Very happy we chose Bodega Bay Sailing. Rich is a great guy with a lot of knowledge about the area and about sailing. We had a great time and would definitely go out on the boat with Rich again. Highly recommend! read more

The BEST in Sailing Adventures. My wife and I went out for a 3 hour tour and had an amazing time. Captain Rich is fantastic sailor, has an encyclopedic knowledge of the area and a hilarious conversationalist! read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Boating Near Me

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Very little wind today but still a delight. 10/10 conversation and sailing. PS Captain Rich the artist I said to listen to is Chappell Roan, please reply with the name of the gay whistling song you told me to listen to. #WillytheWhale read more

Great time on the water with Rich. We saw harbor seals, sea lions, and rode some big ocean waves. Recommended!

It was a great trip. Rich is funny and knowledgeable about the area. We would definitely take this trip again. read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Sail on a sailboat in the ocean - Boating Near Me

I think this is the area/pier we used to go over 20 years ago when my dad would like to go crabbing and fishing. Fast forward to 20+ years and we're back to go crabbing and fishing. It was closed and blocked off during COVID. It's best to go early in the morning and high tide for crabs. I think the limit is 14. If you're there later on in the day the sea lions come out and love to take your bait... it might be easier catching fish closer to the wharf. As for parking, there are parking lots where the boats are and there's a little lot all the way at the end with no shade. There are public restrooms where the main area is. There are some only for people that have boats and keys out there as well. read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Crabbing in Sonoma County - Boating Near Me

Group of friends went out with Captain Rich and it was a lot of fun. Rich is professional yet fun and respective of our needs. Went above and beyond to show us whales and was just a great person to interact with. Boat was cool as well. Highly recommend! #WillytheWhale read more

Let me preface this by saying I'm a pretty experienced sailor, albeit in places far gentler than Bodega Bay. I booked this outing because I wanted to sail in conditions different from what I usually face. I don't need new & fancy, just a seaworthy boat and a skilled captain who knows their boat and waters, and I'm happy. Which I am. Rich knows his business, and where most of us in MDR might think of staying home, he calmly tucked in a couple of reefs and off we went. He was clearly able to handle everything himself, but happy to share. Good fun was had by all. read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Appropriately shortened sail and moving fast and flat in 20+ knots of breeze. - Boating Near Me

Had great day with captain Dan, no wind turned into a great day of whale watching. Captain was a great host showing us what to look for to see the whales and a lot of frisky sea lions. See you next year Captain. read more

Randy and I went on the 3 hour 10 am morning sailing tour with Captain Rich! It was chilly, foggy and barely a sail and no wind but one of the absolute best times we've had! Drinking champagne and just cruising around the bay - we saw a rock full of sea lions, dophins and seals oh my! But no crabs in the crab pots! Captain Rich is truly a fun-witty character, we completely appreciated and enjoyed his humor and knowledge about Bodega Bay and bay area. I highly recommend taking one of his sailing tours... Just be careful stepping out of the boat! HAHA ;-) read more

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Rich is amazing guy, he made our day so pleasant! We all enjoyed so much. he took us deep into the ocean and explained a lot about sailing!

We had an awesome time with captain Rich, he is so entertaining. Felt completely safe during entire trip. He asked if we had dinner plans, when we said no, he said great we can stay out longer. We sailed out in the open ocean perfect day except for the fog rolling in. Waters were calm, captain said best time to go is August through October. With best sunny weather September and October. Being locals in Healdsburg we call the coast fogust during August. As you never know if sunny will stay sunny. His knowledge of area is mind boggling. We will return. read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Sunny Start - Boating Near Me

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My wife and had big fun fun sailing with Captain Rick! He was very professional, knowledgeable about everything we saw around us, and besides that a great person to talk with while we sailed. His boat was comfortable and we look forward to sailing with him again. Super nice guy! Highly recommended. read more

