Calling paddlers of all ages and skill levels! Immerse yourself in the technique, hands-on experience, history and fun of canoeing, kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) at the 22nd Annual East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival (ECCKF). One of the premier paddlesport events on the Atlantic Coast, the festival takes place at James Island County Park April 20-22, 2012.
Each year, ECCKF brings together paddling enthusiasts of all levels with world-renowned instructors and equipment manufacturers. The action-packed festival features a multitude of on-water classes, lectures and demonstrations directed to the novice and the experienced paddler. Plus over 50 commercial exhibitors will be on-hand to give you a chance to try the latest equipment before you buy.
The heart of the festival is the simultaneous running of four classrooms throughout three days. Refine your skills in a master class presented by many of the paddling world’s leading experts. Learn new strokes, rescues or rolls with expert instruction. Meet other knowledgeable paddle sport enthusiasts. A wide variety of topics include exotic paddling locations, how-to sessions on navigation, selecting or repairing equipment, safety and preparing cuisine fresh from your dry bag. Children are welcome to the festival and are free with a registered, paying adult. Family-friendly topics include family clinics, cardboard canoe races, and camps.
This year’s featured speakers will be Mike Simpson and Will Rich of ‘SUP The Coast’. Simpson and Rich paddled 1800 miles on Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) from Key West, FL to Portland, ME to raise awareness for The Wounded Warrior Project and SUP Cleanup. Relive their 121-day adventure through photos and stories of the incredible places and people Simpson and Rich encountered along the way.
Other new components to this year’s event will include a SUP race on Folly Beach called Bodhi’s Revenge. The surf-style SUP race will start near the Folly Beach Fishing Pier on the morning of April 22, and include buoy turns and a beach sprint. Cash prizes will be awarded, and race proceeds will benefit the Surfrider Foundation of Charleston. Also on Sunday, April 22 will be the festival’s own Kayak Fishing Tournament. The fishing tournament will have novice and expert categories, and the objective is for participants to photograph the longest “slam” for their category.
