The oar catches, the boat yields, and the Russian River nudges you toward the Pacific. In the way the estuary opens to the ocean here, the water changes character—calm and reflective inland, then restless as it senses the tide. Guides launch from the ridge above Jenner and you slip into a narrow channel framed by alder and coastal scrub. Harbor seals peek like punctuation marks; pelicans ride low and patient over the current. For about 2.5 hours you float between two worlds: river tranquility and an ocean that keeps reminding you it’s close.