Meet Chris Hopkinson, founder of Bay Paddle, an epic 45-mile, two-day staged paddle race. All of the proceeds from the event go to protect and conserve the incredible natural treasure that is the Chesapeake Bay.
Hopkinson’s love of the Bay began six or seven years ago when he received a paddle board for his birthday. It was the kind of clunky board rented at tourist destinations, but it was enough. He fell in love. Within just a few years, Hopkinson graduated to sleeker, more professional boards and became the first person to stand up paddle board the entire length of the Bay—a journey that took nine days.
“It was an unforgettable experience. I was in some of the most spectacular and remote parts of the Chesapeake Bay, areas most boats can’t go because of the depth,” says Hopkinson. “I felt like an explorer navigating uncharted territory.”
The experience sparked his passion to share both this activity and the wonders of the Chesapeake Bay with others. “Many people grow up within a stone’s throw of the Bay, but never have access to it,” Hopkinson explains. “It’s an amazing body of water, but it’s hard to get to. Paddle boards enable a level of accessibility and intimacy with these waters that you can’t get any other way.”
Soon after his nine-day paddle, Hopkinson started Bay Paddle with a goal to help protect the Bay so that more people can experience its beauty.
Evolution of a Paddle
For the first two years, Bay Paddle was an eight-day, 200-mile event. This year, Hopkinson scaled it down to 45 miles over two days to make it more accessible to a broader group of participants. Paddlers can join on canoes, kayaks, or paddle boards.
“We think of this more as a journey than a race,” Hopkinson explains. “Most people wouldn’t do this type of distance on the Bay by themselves. Participating with other paddlers gives them confidence to do something they wouldn’t normally do.”
Proceeds from the race benefit three organizations: the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) to support its mission to help regrow the Bay’s oyster populations; the Chesapeake Conservancy to support its efforts to designate the Chesapeake Bay as a National Park; and Waterkeepers Chesapeake to help keep the waters and rivers of the Bay healthy. Over three years, Bay Paddle has raised close to $400,000.
“Most people aren’t familiar with these organizations, and Bay Paddle has brought them a lot of visibility,” says Hopkinson. “There has been tons of exposure, tons of press. In fact, the year after our first race, there was even a documentary, ‘Power of the Paddle,’ filmed on the Bay as a paddling destination.”
Hopkinson points out that, while the Chesapeake Bay has a massive shoreline (200 miles) and some open water, what makes it unique is that paddlers are never outside a safe zone. “There aren’t a lot of bodies of water that allow you to paddle something this challenging and do it safely,” he says. “Usually you’re crossing a lake or an ocean, and that gets pretty hairy. But with the Bay, you’re always a safe distance from land.”
Ultimately, Hopkinson would love to see the Chesapeake Bay become the “Appalachian Trail” for paddlers. Not just because of the beauty of the Bay, but also its rich military, maritime, and Native American history. “Not only is the Bay incredibly beautiful, but there is so much to see and do here,” Hopkinson concludes. “I want everyone to be able to experience it.”
This year’s Bay Paddle took place August 27-28 and was a huge success. To learn more about Bay Paddle and get updates on the next event, check out baypaddle.org.
Sustainably,
Bobby Firestein
For our 2022 Ecoprint calendar, Protecting the Natural Beauty of the Chesapeake Bay, we have partnered with 13 different organizations, all dedicated to helping solve the environmental challenges in this important ecological hub. Bay Paddle is our featured partner for the month of September. To get your own 2022 Ecoprint calendar, click the button below.