Erik with Smart Tours is a Russian River kayaking expert guide - As a beginner at kayaking, my first concern was safety and Erik proved to be an expert whom I would highly recommend. He looks at multiple weather forecasts, tide charts, and currents, and having grown up near the Russian River, he knows all the ins and outs of where and when you’ll get the best and safest kayaking experience. What I also liked is that he gives a 100% effort at customer service, and is professional and organized with all the details. He answered all my questions in advance so he’s quick to respond by email. Another bonus is that he’s an enthusiastic naturalist so he knows a lot about the river wildlife (otters, seals) and birds, of which you’ll see many varieties. Since I live in Sonoma County, I also enjoyed his knowledge of local history — not to mention tips on good restaurants. (I’d recommend Cafe Aquatica which is right next door to the boat launch — good food and river views, and live music on weekends.) I plan to paddle with him again and recommend him to my friends, and visitors can relax knowing they’ll have a good time on the beautiful Russian River. - Christine

So peaceful! - This trip was absolutely breathtaking! Erik was so knowledgeable on the area and the wildlife and made the kayak trip so relaxing and peaceful! Highly recommend!

Make your way to Jenner - What an awesome experience! The views were incredible and saw lots of wildlife which made the tour that much more exciting! Erik was very knowledgeable on the area, kayaking and all the animals we saw! We got very lucky and the river was SO calm and no wind!

Birds Birds Birds! - All of us had been kayaking many times before, but we underestimated the beauty of the Russian River and the wildlife we would see. All of us agreed we had never seen so many birds in one place before. Erik was extremely knowledgeable about the local environs and wildlife and very conscious to not disturb the wildlife, which I appreciate. So many birds, so many seals, and we even saw river otters!

Great Experience on the Russian River - We had a fantastic time kayaking in Jenner. The weather was perfect and water like glass, very little wind but a nice breeze coming off the ocean. Erik shared a lot of history about the area and pointed out numerous items of interest. It was cool to have seals swimming amongst us with a couple curious ones following on occasion. We also want to thank Erik for his donation to the Humane Society toward the silent auction items that we bid on, which included this tour package.

Great Russian River kayak adventure. - We had a great paddle with Erik -- we aren't very experienced kayakers -- but he really made us feel comfortable and adjusted to our pace. He also knows the area so well -- including the best spots to see all kinds of wildlife. Will definitely book another trip in the future !

Another Fantastic Aquatic Adventure with Erik - This was our second time kayaking in Jenner with Erik, having previously joined him in August 2021. We loved it so much that we brought back out neice to experience the natural wonders of the surrounding area...from the marvelous microclimates (clouds on the water) to the playful harbor seals and natural migratory birds, with all sorts of flora and fauna in between. This was a highlight of her trip (and first time in California)! Erik and his father were gracious hosts, and their passion for the area was evident in their in-depth knowledge shared with our group. We will be back for another excursion if we are in the area again, as each experience was different and special.

Amazing experience! - What an amazing morning we had kayaking with Erik on the RR in Jenner. Erik is full of local history, flora & fauna as well as knowledgeable of all the animals we encountered. And on the safety side he knew how to navigate around any questionable parts of the river. It’s so great when a guide really loves what they do as much as Erik seems to. We saw so many seals! And birds galore. Book this Tour!

Highlight of our trip! - This was such a fun and memorable experience for our family. Some in our group had kayaking experience, while others were novices, but we all had a great time. It's ok if you're not so fit, or even if you are a little afraid of the water. It's a very safe, and smooth ride. Erik is a great guide, easygoing, fun and knowledgeable and we learned interesting facts about the local wildlife and history of the region. We saw lots of seals, a sea lion, pelicans, Turkey vultures, mergansers and kingfishers. The view from the river, where it merges with the ocean, was stunning! Very highly recommended.

Highly Recommended - Our kayak trip with Erik and Tim was fun and informative. They took great care of our group of 10 (5 kayaks.) They wove the area’s history and ecology into the trip. We saw merganser ducks, cormorants, great blue herons, an osprey , a kingfisher, pelicans, and numerous harbor seals. I recommend this activity for anyone who wants to learn more about the area where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean. Thank you, Erik and Tim!