is also a member of the BASK Communication Committee.
Got ideas for meetings or locations? Contact Tom Colton, BASK President, tcolton@berkeley.edu
