How kayaks have changed

From the early 1970s through the mid 1990s, few souls hopped aboard kayaks with fishing gear and ventured out to ocean fishing grounds. After the advent of roto-molded plastic sit-on-top kayaks in 1973 this began to change. These boats are self-bailing through holes molded into the deck and hull to allow water to drain. The broader, flatter design provides stability.

Now there are plastic sit-on-top kayaks with a tank-well molded into the back for scuba divers. In the early 1990s, kayak anglers began showing up off the San Diego coast, especially the La Jolla kelp beds; it is easy to launch from the mostly protected south end of La Jolla Shores. Kayak fishing guides started appearing on the scene and the first kayaks made for fishing entered the market. By 2010, there were over a million kayak anglers worldwide, hundreds of kayak fishing clubs and tournaments in the U.S.

Now sit-on-top kayaks can be rented in about any tourist destination there is water to play in. You can tour the La Jolla caves or paddle with the whales in the Baja lagoons. One way to get your feet wet is the Summer Fireworks Kayak Tour out of the Coronado Ferry Landing. Participants can enjoy the Embarcadero fireworks show from the water glistening with the reflection of the city. Tours will run every Saturday through the rest of July and August, departing at 8 p.m. and cost $35 per person, two people per kayak.

Tickets can be purchased from San Diego Bike and Kayak Tours at the Ferry Landing or online.