Water has always been a HUGE part of my life.  Growing up in Maryland, I would spend countless weekends, summers, and holidays at my grandparent's house on the Chesapeake Bay.  My sisters, brother, and I would paddle, swim, crab, and fish every chance we got.  The bay brought us so many adventures & memories.  I've also traveled around the world and have seen what access to clean water means to so many people in underdeveloped countries.

When I moved to Wilmington, I started with SUP paddling and then joined the Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club (WBOCC) as a way to stay in shape and meet new friends.  As part of the club, we would do beach cleanups and learn about what we could do to help keep the water clean.  It's been eye-opening to realize that we can all do a lot more to help so that we can continue to enjoy the beaches and waterways surrounding us. 

What is "We the Water?"

We believe that everyone should have access to clean water.  This is a paddling initiative where members of the WBOCC will paddle the entire North Carolina coast over the next three years to advocate for clean water, empower local communities, bring awareness of contamination and protect the most vital element of our lives - water!

What is the first phase?

This September 2022, members of our team will paddle an outrigger canoe from Sunset Beach to Ocean, NC roughly 120 miles over four days.  Along the way, we will stop at various towns and tell the story about the North Carolinas coast.  We will help educate and inform residents about threats, risks, and solutions, and tell success stories about initiatives that are making a difference in protecting and restoring our waterways.  

How can you get involved?

Donations - Our paddlers will be working hard paddling to bring awareness to this important cause.  We ask that you consider making a donation that will go directly to the NC Coastal Federation to help support clean water initiatives.  

Sponsorship - We are also still looking for sponsors so please let us know if you or your company are interested.  As you can imagine, it takes a lot of logistics and manpower to pull off this event!

Volunteers - We are still looking for volunteers before and during the event.  Please reach out if you are interested

Education & Advocacy - The NC Coastal Federation website (https://www.nccoast.org/) has a wealth of information about how you can protect the coast whether you are a visitor to the beautiful beaches or live near the coast.  

Photo credits:  

Cover/Bernadette Burton