Pamalah MacNeily and John Granatir started Blue Waters Kayaking in 1994. Their bioluminescent tours are ‘quite magical,’ Granatir says.
“The most intense nights, we've been throwing balls of light 30 feet behind our kayaks with each paddle stroke.” —Suki Waters
anomalies and the potential for changes to that timing. “We start testing more near the end of June and moving forward,” she says. “The state wants to know if there's an anomaly.” Waters also explains that the extra nutrients fed into the estuary by the Russian River means a different experience compared with kayak tours of Tomales Bay. She says for that reason and because she loves supporting ecotourism, she encourages her guests to try the kayaking experiences in Tomales Bay, as well. Teeming with wildlife John Granatir and wife Pamalah MacNeily love kayaking together on Tomales Bay. “It's just that stillness—and being in the natural world that makes it so special,” Granatir says. They’re helping others enjoy that same experience through their kayaking company.
The couple launched Blue Waters Kayaking ( bluewaterskayaking.com ) in 1994 and, although Granatir is now in his 70s, he is still training guides to lead kayaking tours. “I've probably been kayaking in the area for 40 years,” Granatir says, adding that he started the first kayaking company on Tomales Bay in 1984. “Tomales Bay is a jewel of a place in terms of seeing beauty and access to nature that's almost unparalleled,” Granatir says. “It’s teeming with wildlife. It's a very rich biological resource.” Their night tours for bioluminescence viewing are among their most popular and the time for best viewing is about to kick up again. Granatir laughs and says, “We call August ‘fogust’ around here.” He says on August evenings the fog rolls into Tomales Bay, creating the perfect conditions for bioluminescence viewing. “It cuts down on the ambient light from the houses and roofs,” Granatir says. “So foggy nights in August are an ideal time for bioluminescence viewing.”
July 2025
NorthBaybiz 31
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