Evening Kayaking on Tomales Bay

Eye bioluminescence, then bed down at Nick's Cove.

WATERY WONDERS... come and go with the seasons. Sometimes Pacific gray whales are passing by on their way to Mexico, and sometimes there's a full-on algae bloom, along certain shorelines, making for a hue-tastic sight. Perhaps your friend has seen the green flash, at sunset, and another has spied a bunch of crabs or turtles or dolphins all in one place. It can stir a little bit of old-fashioned, true blue -- or true green-eyed -- jealousy, of the friendliest sort, to learn from a pal that you missed something super amazing out on the ocean, just because of timing or luck.

MYSTERIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL: But catching of the Golden State's most spectacular just-off-short sights is a matter of being around Point Reyes and Tomales Bay at the right time of year. We speak of bioluminescence, the product of all of those eensy-weensy teeny-tiny dinoflaggelates that seem to go a shimmery, glow-pretty green. Getting a little one-on-one time with a dinoflaggelate, say, in palm of your hand probably isn't possibly, given that they're single-cell organisms. But seeing a bunch illuminate the waters of Tomales Bay is possibly, and Nick's Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages is pairing up nature lovers with these microscopic marvels via evening kayaking jaunts in February.

MAKE THAT FRIDAY EVENINGS: You can book your spot, and a spot for your BFF, and snag a "cozy cottage for two," too, on "select" Friday evenings through the end of April. Blue Waters Kayak is your out-on-the-waves outfitter, and you're sure to learn more about how those wee creatures produce phosphorescent views. Plus? You'll be out kayaking in the evening, which is a bit offbeat as well. A cottage near the water, a kayak by night, and dinoflaggelates doing their ancient glow-y things -- fingers and paddles crossed -- makes for an un-run-of-the-mill adventure. And don't those make we humans rather glow inside, dinoflaggelate-style? Details on the package are right here, wonder lovers.

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