Came here today for a private paddle up the river with my mom and my 50 lb., 10 month old puppy who had never been in water or on a kayak before. Jeff was so incredibly kind and patient introducing my dog to the experience and then, once we were on the water, so knowledgeable about our surroundings. We had an incredible time and cannot wait to see all the photos and videos he took of us! Because of COVID I haven't seen my mom in over a year and this kayak trip was definitely a highlight of our time together! Highly recommend! read more

Amazing kayaking experience. We did the 2-hour ride and enjoyed the experience very much. We had the Noyo to ourselves, which was even better! The staff was very friendly and helpful as well. I would highly recommend this experience. read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

Forget about Moss Landing and the kayaking in that area and head to Visit Mendocino County and this prime location in Fort Bragg California. You take off in the beautiful Noyo Harbor and can head west towards ocean, or east into the redwoods. You never know what you will see on your trip as there are seals, fish, and even the local Coast Guard. Tell them that I sent you. read more

Best experience on the northern California coast. It was a perfect day to spend on the river. I recommend this to anyone interested in being outdoors on a beautiful river with cool knowledge folks. read more

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We did the 2 hour tour and went up the river. Very calm and peaceful paddle. Staff were very friendly. The Feel free kayaks were pretty comfortable. We did the open ones. Next time I'd try out going the other direction towards the ocean to see if we could catch any sea creatures! read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - River views - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

Super friendly, great little location! We had a great time kayaking. Kayaked at our own pace, in a recreational kayak. We had a little portable speaker with us, that helped add to the experience. Good vibes, nice views, definitely recommend! Give this spot a try, if you're in the area. read more

Great staff. Nice float. Saw birds, seals and seal lions. Would highly recommend

I reserved a couple of closed-deck kayaks for my wife and cousin this past weekend, and added on the 15-minute paddle stroke refresher course, all of which was east to do online ahead of time. The owners were both really professional and skilled at teaching, and got the less-experienced kayakers' forward stroke good enough to paddle all day without pain and make some solid distance enjoyably. Unfortunately I had to launch my own kayak from a public launch a little ways down the road, but that worked out fine. Their kayaks, paddles, and pfds were all in great shape, and we had a lovely day paddling through the harbor and as far up the quiet, scenic, wildlife-rich Noyo River as we could navigate--we got eyed by curious seals, watched kingfishers and cormorants skimming through the air, saw deer come down to the edge to drink, and watched cavorting otters. I can't wait to go back for another glorious day on the water, and take a more challenging skills lesson when I can. Care and Jeff really love the sport and the place they live, and it shows. read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - Happy kayakers on the Noyo - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

Awesome kayaking down the quiet Noyo River. We were kayaking for 2 hours. We saw a family of seals, blue heron and other birds. Cate was great giving us tips regarding the river trip. I would recommend this Liquid Fusion for anyone looking for a great kayaking trip. Total for 2 people was $68.00. read more

We booked a private morning tour last month on the river and to the ocean. From the email communications before our tour date with Jeff and Kate to our actual tour with Jeff, we had an amazing experience. They were very knowledgeable, passionate, and we were so happy to get out on the water. Jeff pointed out so many birds species, we saw curious harbor seals, sea lions, and playful river otters during our tour. It was so fun! Jeff even helped us take some photos during our tour so we could just concentrate on paddling, enjoying nature, and not worry with our phones. Thank you so much for the wonderful experience! read more

Awesome experience!!! Great customer service -- we got a kayak upgrade for free and the staff was so friendly and knowledgeable. We saw so many sea lions and river otters. It was beautiful and very peaceful! read more

The Mendocino coast offers several kayaking options, including sea tours, river float trips and (in season) river whitewater trips. I think a tour of the sea caves or coastline usually will be more interesting than the river tours, but my seven year old son has never kayaked before, so I chose a less complicated river float trip. We took a Noyo River tour from Liquid Fusion kayaking. This proved to be an excellent choice for three reasons. First, the tour was easy paddling even for novices. Second, we were the only customers on a Wednesday morning tour, so we customized the trip to our specific interests. The tour wasn't the cheapest, but having a private session for 90 minutes turned out to be an excellent value. Third, the proprietor Cate is a former schoolteacher, so she did a great job engaging my son. We kayaked from Dolphin Isle harbor down to the main harbor and back on our 90 minute tour. Along the way, we saw a couple seals in the river, many birds (osprey, kingfisher, woodpecker, ducks, swallows and a beautiful Great Blue Heron) and evidence of river otters (but no otters themselves). My son initially loved the opportunity to paddle, but eventually he got distracted by the surprisingly fascinating (to him) floating seaweed in the river. My son ranked the kayaking as one of our trip highlights. It was a great way to whet his appetite for more. read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - Cate Hawthorne and the 'Red Tamale' kayak - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