We had a wonderful morning with Rich. He was very informative and a knowledgeable captain about the bay, ocean, the native animals and sailing! We would highly recommend this trip for anyone in the area! We think Rich may be missing is calling... he could be a comedic in Vegas! All kidding aside he loves his job and it shows! read more

Wonderful sailing experience! It is great to go with just your own group of friends/family. Rich shared lots of knowledge and funny stories. Weather was gorgeous and the wind just right to keep us moving. We saw lots of sea birds, sea lions and orange jellyfish. Highly recommend this trip! read more

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My 9 year olds HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER! Rich was awesome! Super laid back and gave us lots of history about the Bay. Great tour for kids!! Will def book with Rich again. Thanks again. EPIC DAY ON THE BAY! read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Boating Near Me

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My wife and I enjoyed our private three-hour boat ride. Capt. Rich did a great job of making us feel entertained and comfortable. His 33' sailboat was great fun as we took a slow and relaxing tour of Bodega Bay. We never lost sight of land, which made us feel safe, and Capt. Rich was a good tour guide. His boat is radio-equipped and we got a safety briefing before we left the harbor. We were issued life jackets. Make sure you take a heavy coat, a hat, long pants, warm shoes, and gloves with you, as it got pretty cold out on the water--even in July! At the end of the boat ride, I gave Capt. Rich a $40 tip. The experience was worth it. read more

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Randomly booked this trip for my honey because he loves boats lol. We were on an overnight trip to the coast and decided to stop over in bodega bay on our way to timber cove in Jenner. Rich gives three tours a day, 10am, 2pm, and a sunset trip at 5pm. We opted for the 2pm trip since we wouldn't make it there from Fairfield by 10 and we figured since it was a 3hour tour, the 2pm sail would end right around sunset (did this in Nov). We booked online and got confirmation fairly quickly. The directions to the dock and where to meet were clear and concise. Rich was friendly and easy to talk to. We lucked out on the weather being just perfect, not too windy and not too cold. Saw a bunch of seals and jellyfish (unfortunately didn't get to see any whales) and it was relaxing and beautiful, just quietly and smoothly sailing along on the water (right where I always want to be). Would definitely book with him again! Next time we'll remember to bring some wine and cheese with us though! read more

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A must to go sailing with Rich. He is very friendly and informative. With covid going on THIS TRIP IS PERFECT, it will only be you and Rich instead of a group of random people. It was my boyfriend's birthday and Rich went out of his way to make sure we seen some wild life and had a wonderful day. He gave us suggestions on beaches and restaurants. Thank you Rich for a wonderful experience read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Smooth sailing with Rich - Boating Near Me

This was an awesome adventure! Captain Rich is a true professional and very personable! What a great time my girlfriend and I had! Look no further for your next adventure! We were very pleased. Looking forward to another adventure sometime soon! read more

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Awesome trip! Rich is an amazing tour guide, made the trip so great. Beautiful views and beautiful boat. Will definitely go again. Would suggest to anyone visiting or going through bodega bay. So much fun. read more

Bodega Bay Sailing/Rich were so awesome! Our family had a wonderful 3 hour sailing trip out of the harbor and around the area Rich was fun loving, and so knowledgable of the area. The information he shared truly shows he has been in this area forever, and has a great knowledge of the surroundings, wildlife, topography, and ocean-ways. Beyond his 'knowledge', Rich had everyone laughing with his quirky jokes, and offers of bottled water. Will absolutely return again! read more

Our tour guide/sailor Rich was great from the time we arrived and even after our booking ended. Rich offered up great suggestions for exploring Bodega Bay area, local food and was able to get us discounts and comp items at a couple places. Unfortunately we did not see whales this particular day, but having been whale watching before we know it wasn't a guarantee. We did see plenty of seals and sea lions and other wildlife. read more

