Come meet us on the water — our community soft opening is Sept 27RSVP

Friends kayaking together on Tomales Bay

You're invited.

Come Meet Us on the Water.

Join Kayak + Connect for our community soft opening on Tomales Bay — a day of kayaking, exploration, local connection, and getting to know the people behind Kayak + Connect.

SEPT 27 · 2:00 PM · THE STRAUS HOUSE, MARIN

RSVP for the Soft Opening See What's Happening

This Isn't Just an Opening

We're opening our doors. And launching our kayaks.

Kayak + Connect was created around a simple idea: some of the best connections happen outside.

Connections with the people you're with. Connections with the people who call this place home. And connections with the incredible environment surrounding Tomales Bay.

Before we officially get going, we want to invite our community to come experience what we're building.

Meet our guides. Get on the water. Learn about Tomales Bay. Ask questions. Bring the family. Hang out with us.

No big sales pitch. We just want to meet our neighbors.

The Experience

A Day on Tomales Bay

Get on the Water

Experience Tomales Bay from a kayak and get a taste of what a Kayak + Connect adventure is all about.

Meet Our Team

Meet the people who'll be leading our adventures, hear their stories, and learn why they love this place.

Discover the Bay

Learn more about the wildlife, history, ecology, and communities that make Tomales Bay special.

Meet Your Community

Come spend time outside with neighbors, families, local businesses, visitors, and people who simply love this place.

Neighbors gathered on the shoreline of Tomales Bay

We're Somewhat New Here. We'd Like to Get to Know You.

We're building Kayak + Connect to be part of this community not simply another company operating in it. While most of our staff has been in the Marin and Tomales Bay area for years, as a company, we are new and ready to meet you!

Our soft opening is our chance to introduce ourselves, listen, answer questions, share what we're building, and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

Whether you've lived here for decades, just moved to the area, own a local business, have never been in a kayak, or practically live on the water…

Come say hello.

Say Hi

Meet Our Team + Guides

We're not selling kayak rentals. We're building experiences led by people who love this place — here are a few of them.

Chuck Thiel

Founder

Chuck carried a dream of sea kayaking for thirty years before finally chasing it. He believes a business can be a force for good — for people, wildlife, and the water.

Pilar Barton

Operations Director

Pilar has spent 16 years building watersports programs from Sardinia to Abu Dhabi. She leads safety, guest experience, and community partnerships here on the bay.

Lindsey Swords

Field Operations

Lindsey is an ACA instructor, EMT, and Wilderness First Responder with 18 years outdoors. She's guided Point Reyes and Tomales Bay year-round for the past six.

Kamyar

Field Operations

Kamyar grew up on Marin trails and Stinson surf after learning the water on the Caspian Sea. He's guided thousands of paddlers over the past 18 years.

What's Coming

This Is Just the Beginning.

Our soft opening is your first chance to experience Kayak + Connect — but there is a lot more coming.

Explore Our Adventures

RSVP

Let us know you're coming.

Sunday, September 27 · 2:00 PM · THE STRAUS HOUSE, MARIN. Space for on-water experiences may be limited, so an RSVP helps us plan for you.

Your Invitation Is Official.

Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring your curiosity.

We'll bring the kayaks.

See you on Tomales Bay.

RSVP for the Soft Opening