The Malibu Surf Shack was outstanding in the rental of kayaks. Reasonable prices for an amazing experience, my first time in the Pacific ocean. They provided excellent and clear instruction as well as safety gear and procedure for a total noob like myself, who considers the weekly trip to Walgreen’s to be a big adventure. The cove beside the Malibu pier was well protected and an easy launch for the kayak, even for a total noober. The Malibu Surf Shack made ocean kayaking an awesome experience for this first timer, until I committed the error of listening to my sister.
BAM! Our adventure got taken up a notch when my sister wanted to take her 2-person kayak (she and her husband are experienced adventurers) in to shore farther down the beach, way beyond the protected cove that Malibu Surf Shack provides. At the time, I was pretending to be brave and followed them in.
TBH, I would not recommend doing this to anybody reading this, especially those kayaking out on the Pacific for the first time. For me, taking the kayak in and out amidst full grown waves, having to crest an impossible wall of water wave similar to the Clooney-killa in Perfect Storm, triggered a full-on flight or fight panic attack, but maybe that’s just me.
Better for me are the memories are of the calm, open sea, the view of the coast opened up from the water, floating in tranquility like a seaweed. Malibu is kinda weird, the laid back dudes who run the place embody the funky charm, as did an RV with sunning dogs, an old Volkswagen camper converted by deeply tanned leather surfers, and a homegrown California crazie wearing a hand painted sign that read, “STAY POSITIVE.”