La Jolla, California...Hike Bike Kayak's Home.

  La Jolla, California, also known as "The Jewel", was established around 1850. Its name is disputed among scholars because it can be translated in both Spanish and Native American languages to mean separate things. The Spanish translation is "The Jewel". This translation is most widely accepted because of La Jolla's beauty and charm. However, it is also translated in a Native American language to mean, "Hole in the Mountains," also an appropriate title because of the many sea caves along La Jolla's coast.

Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle Boarding near the La Jolla sea caves

  In the beginning, La Jolla was not heavily developed. Although it was part of San Diego, it was not easily accessible to those around the area. In 1890, a railway was built that connected La Jolla to San Diego. This created a large influx of visitors and La Jolla was known as a resort destination. Soon, hotels and shops were popping up all around town.

  A few notable institutions in La Jolla are the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Birch Aquarium. The Institute of Oceanography was founded in 1903. It is one of the largest and oldest ocean research centers and provides training for both graduates and undergraduates at the University of California, San Diego. The Birch Aquarium is an aquarium connected to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. It features 3,000 animals that belong to 380 different species; many of which are found in the La Jolla ecological reserve.

   La Jolla Shores, where Hike Bike Kayak is located, is a stretch of beach about one mile long. It starts at the Sea Caves and ends at the Scripps Pier. Off the coast of the shores is the La Jolla ecological reserve. This is home to La Jolla Cove as well as a giant kelp forest. This kelp can grow up to 2 feet in one day and be as tall as 100 feet! Along with the reserve, La Jolla shores has a main street of shops and restaurants, and a very kid-friendly beach. 

Guest Blogger
Cayley Harrell

Hike Bike Kayak Monthly Beach Cleanup!!

  Each month, Hike Bike Kayak holds a volunteer beach cleanup in La Jolla Shores to help keep our community clean of trash and debris. We strive to protect our local ecosystems and wildlife, while bringing awareness to the public about the high volume of trash on our beaches and the harmful effects it has on our environment. 
  Along with the heavy amount of foot traffic at La Jolla Shores during the summer months, comes the left behind plastic wrappers, bottles and caps, cigarette butts, soda cans, and unfortunately much, much more. Popped balloons are among the waste as well, which are left from birthday parties held on the beach and Kellogg Park. All of this can be very harmful to local wildlife, wounding or taking the lives of birds, fish, and other sea life.

   According to San Diego Coastkeeper, volunteerism for local beach cleanups has steadily dropped in the past four years. Many people are mislead that La Jolla Shores is already clean and doesn't need our help, but it does!

   Hike Bike Kayak can attest to that, filling 8 buckets full of trash and debris last Saturday, July 12th, at our La Jolla Shores cleanup. Please join us in protecting our environment and keeping our community free of littered waste! Follow Hike Bike Kayak on Facebook for updates on our cleanups, cool news on our sea cave kayak tours, kayak and snorkeling tours and unforgettable snorkeling tours among the sea life in La Jolla Cove...Plus, when you like us on Facebook, you get $10 off any tour!

Snorkeling with the Giant Anchovy School in La Jolla!!

   A massive school of northern anchovy filled the La Jolla waters yesterday, creating a dark band that stretched along the coast. Robb Daly, an expert naturalist guide with Hike Bike kayak, captured his experience of this cool phenomenon while snorkeling with his group in La Jolla Shores.  

 "It feels like I was swimming in a snow globe filled with tiny fish!" Robb told us. 

Check out this awesome video of his experience with the anchovies!!

   Scientists at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography said they haven’t seen such an aggregation in more than 3 decades, and are unclear why the large school moved into shallow waters off the coast.They’re still studying the phenomenon, and members of the Institute have gathered samples for the study. These massive schools are typically located further off shore where they’re not generally seen by the public. 

  Leopard Sharks and Sea Lion seized the rare encounter to snack on the anchovies. which was also an incredible sight to see!

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   At Hike Bike Kayak, we encounter incredible sights like this all the time. We swim with huge schools of leopard sharks on our leopard shark snorkel tour, and often times encounter massive pods of up to 200 white sided dolphin from our sea cave kayak tours. We've seen peregrine falcon exchange prey in mid-air, sea lions giving birth in La Jolla cove, and migrating gray whales rub against our kayaks!!

  Plenty of unforgettable sights here at Hike Bike Kayak!!

Snorkel and Stand Up Paddle Board with Harmless Leopard Sharks in La Jolla!!

   At Hike Bike Kayak, we've been swimming and snorkeling along with the shy, sleek, spotted leopard sharks who come here to gestate in the warm and tranquil, shallow waters of La Jolla Shores. Our experienced naturalist guides have had much success capturing the congregating  leopard sharks on our La Jolla Shores Leopard Shark Snorkel Tour.  Here is a short clip of an unforgettable experience with the beautiful docile sharks. 

Prime viewing for the large leopard shark congregation in La Jolla Shores is July through September. These are the warmest water months in La Jolla. 

If you'd prefer another way to view the leopard sharks, we have a Stand Up Paddle Board and Leopard Shark Tour! We being with a quick lesson to make sure you are comfortable and balanced on the SUP. Then we cruise over to the La Jolla leopard shark breeding grounds while looking for bat rays, guitar fish, and of course, leopard sharks! The tranquil waters of La Jolla Shores in the summer offer the perfect paddle board setting.

For more info on these great adventures, visit our website Hikebikekayak.com