Our family rented kayaks while in Fort Bragg this weekend and it was a very pleasant experience. Online reservations made it easy to reserve the boats we needed. The boats and the lifejackets all were comfortable. And ores easy to use. The boats had a wheel which made taking it to and from the water was super easy. One complaint I had, and only because I didn't expect it: As someone who's been lake kayaking multiple times I was not prepared for the holes in the boat which allowed water in. The previous kayaks I've used at lakes do not get you wet unless you choose to stick a leg or arm in. Next time I'll know and wear my swimsuit. We loved seeing the seals and otters, and rowing around the harbor and back. Overall it was a great experience and we will definitely be back. read more

What a wonderful, peaceful and educational experience. We learned about the river and its inhabitants, including sea otters. We also saw a seal. And our guide knew all about the different kinds of sea kelp floating around. The leisurely paddling gave us time to look around and listen. Birds and waves slapping against our boat took us away from the digital craziness, work and traffic back home. Mission accomplished. read more

Very friendly owners and excellent experience during Covid-19. Our boat and life jackets were ready for pick-up, even though we arrived 30 mins early. We received some tips from a safe distance and off we were. Gorgeous environment, with lots of birds, fish, and otters. We also met some friendly locals along the way; wonderful community feel. We'll be back for sure! read more

Our family-and-friends group of 7 novice kayakers (ages 14 - 45) had the time of our lives on the Whitewater of the Seas trip! Jeff and Cate were fantastic every step of the way - positive vibes from start to finish. There were zero safety concerns for us because it was clear Jeff and Cate could judge our skills and determine where we were safe to go and what we were safe to try. Everyone got to kayak over multiple cool rock formations, with help from Jeff and Cate, judging when the wave would be right to help push us up and over the rocks. Words don't do justice to how exciting and fun this was! Huge thanks to Jeff and Cate for the fabulous trip and awesome pictures--we are LOVING the great pics you took!! read more

I did the Meander with my 7 yo son. We have no previous experience but a lot of interest and enthusiasm - he had been begging my husband and I to take him kayaking all summer, because he saw people on them in the river near our home. Our guide was Jeff. TBH, we spent a lot of time flailing around, often falling 100+ feet behind the group. The other people on our tour with an older couple and a man with a child the same age, but he had some previous experience and was a lot bigger than me, a middle-aged woman in average shape. In other words, it was a pretty tame group, and I don't understand why Jeff let us lag so far behind, couldn't spend more time making sure that I knew how to move the darn kayak. We missed a lot of wildlife viewing, information about the area, and generally a lot of the experience, as we were struggling to catch up with the group, in the far distance. I was nearly in tears and was actually turning back when Jeff finally noticed we were gone and stopped talking to the rest of the group to come get us. I didn't pay $120 and bring us to the river just to feel inadequate and left out, you know? They take pictures of you to sell to you later. Notably, there are only two blurry ones of me and my son. Overall, a frustrating and disappointing experience. Overall, while I will definitely kayak again, and would consider taking lessons because its a great new way to experience the outdoors, I wouldn't recommend this company, tour or tour guide for a woman with a child unless you have at least some experience and/or are very buff so you can pull your way through and keep up - even for this easy trip. read more

The staff and equipment were top notch! Wonderful non-rushed explanation of the river. Went away from the busy area and were rewarded with views of nature and animals including deer, seals, and birds read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - Our launch site - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

Our kayaking tour was so much fun! Our guide Jeff gave us an awesome tour that included a guide on how to kayak, and included information about birds and the nature that surrounded the river. He was so helpful and encouraging! He made kayaking easy and enjoyable. The tour opened our eyes to appreciate the surrounding nature. It was beautiful! We will definitely go back and visit and use Liquid Fusion Kayaking again. read more

