Updates & News From Portland Paddle

The Arctic Origins of the Qajaq The decked kayak (qajaq, qayraq, iqyaq, qayaq, etc) and double-bladed paddle are inventions of arctic and subarctic peoples, particularly the Inuit, Yup’ik and Aleut of Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. These kayaks, first created at least 4,000 years ago, consisted of wood or whalebone frames over which animal hides…

Give your loved one a gift they will look forward to all winter! Our gift vouchers are available for purchase all year and can be purchased online.    Purchase a Gift Voucher   Gift vouchers can be purchased with any dollar value or you can choose an amount to match a specific experience you think…

A special course for teachers, school volunteers, and student leaders The Educational Trip Leader Permit training system is a way for schools to offer paddle sports and wilderness camping programs in compliance with Maine state laws related to health, safety, and staffing in the outdoors. This course is intended for teachers, student leaders, volunteers, and…

Last Summer we were excited to support a group of local Maine paddlers as they took a source to sea journey down the Crooked River, across Sebago Lake, down the Presumpscot River, and finally to Casco Bay. The group’s goal was to learn about themselves, and raise awareness for, the importance of the Crooked River…

Our 2025 Expeditions & Lessons Schedule is Complete and Bookings Are Open! Check out our brochure below that shows all our lessons and multi-day trips scheduled for 2025. We’ll be running our three-day trips in Casco Bay and Muscongus Bays throughout the summer, as well as additional dates for our longer and further afield trips,…

Winter is fast approaching, and for many paddlers this means the end of the paddling season. Want to store your boats and paddle craft safely during the colder months? Check out our hot (actually cold!) tips below.  (And for all of you year-round kayakers, be sure to take a look at our post on cold weather…

When you’re kayaking on the coast of Maine, you’ll be sharing the water not just with fellow paddlers, but a menagerie of wildlife, especially seabirds. Seabirds are birds that are adapted to marine environments, and spend much of their life foraging or breeding at sea. To help you get better acquainted with some of the…

A closer look at the most commonly spotted marine mammal on the Maine coast If you’ve been on the ocean in Maine, whether by paddle, oars, motor, or sail, you’ve probably spotted at least one seal. But did you know that Maine is home to four different kinds of seals? Some of these blubbery creatures…

Sea kayaks. Recreational kayaks. SUPS. Canoes. Rowboats. With so many kinds of paddle craft out there, it can be hard to know where to start, or which one can best help you achieve your paddling dreams. Read on to learn the difference between each type of vessel, and how and why to choose the one…

Paddlesports have been part of the Summer Olympics for almost as long as the modern Games have been held. In fact, paddlesports made their Olympic debut 100 years ago in 1924 at the Paris Olympics, meaning this year is the centennial of their inclusion!  The XXXIII Games will again be held in Paris, France (and…

Award-winning author Jenny O’Connell is joining Portland Paddle this summer to offer an adventurous three day writing retreat on Casco Bay’s islands. We sat down with Jenny to learn more about her career, the workshop, and other adventures she has gotten up to recently. Eric Nathanson: How long have you been a guide? Jenny is…

On June 9th, Joe Guglielmetti will attempt to paddle a solo kayak from Boston to Portland in under 24 hours, a distance of 90+ miles Portland Paddle guide and Maine paddling legend Joe Guglielmetti is at it again. Having previously set the speed record for paddling the entire Maine Coast (in 4 days!) and having…