Helicopter pilots are in constant danger of action stars climbing aboard their craft and throwing them out; kayakers, however, need only fear falling helicopter pilots. Steer an unstealable vessel with today's Groupon: for $25, you get a Huntington Harbor holiday kayak tour for one person from OEX Sunset Beach (a $55 value).
Just after dusk, a pair of expert paddlers from OEX Sunset Beach slip into Huntington Harbor to guide up to a dozen kayaks on group excursions past holiday-lit shorelines. Kayaks outfitted with lights push off from shore at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. each night, and return about one hour later. Before departure, guides provision guests for the night's escapades with a life jacket, rental kayak, basic paddling know-how, and bullfrog-to-English dictionary. Hot chocolate warms throats chilled from open-mouthed gaping at illumined holiday scenes, and guides bookend the front and rear of each festive flotilla to prevent paddlers from drifting and giant squids from stealing oars to use as cotton swabs. The staff recommends the trip for kids 5 and older, and tandem kayaks allow harbor tourists to ride solo or share paddling duties.
OEX Sunset Beach
Certified instructors at OEX Sunset Beach teach beginners basic stand-up paddleboarding skills on the calm waters of Huntington Harbor. The outpost is an offshoot of the original OEX center in La Jolla, which began as a kayaking and freediving center but has since branched out to include standup paddleboarding and poker tournaments with local sea bass. Staff members happily help guests get fitted with the perfect-size gear and lend basic safety tips before their expeditions over and under the blue bay waters.
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