One of the best classes I've taken on any subject ever. We did the whitewater kayaking tour, where you get taught to play in the ocean on little breaks over rocks. So fun! Jeff is patient, fun, explains things really well, clearly is a master kayaker, and by the way also knows about birds and other cool things you see along the way. Setting: 55 degrees and foggy, a little choppy on the water The class was just Jeff, Tris, and me He gave us wetsuits, booties, etc to keep us warm, and helmets to protect our noggins. Then we went out on the water and he taught us some basic techniques like how turn the kayak fast, doing a controlled turn, how to stay in one place while the water tries to push you around (not nearly as easy as you'd think). We practiced these in various spots with different challenges, and then did some chutes and things were you position yourself and the water pushes you through. We also went into a couple caves that were BEAUTIFUL and you'd never be able to go into on your own. SO MUCH FUN! If you like a little adventure in your life, can swim (we each tipped a couple times!), and don't mind being wet- you should try this for sure! Thanks Jeff, you rock. read more

Kayaking on the Noyo was such a wonderful surprise! And Cate from Liquid Fusion made it all so easy. Everyone from the three-year-old to the 69-year-old had a great time watching the river otters and startling the cows. For the kids, the submerged logs turned into sea monsters while the overhanging trees tried to snatch us off the kayaks. For the adults it was peaceful and gorgeous. Cate made sure our boats fit us perfectly and there was plenty of room for our lunch and libations onboard. She even took pictures of us as we paddled by. We will definitely be doing this again! read more

If your urging to get out of the house and see some wildlife, you should definitely go on one of liquid fusions kayak tours. A harbor seal came up for air right in front of my kayak and stared at me for about 10 seconds which was amazing. In fact, I encountered many seals, some swimming aside my kayak, diving for fish, or begging for food from people standing on docks. Our guide Jeff was very nice and helpful with all our questions. He taught us about all the types of edible plants including a type of seaweed that you can cook in olive oil and roll cheese on that are similar to cheetos. The trek we went on was very easy and is available to all ages as well as most of there other tours. If I were you, I would for sure check it out even if your not familiar with kayaks and don't want to empty your wallet! read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - A cruise with my mom on the noyo river guided by liquid fusion kayak tours. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

Omigosh! This was SO much fun! I booked a beginner kayak session for my wife and I. I was nervous because I am a pretty big guy and my wife is very timid of the water. Jeff, our guide, was great! He made us feel comfortable and made for a stress free afternoon. He showed us everything we needed to know to enjoy our trip and was friendly and encouraging. We got nothing but positive reinforcement from him and you can tell he not only loves kayaking, but he loves to share his passion with others. He gave special attention to everyone in our small group and made sure we relaxed and enjoyed our time on the river. He pointed out all sorts of amazing wildlife along the way and had great stories to tell. I am not sure if kayaking is something we will do a lot of, but if we were in Fort Bragg again we would definitely sign up for another session with Liquid Fusion Kayaking! read more

My boyfriend and I made last minute reservations for the White Water Ocean Kayak tour and Cate got back to us right away and was fun to talk to on the phone while she tried to assess our skill level to make sure she put us in the right kayaks. She even gave us some advice about where to stay and which campsites and hotels were best. Jeff met us at the beach along with one other person going on the tour of sea caves and rock gardens. He set us up with kayaks, wetsuits and helmets and everything we needed for what turned out to be the most fun kayaking day I have had so far...and I've had some fun ones! He taught us how to control the sit on top kayaks and showed us how responsive they are and why they are good for white water ocean kayaking. They turn on a dime and are really easy to steer. and if you fall out, and you will, they are really easy to pop back into. We headed out to try out our skills and then paddled out to some tide pools that are only accessible by water. It was such a lovely place, so many sea urchins and anemones and starfish and mussels and sponges, like a miniature colorful alien landscape. After the tide pool break we headed back along the coast and Jeff taught us how to rock garden...which turns out is a verb, not a noun. I thought the tide pool was the rock gardening but what it actually means is that you find a huge collection of half submerged gigantic rocks where the waves are swirling and crashing and then wait till just the right moment and against your better judgement paddle right in and get carried over the rocks by a wave. Or, if you are me, you miss the exact moment and either paddle through very calm boring water while the wave surges ahead of you or you hit it at a really wrong moment and totally wipe out and flip over. Both are fun. I did manage to hit it a few times just right and it was so exhilarating. We also went through some caves after we learned how to get in them. Such a great day. Jeff is a great teacher, he knows a lot about the natural history of the area so you will learn about the animals and plants and the tides. And the icing on the cake is he was taking photos of us the whole time without us noticing so when we got back we had about 40 photos of us looking very brave and studly and like we knew what we were doing. For the price it is a great deal. Everything you need to be safe and warm, a great guide, and a long day on the water. Bring water and a snack and sunscreen and no cotton clothes. I just had wool socks and some synthetic fabric athletic underwear. and some warm dry clothes for when I got back. I'd skip the camera. I had a waterproof case for my iphone but it was a hassle to try to kayak and take photos at the same time. Just keep the memory in your brain and then use Jeff's photos. read more

