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as kayaking, and most people manage to get paddling along quickly and with minimal instruction. Sea kayaking is fabulous in the Channel Islands National Park off the Santa Barbara coast, and at Catalina Island off Los Angeles. Both deliver caves, bluffs and solitude and are also ideal overnight getaways for experienced paddlers. Day trips are equally rewarding, especially for beginners who can put in at Mission Bay in San Diego and enjoy the calm, protected waters. In La Jolla you can explore cliffs and caves and float above the San Diego–La Jolla Underwater Park’s Click here kelp forests and reefs. There’s also decent kayaking in Gaviota near Santa Barbara, and in the craggy coves of Laguna Beach in Orange County.

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Jerry Schad’s 101 Hikes in Southern California: Experience Mountains, Seashore & Desert (2005) gets you onto fantastic trails described in evocative detail and with plenty of insider tips on photography, water needs and other issues.

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Most outfitters offer a choice between sit-upon (open or ocean) kayaks and sit-in (closed-hull) ones, the latter usually requiring a few minutes of training before you head out. Both start at around $35 per person for the day. With both open and closed, you’ll usually have a choice between single and tandem. Whatever kind of kayak you get, a reputable outfitter will make sure you’re aware of the tide schedule and wind conditions of your proposed route.

Many kayaking outfitters lead half-day ($55 to $75) or day-long (from around $110) trips. Some offer kayak/hike combos or oh-so-romantic full-moon paddles. There’s nothing quite like seeing the reflection of the moon and stars glittering on the water and hearing the gentle splash of water on your kayak’s hull. Small group tours led by guides with some local natural history knowledge are best.

California Kayak Friends (www.ckf.org) or American Canoe Association (www.acanet.org) provide extensive information on everything from safety and instruction to destinations and events for paddlesports aficionados.

For general resources log onto www.kayakonline.com/california.html.

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Lonely Planet’s Diving & Snorkeling Southern California & the Channel Islands (2001) by David Krival is a hands-on guide to happy encounters with garibaldi, sheephead, calico bass and other offshore creatures in SoCal’s waters.

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SNORKELING & SCUBA DIVING

Southern California has some surprisingly excellent underwater playgrounds – from rock reefs to shipwrecks to kelp forests – suited for all skill and experience levels. As with any water sport, wet suits are recommended year-round.

Great places, especially for first-time divers, are the La Jolla Underwater Park in San Diego and Casino Point Marine Park at Catalina Island. Both are accessible right from the shore and boast fertile kelp beds teeming with critters close to the surface. More experienced divers might also want to steer towards Crystal Cove State Park just south of Newport Beach, Diver’s Cove and Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach and Mission Beach in San Diego (where you can explore a WWII military shipwreck). Most of these places are also good for snorkeling.

Local dive shops are the best resources for equipment, guides, instructors and tours to nearby wrecks and islands. In order to explore California’s deep waters, you must have an open-water certificate from the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI), National Association for Underwater Instructors (NAUI) or another recognized organization such as the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC). Dive outfits (including one tank of oxygen) rent for $60 to $100 – it’s wise to reserve at least a day in advance.

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Scuba Diving (www.scubadiving.com) and Sport Diver (www.sportdiver.com), published by PADI, are widely available magazines dedicated to underwater pursuits.

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If you just want to dabble in diving, look for outfitters offering beginner courses that include basic instruction, followed by a shallow beach or boat dive, for about $100 to $150. If you