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Absolutely amazing! My 15 year old daughter and I were coming to the area to visit my Uncle and 85 year old Grandma. We were looking for something we could all do together to explore the area and get out on the water. This trip was perfect!!! Rich was fun and knowledgeable! He answered all our questions and made us laugh a lot. He also made sure my Grandma was comfortable and having a good time! Bodega Bay was beautiful! The views are INCREDIBLY! It was very windy and chilly the day we went but we had jackets and blankets. Both my 15 year old daughter and 85 year old Grandma said it was one of the best days! read more

Definitely a must do activity if you are visiting Bodega Bay! Everything from booking my trip to the actual sailing trip itself was nothing short of perfect! Shorty after requesting the time and date that I wanted to book the tour I got a confirmation email that my request had been accepted and I just would have to confirm payment, etc to actually book. I did that and immediately got confirmation for the trip that came along with it some helpful suggestions on what to do in Bodega Bay. Before the trip (on two separate occasions) I had to ask Rich a couple of questions and he was quick to respond and incredibly friendly via email and telephone for both instances. Getting to the boat was a little tricky for us because we had difficulty finding where to meet Rich (even though his email comes with very thorough instructions) but we just called him and he was very helpful and patient in giving us guidance on how to get to him. Before this experience with Rich I had concluded that sailing is actually not for me because I've had other sailing trips where I just felt bored or miserable the entire time (I only booked the trip as a surprise for my husband). This was not the case at all this time around! Our experience during the actual sailing trip was wonderful, in large part because Rich really knows what he's doing and he also is incredibly engaging and informative. We were the only ones who had happened to book for the day/time we had our sailing trip so it was just me, my husband, and Rich. At first, I was a little worried this would be awkward but it was quite the opposite. Rich struck the perfect balance between being talkative and answering all of our questions while still giving my husband and I space to talk and have alone time. Do yourself a favor and a)go to Bodega Bay and b) book a sailing trip with Rich! read more

Rich is a super cool guy with a good sense of humor. Rich is also very knowledgeable about Bodega Bay and it's history. Thanks for the great time and for taking us out on Bodega Bay! We definitely enjoyed it! read more

This was absolutely amazing, Rich is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor and adventure!! Better to go on your own trip though!! Highly recommend!! read more

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We had a fantastic time out on the bay with Rich. His knowledge of the area and expertise in sailing combined with care and concern for the desires of his passengers makes for a fantastic voyage. He was able to accommodate both the needs of my parents (in their 70s) and still show us a bit of adventure. :) We talked of sailing up and down the coast, the Sea of Cortez, and adventures with little ones while sailing. He can adjust your trip to accommodate whatever you wish to know about sailing, fishing, local life, flora and fauna, and his adventures as a park ranger. We happened to see a sea otter on our trip - the first one spotted in the area in MANY years. Lots of seals, sea lions, and bird life along with both commercial and personal fishing. Highly recommended! read more

Bodega Bay Sailing - Sea otter! First sighting in Bodega Bay in many years. - Boating Near Me

We had such a good time boating with Rich. We actually didn't get to sail because there was no wind and it was foggy, but we did motor around the bay and see seals, porpoises, birds, starfish, even a marlin, although it was on the wall in a restaurant. I found Rich to be absolutely quirky and delightful. He entertained my six-year-old daughter tremendously, he has a lot of knowledge about the area, and if you're open to talking politics and religion he's quite knowledgeable and interested. He has great stories from when he was a park ranger, and also about his time on the ocean. We all felt safe and in capable hands, and appreciated that lifevests were offered to everybody on board, not just the kid. I'm not sure I believe him that he lost half his finger to a shark, but I would be willing to book another trip to ask him in person. For a fun, personal and interesting experience, even if there's no wind, book a trip with Rich. You can wait at the restaurant at the end of the dock, he'll wave at you around the time the trip starts and get you on the boat. read more