My friends and I booked an outing with Liquid Fusion on a Saturday morning for an 1.5 hour trip along the Noyo and into the harbor. So here we are. 5 adults (if you can call us that :) ) 2 toddlers, and a 60lb dog. I'm sure Jeff & Cate were like oh great, here we go... but they were very pleasant, got us all suited up, loaded up in our kayaks and off we went. As we paddled along, Cate pointed out all kinds of wildlife... Deer, turkey vulctures, osprey, salmon, and many other critters. The toddlers, & dog were doing great and seemed to be enjoying the scenery as we floated down the river. Cate was amazing, answered all our questions, she actually seemed more like a friend of ours that some stuffy guide. On our trip back to the dock, we came up on a seal who popped his head up from the water, checked us out and then went on his merry way. It was incredible! He was only like 3 feet away from our kayak and scared the crap out of me! The last 10 minutes were a little touchy when the 2 yr old had just about had enough and cried a bit until Cate helped Mom & Dad re-position him in the boat to be with Dad. Again, Cate was very knowledgeable about the local ecology, wildlife and history of the area as well. She was incredible, & patient with our eclectic group and I can't wait to book another trip with them! read more

I have been kayaking in calm water before but this was my first experience with white water. I enjoyed both tours and found the experience very educational. I hope to make it back again soon! Ally read more

I went kayaking with Liquid Fusion back in June with my dad and brother. It was a little fathers day getaway and we stayed right on site at the Dolphin Isle Marina vacation rental (see my review for details). I booked a guided tour (I think it was called the Sunset Paddle Tour or Sunset Wildlife Tour?) for the evening of our arrival. We head over, check in, go over some safety details and we load up. My dad and brother get paired up together and I got paired up with Jeff - owner/tour guide, and history/wildlife expert. He did all the paddling for me and I was able to get some amazing shots on my camera! The tour was very informative and fun for all of us. Jeff answered questions as we thought of them and kept checking on me to make sure I was getting some awesome pictures. Overall the tour was amazing. The next day we went back to rent some kayaks for self guided kayaking. We each got our own kayaks and this time we went the opposite direction. The water was very calm and we saw a few river otters and we all had a lot of fun. It was a great fathers day weekend getaway and we all had a good time. Will definitely go kayaking again with them next time we go up. read more

Did a Tracks to Kayaks trip with our 10 year old nephew. Great trip. Guide knew fun facts and was a kind and nurturing instructor. Looking forward to doing another trip with this company. The Tracks to Kayaks is a perfect trip for young or new paddlers. Just enough to make you want more. read more

The Sunset Bird Paddle Tour on the Noyo River was fantastic. Cate is an excellent guide, both good at paddle skills instruction and knowledgeable about area wildlife. Highlights of our tour included: - Traveling alongside a pair of diving river otters; - Observing a harbor seal disperse fish for its dinner; - Finding adult and juvenile black-crowned night herons and ospreys; - Paddling under trees (including a redwood tree) that bow out over the river; - Watching a western gray squirrel jumping nimbly down branches overhanging the water; and - Seeing a snowy egret, a great blue heron, and a kingfisher all occupy the same "frame" for a moment. Serious birdwatchers will be thrilled with the many other birds as well: spotted sandpipers, Anna's hummingbirds, various waterfowl, and colorful songbirds. Overall a quiet, lovely evening full of "magic." I only wish the trip had lasted longer. read more

