Depending on what you are looking for, there are a lot of options when looking for great places to stand up paddle in Morro Bay. First you must ask yourself, if you want to do some flatwater paddling, or do you want to go into the open ocean to ride some waves?
One of the great things about Morro Bay is that it has both options securely covered! For the purpose of this article, we'll just be looking at the flatwater spots. Stand up paddleboarding in Morro Bay on flatwater begins in a number of places around the bay. In this article, I'll break down the 5 best spots to stand up paddleboard in the Morro Bay Harbor and Estuary.
Wind speed and direction are factors that should be considered when looking for a spot to put in. The tides are equally important to consider when paddling in the Estuary, because depending on what direction the tide is going, that will determine a good starting place.
At certain tides, the current can be extremely strong and very hard to paddle against. Of course an experienced Morro Bay paddler knows to use the eddies on the sides in order to make the paddle against the flowing tide easier.
swell days when the Harbor Patrol closes the gate, but if your aim is flatwater, this is not going to be your call.
2. On days like that, it is much better to launch from Coleman Beach which is located at the north end of the embarcadero, past the Coast Guard station as you head toward the Morro Rock. Some call Coleman Beach Mothers Beach as it is a great place for moms to take their small children into the water where there are no waves. This is a nice place to start if you want to head into the bay. I normally like to immediately cross the channel and aim for the sand spit. Then I like to glide along the shore of the sand spit so I can see some wildlife. Seals, otters, pelicans, rays and a variety of other animals can be seen on any given day while paddleboarding in the Morro Bay Harbor.
3. On the South end of the Embarcadero is another easy place to launch. Tidelands Park is a nice little park on the water that features a dock for visiting boats. You can easily launch your paddleboards off of the T pier at Tidelands Park making this a good starting point on most tides and winds. If the tide is coming up, head into the bay (ei take a left). If the tide is dropping, then you may want to head towards the harbor entrance (take a right).
4. Further into the bay lies the Morro Bay State Park Marina. This is located just next to the Morro Bay golf course, just pass the Museum of Natural History. Here is a very nice flatwater starting point that allows you access to the furthest reaches of the bay. This is a nice spot to launch stand up paddleboards on days with a light northwest wind. It can be more protected and glassy back there tucked away.
If you need to rent a stand up paddleboard, or if you need lessons, the best place to go is:
The Paddleboard Company located on the Embarcadero at 575 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442.
Just give them a call or you can book your rental online at their website.
Click here for paddleboard rentals in Morro Bay
