Updates & News From Portland Paddle

It’s easy to mistake several marine creatures commonly found in Casco Bay for the famously frightening sharks that visit our waters far less frequently While you may have heard about sightings of great white sharks in Maine, the likelihood of seeing one inside Casco Bay is very slim. In fact, none of Portland Paddle’s guides…

Figuring Out Where to Start Portland Paddle offers dozens of sea kayaking classes and workshops, so people often ask us if it matters which one they take first. It’s okay for experienced sea kayakers to skip to courses focused on advanced skills like kayak surfing and rolling. But most people are better off gaining the…

Kayaking on Tuesdays and SUP on Thursdays Once again we’ll be hosting our early morning group paddles during the summer of 2023! If you’re a kayaker or stand-up paddler looking for a chance to get on the water with others, please join us. SEA KAYAK TUESDAYS: 7:30am-8:30am SUP THURSDAYS: 8am-9am Please arrive at least 15…

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 – SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2022 Portland Paddle instructor Suzanne Blackburn is teaming up with Maine Island Kayak’s Liz Johnson to offer two special days of building skills, confidence and power on the water. Course Description Building our skills on the water develops our competence as paddlers. As our abilities increase, our confidence…

We noticed that many of Portland Paddle’s favorite organizations and instructors are offering some terrific opportunities for learning in the months ahead, so we thought we’d give you a heads up… Rolling Practice at Riverton Pool with Portland Paddle friend Cheri Perry of Kayak Ways is a master of teaching the roll, and there’s still…

14 Gift Ideas for an Ocean Paddler If you’re looking for a gift for somebody who likes to paddle on the coast of Maine we’ve got some ideas. This list features as many Maine-made products as possible, and we tried to include a lot of local businesses where you can find these items. Good luck…

Portland Paddle Guides Share Their Favorite Paddling Spots With all of Maine’s lakes, rivers, and coastline, there’s enough paddling to keep kayakers and paddleboarders busy for several lifetimes. You could very well pick a launch at random out of your trusty Maine Gazetteer and fall straight in love. And since we’re all about sharing our…

If you want a glimpse at what makes paddling on Casco Bay such a unique experience, check out this video featuring Portland Paddle. It was a pleasure to work with Rob Holmes and his team from GLP Films to get such beautiful footage.

Last summer three guides from the Portland Paddle took time off from leading trips to embark on some ambitious expeditions on the Maine Island Trail. Here’s a look at some highlights. Joe Paddles from New Hampshire to Canada in 4 Days (Really!) Portland Paddle instructor and guide Joe Guglielmetti proved he can paddle fast when…

Joe Guglieletti Paddled from Portsmouth to Eastport in 4 Days, 7 Hours and 17 Minutes, Setting a Record Speed Portland Paddle instructor and guide Joe Guglielmetti proved he can paddle fast when he won first place in last year’s Paddle for the Promenade 10-mile race. This summer he took his speed-paddling up a few notches…

When you’re kayaking on the coast of Maine, you won’t be the only one cruising around out there. You’ll be sharing that water with boaters, commuter ferries, fellow paddlers, and a whole lot of seabirds. Some of those birds are easy-going floaters and others dive talons-first into the sea to pluck out a meal. Some,…

Looking to Connect with Other Paddlers in Southern Maine? Here are Some Tips: There are lots of people out there looking for paddle buddies. We hear from them all the time at Portland Paddle: the couple with lots of lake paddling experience that just moved to the Maine coast; the rookie paddler who just discovered…