Quick Details
Glide Across Casco Bay by SUP as the Sun Begins to Set
Experience the Portland, Maine waterfront from the unique perspective of a stand-up paddleboard on this guided tour.
The hour just before sunset is the best time to paddle the waters of Casco Bay. The light is beautiful, the harbor is less busy and the seas tend to be calmer, often creating ideal conditions for SUP. It’s also a great time to spot wildlife like seals and loons.
Your tour will start off with a quick SUP lesson. Then your licensed Maine Guide will lead you on a leisurely paddle along the Portland waterfront. As you venture onto the open waters of the bay you’ll enjoy a panoramic view of the sun setting over the city as you paddle back to the beach. This roughly 1.5-hour trip is perfect for all skill levels — including first-time paddleboarders. Be prepared to get wet — you’ll certainly get a little damp and it’s always possible you’ll lose your balance and slip into the water for a quick dip. We’ll provide a dry bag in case you want to bring along a camera, a snack or an extra layer to keep warm. The SUPs we use for our tours are suitable for paddlers weighing up to 250 pounds.
SUP Guides
Your tour will be guided by one or more of these talented and friendly licensed SUP guides!
ASHLEY FLOWERS
Ashley is a Yoga Instructor, Environmental Educator, Entrepreneur and life-long lover of the water! She is a licensed Maine Guide and an ACA-certified SUP instructor. Ashley has been helping people connect with nature and with themselves for over a decade and looks forward to sharing her love of yoga, SUP, and Casco Bay with you! If you can’t pack in enough paddleboading this summer check out Ashley’s winter indoor paddleboard yoga classes at ashleyfloweryoga.com
CAITLIN MORRISROE
Caitlin is a Registered Maine Guide and ACA certified Stand Up Paddleboard instructor. She loves to explore Casco Bay and other surrounding areas while meeting beginner and experienced SUP and kayakers from all over on the tours. In her downtime, Caitlin also enjoys skiing, hiking, and hanging out with her dogs.
PETER ECKEL
A resident on Peaks Island, Peter enjoys great access to paddling along the Maine Coast. A registered Maine Recreation and Sea Kayak guide, he is on the water most days – guiding for Portland Paddle, or on his paddleboard or kayak with other Peaks paddlers. Peter is an ACA Level 2 Coastal sea kayak instructor, an ACA Stand up Paddleboard instructor, and a Wilderness First Responder. In the winter he works as a ski instructor.
DAN COX
Dan hails from North Carolina and got stoked on paddling after watching the 1996 Olympics (he had never seen whitewater kayaking before). His favorite places to paddle are Wilson Creek and Shackleford Banks in North Carolina. Currently Dan is an ACA Level 4 Open Water Sea Kayak Instructor, Level 2 SUP Instructor (former L4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor and L5 Swiftwater Rescue Instructor), and Maine Sea Kayak Guide. Dan sea kayaked the length of the east coast of the United States in 2009 with his wife and in 2018 was the first person to SUP the coast of Maine. He also really enjoys surfing and canoeing as much as possible.
ASHLEY “TALL” LEEDBERG
If Tall’s not on the water, you can find her in the mountains! Tall is a Registered Maine Guide with Sea Kayak, Recreation, and Whitewater licenses and a Level 2 ACA SUP and Kayak Instructor. Born and raised in Maine, when she’s not on the coast, you can find her on a river expedition or exploring in the North Maine Woods.
SUZANNE BLACKBURN
Suzanne fell hopelessly in love with kayaking in 1980. In 2017 she discovered stand up paddle boards and now has two favorite ways to play on the water. Suzanne has been guiding and teaching since 1996 and is a Master Maine Guide with ACA Coastal kayak Level 4 and SUP Level 2 Instructor certifications. “Helping someone master skills and gain a sense of comfort and connection with the ocean brings me tremendous joy!” she says. Suzanne has paddled the entire length of the coast of Maine three times. She says, “I really hope to paddle the whole coast again. It’s endlessly challenging and inspiring but this summer my sites are set on paddling among the icebergs of the north coast of Newfoundland”
SARAH GRAHAM
Sarah is paddleboard instructor, licensed Maine Sea Kayak Guide, Yoga teacher and Yoga practitioner of 20 years. She started off canoeing at age 6 and picked up other water sports in her adult years, including paddleboarding, kayaking, and surfing. She is Wilderness First Responder, an E-RYT 500 through Yoga Alliance, and an ASI Level 1 SUP Instructor. When not on the water, Sarah is a horticultural technician specializing in corporate indoor plant installations.
ZACK ANCHORS
Zack, owner and co-founder of Portland Paddle, grew up in Old Town, Maine along the shores of the Penobscot River. He’s been paddling on whitewater and the ocean since he was 11. During his 17 years as a guide, Zack has led countless kayaking and canoeing trips throughout the coast of Maine, and in Mexico, British Columbia, Ontario and Alaska. He is a master Maine Guide, an ACA Level 4 kayaking instructor and a Wilderness First Responder. When Zack isn’t running Portland Paddle, he’s a journalist, writer and teacher.