My outings and lessons with Jeff and Cate of Liquid Fusion Kayaking have all been very special. They are excellent instructors, wonderful docents and make the experience fun and, in the case of kayak surfing or rock gardening, peppered with ye-ha moments. I would recommend their tours and classes to anyone who wants to learn throughout the range of the basics to competitive level kayaking. read more

It was my 65th birthday and this is how I decided to celebrate it. Had an awesome time on the river. Lots of wildlife. Kayaks were easy to use. My siblings and I had a kayak when we were young. So, it was kinda like riding a bike so to speak. Kate & Jeff are very accommodating. read more

My teenage son and I enjoyed the peaceful trip down the Noyo river. Jeff pointed out wildlife we would have missed on our own. We hope to try the ocean tour next time we are up this way. read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking - Noyo Meander - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

We did the Whitewater of the Sea tour: The good: Our guide was really friendly and a good instructor. The tour was really fun, we got to paddle over rocks with the tide and paddle out into the swell. At one point we stopped on a secluded beach and collected gorgeous sand-tumbled fragments of abalone shell. Our guide was really good about knowing what areas would be too much for us to handle. Definitely worth it for anyone who has never done whitewater kayaking before. The bad: We didn't get to "dart through sea caves" as the website said. That phrase was probably the one that made us choose this tour, but it should say "tides permitting", which according to our guide, the tides hadn't permitting the whole season. A huge disappointment, but we did at least get to SEE the caves from about 300 yards off. Yes, in the end I'd rather be disappointed than dead, but I wish there had been a disclaimer. read more

Liquid Fusion Kayaking is the best! They had great prices and gave us some great advice on where to get the most out of our kayak exposition on the Noyo River. They are located right next to the river and we saw several sea lions right when we got in the water. I will be booking with them during my next trip to Fort Bragg! read more

I've taken 2 weekend-long sea kayaking classes with Cate and Jeff, SurfZone Fundamentals and Sea Caving. Both classes were professionally taught with a good instruction mixture of individual skills, safety, and teamwork. Each class also involved paddling along the coast, applying the skills in varying sea conditions. Cate and Jeff are both excellent kayakers and instructors, with a wide breadth of knowledge and experience. This is particularly important when paddling along the coast, with its varying weather and sea conditions. They will ensure you find the right paddling conditions for your class or tour. Lastly, paddling along the Mendocino coast is an amazing experience and classes with Cate and Jeff are Great Fun! read more

This was our first time kayaking. Cate was very helpful getting us organized. She also gave us a short lesson on paddling. The river was slow and relaxing. It was a fun morning. read more

We did the 3:00 Noyo river tour. Nice and relaxing. Perfect for families with kids. Great tour guides. Highly recommend!

This is the 2nd time I've taken people up to Northern California and done the Liquid Fusion Kayak. Kate was awesome as our guide and knew a ton about the local wild life, the community, and in general was patient with our antics! I strongly suggest doing the evening tour as the temperature was perfect, it was also low tide so we could see thru the water clearly. Again, 5 stars, do it!!!! read more

I took my wife for a private lesson at Liquid Fusion kayaking in mid May. Booking on line and corresponding via email with Jeff made this experience exactly what we wanted. 3 hours of uninterrupted time on the water with instruction, demo's and lots of practice time made us extremely comfortable in a kayak. Jeff's patience and encouragement allowed us to reach beyond our comfort zone and really understand our ability in a kayak. I would recommend this company for anyone even if you don't have any experience. read more

My girlfriend and I call Jeff 'the kayak whisperer' - his ability to read the water and maneuver his kayak are a wonder to behold. A lot of people can teach you how to paddle in calm water, but finding someone who can help you surf waves breaking over rocks (and keep you safe doing so!) is a taller order. Jeff is a rare breed of kayak guide in that he has as much to teach expert paddlers as he does beginners. Jeff is also an amazing teacher. My girlfriend and I both have experience teaching college classes and outdoor groups and we were really struck with Jeff's skill at explaining things clearly and in multiple ways. We were also both impressed with his kindness and patience - he makes everyone feel safe in their boat and proud of their abilities. In short, I would enthusiastically recommend LFK for anything from beginner to expert kayak classes. read more