FENWICK ISLAND, Del. — Spending a beautiful day at the beach this summer doesn’t have to involve sand.
Renting paddle boards or taking kayak eco tours have become a popular coastal past time.
“I think people really like getting away from the hustle and bustle of the beach,” said Mitch Mitchell, just before he led a small kayak tour pushing off into Little Assawoman Bay.
Just 3 miles up the road from Ocean City, Maryland, sit inland bays and salt marshes off Fenwick Island. Mitchell’s Coastal Kayak is one company that offers a peek into the peaceful reservoirs where wildlife like egrets, diamondback terrapins and herons roam.
“All the tours range in price from $45 to $55 per person. We have discounts for kids if they’re going in a two-seater with an adult. We take kids as young as 7. That includes the instruction, the guide, the kayak equipment, safety gear … so they basically just show up and they’re good to go,” Mitchell said.
“It’s a fun thing to do. You can go across the bays. They have a lot of bays down here and a lot of wildlife to see,” said John Bueno, who was taking the two-hour kayak tour with his wife.
A number of companies rent paddle boards and kayaks to those who would rather put-in on their own and have some quiet time along the bay’s many estuaries and canals.
“People are really into it. We do tours out of our warehouse location in Ocean View, Delaware,” said Brittany Lewish, manager at Bethany Surf Shop in Bethany Beach, Delaware.
Lewish said the shop offers paddle boarding lessons for $30 per person that can be booked a day or two beforehand.
The tour is held in a canal in Ocean View where those learning the skill will have to deal with fewer variables like surf and other boaters.
Rental and tour resources:
- Bethany Surf Shop I 302-539-6400 I Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Kayaks, Surfboards, Canal & Ocean Tours
- Coastal Kayak | 302-539-7999 | Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Kayak Rentals, Sailboat Rentals, Coastal Kayaking guided tours
- Delmarva Adventure Sports I 302-228-9885 I Canoe and Kayak Rentals & Tours
- Delmarva Board Sport Adventures | 302-260-9008 | Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Wind Surfing, SUP Yoga on the water, Sunset Trips and other tours
- Delaware State Parks | 877-98-PARKS
- ECOBAY Kayaking Adventures | 302-841-2722 | Kayak Rentals, Tours focused on Inland Bays, Sunset Trips, Picnic Lunch on the Beach
- Quest Kayak | 302-745-2925 | Kayak Rentals and Tours