This is a fun way to spend your day in Bodega Bay. Rich is a knowledgeable sailor. You will be safe on the water and have fun. We spotted seals, a gray whale, and sea lions. We had a great time with an enjoyable host who wants you to be comfortable aboard his boat no matter what your skill level with sailing may be. Highly recommend. read more

We had called the owner regarding booking a sail for my fiancé and I on our upcoming honeymoon. I stated that I noticed on the website that it states that riders have to show proof of full vaccination. He asked if I was and I said we were not. He said he would go ahead and take us on a sail and would check the dates we were interested in. In the last 3-4 days I left a few messages and no word back. Today received a text that says no vac= no sail. Very upsetting! CDC is not mandating vaccinations ???? read more

Great ride and entertaining, knowledgeable host. He's been sailing for over 20 years and knows how to make his guests feel comfortable and safe. read more

We really enjoyed sailing with Rich. He took us for a tour around the bay and we had a really nice conversation and had a great time.

Captain Rich was such a pleasure to hang out with ! He was easy to get a hold of and making our reservation was easy. He was so friendly, knew a lot about the area and made us laugh all day. The sailboat was comfortable and we enjoyed our time. A must when visiting the area! Was really beautiful. read more

Had a lot of fun...Rich is quite knowledgeable about Bodega and surrounding waters. He shared info and experience about sailing in this area and took us to some of the most mesmerizing spots in & around the Bay. We highly recommend you going on tour of Bodega Bay with Rich & Bodega Bay Sailing. read more

My lovely fiance provided me with a wonderful gift on my birthday, and it was a nice, breezy sail out and about the Bodega Bay. It was a comfortably pleasant three hour excursion for people like myself, who just want to relax, and enjoy the simpleness of sailing. Now you add in a clear blue warm day, the curious barking of sea lions, the brief splash of whale tails, and the quick wit of Captain Rich - and you have a well spent time on the bay. We loved it so much, we intend to do this again. And just a side note for Captain Rich - you should merchandise a few items from your business. We would have loved to buy a few Bodega Bay Sailing t-shirts. Just a thought! read more

I was looking for something special to do with my wife while we stayed at Bodega Bay for our anniversary. I found this business through Google and arranged a morning sailing trip on the phone with Rich. It was easy and I used paypal to pay the fee. We met at the harbor on the day of the trip and he took us out on the bay. We sailed as far as we could to get to the open ocean and feel the wind and waves (that's what I wanted to do). We got pretty close to a rock where sea lions and seals were relaxing, and with binoculars they seemed really close. It was a three hour excursion, but we lost track of time, talking about the area and about our lives, and stayed out an extra hour or two, which was perfect. I did get a bit sick on the way back. I've never been seasick before, but I must have had something coming anyway, since I was sick for a couple of days. It's too bad, but didn't mar my experience in any way. If you're prone to getting seasick, this is probably not the experience for you, because you can't predict what the weather's going to be like. It's a beautiful sailboat, fun to travel on, and Rich is entertaining. He did a bit of fishing while we were out, but didn't catch anything. I imagine he'd be up for a fishing trip if you express interest. read more

Great experience, Rich is awesome! If you're looking for an opportunity to get on the water and enjoy the sights with a guy who know em', look no further. Rich is personable, responsible and clearly knows his way around the boat. We enjoyed our time and suggest anyone looking for something to do in Bodega Bay this is on the list. read more

We enjoyed our three hour sailing tour of Bodega Bay very much. Captain Rich was informative, and personable. After he gave us the safety talk, and provided us with life jackets, and away we went. He made us feel welcome and at ease the entire trip. He answered all of our questions and even provided some humor along the way. His knowledge of the area was appreciated and his love of the water and sailing showed. We will definitely take this tour again. read more

Fun trip around Bodega Bay. Captain Rich is very knowledgeable about the local area and told us lots of great stories about Bodega Bay. We got lucky on our trip seeing a Grey Whale with her calf, sea lions and calm winds. Great way to see Bodega Bay. read more