By Kathleen Goodwin

Kayaking on Tomales Bay was a birthday celebration. I launched from Chicken Ranch Beach for a short ride, as it was already getting late. My Hobie kayak has foot pedals, which suits me very well, as I can zip along the water, steering with just the touch of a finger on a lever that adjusts the rudder. It leaves me free to observe with unobstructed vision.

A grey heron flew just in front of me, then a seal popped up nearby. I skimmed along passing the two Shell Beaches. I was drawn to a cove further north. As I kayaked towards the inlet, I spotted a young buck with new horns standing at the water’s edge in the shadow of trees. I observed his reflection in the still water. “What an exquisite sight,” I thought, “it’s a birthday gift of beauty.”

A few minutes later the deer tried to climb the cliff. He managed to climb about fifteen feet up the side of the steep cliffs, then gave up and slid down to the beach. He was stuck on the narrow strip of sand. He tried repeatedly, first on one side of the cove and then the other. Finally, with a huge leap, he climbed over a big rock that jutted out into the bay so he could see around the corner. Still more rocks faced him. He turned around, scrambling back to the beach. Again and again he climbed up the cliff - with no success.

I noticed, with concern, that the deer was starting to drink the salty water of the Tomales Bay. Should I watch this drama unfold or call for help? I turned toward Chicken Ranch Beach but found I could not leave. I had to see how the deer was faring.

Unbelievably, the deer had figured out that the only possible way out of his predicament was along the shore. He had once again struggled over the big rock and peered beyond. He started his journey slipping and sliding over the submerged rocky shoreline. I sat in my kayak, twenty feet away, silently urging him on. A few times he fell into the bay and swam a little, but at the first opportunity returned to the rocks. Now and then he would stop and look at the cliff. I could see him gauging whether he could climb it.

“Keep going, keep going. You can make it!”, I was encouraging him mentally. As he reached the last rocky outcrop before Shell Beach, I could see he was considering the cliff again. So I kayaked behind the deer to nudge him around the corner. He splashed in, and swam past the deeper waters. Finally, a safe landing was at hand. He calmly and slowly walked ashore.

I kayaked back to Chicken Ranch Beach. The deer was safe and life was good! I celebrated with oysters on the beach, a lifeguard treat.