- Apr 21
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
If you truly want to experience the vibrant wildlife and peaceful beauty of the North Carolina Brunswick Islands, you need to get off the sand and onto the backwaters.
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is one of the most popular, relaxing, and family-friendly activities on the coast. The calm Intracoastal Waterway, winding salt marshes, and tidal creeks surrounding our islands are the absolute best places to paddle. It is common to see sea turtles, leaping fish, coastal birds, and even dolphins cruising right alongside your board!
Here is everything you need to know about paddleboarding our local waters, finding the best launch spots, and how Mr. Beach Rentals makes getting your gear completely effortless.
The Best Local Launch Spots: Where to Paddle
The backwaters of Ocean Isle are a paddler's dream. The winding canals and expansive salt marshes offer miles of calm, protected water. Whether you are staying in a beachfront house or a canal-front condo, we deliver your SUPs directly to your door so you have them for the entire duration of your trip.
Sunset Beach is famous for its untouched, pristine coastal reserves. Paddling through Jinks Creek and the surrounding marshes offers a serene, incredibly scenic experience. We deliver premium paddleboards directly to your Sunset Beach vacation house or condo, giving you the freedom to launch whenever the water is glassiest.
Oak Island is loaded with incredible paddling routes, including the beautiful Davis Canal that runs through the center of the island. However, the absolute best spot to paddle is The Point at the far west end of the island, where the beach meets the Lockwood Folly Inlet. It is a stunning, calm area perfect for spotting wildlife! We deliver directly to all OKI houses and condos for the duration of your stay.
The Lockwood Folly River and the Intracoastal Waterway behind Holden Beach offer wide-open, peaceful paddling away from the crowds. We bring the paddleboards right to your Holden Beach vacation home or condo so you can keep them for your whole trip and hit the water at your own pace.
Historic Southport sits right on the convergence of the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The nearby creeks are heavily shaded by live oaks and steeped in local history. We deliver your boards straight to your Southport house, hotel, or Airbnb so you can easily transport them to the best local creek launches for your entire stay.
Meet Our Premium Paddleboard Fleet
Whether you are a first-time paddler looking for stability or an experienced waterman wanting to catch some gentle waves, we have the perfect board. All of our SUPs are incredibly beginner-friendly, highly stable, and even surf-able if you decide to take them out into the ocean rollers!
11' Stand-Up Paddleboard: Our largest board offers maximum volume and stability. It is perfect for taller/heavier paddlers or adults who want to sit a small child on the front of the board with them!
10.5' Stand-Up Paddleboard: The perfect all-rounder. It offers a fantastic mix of buoyancy and maneuverability, making it great for cruising the Intracoastal Waterway.
10' Stand-Up Paddleboard: A slightly more agile board that is incredibly easy to turn and navigate through the tighter, winding salt marsh creeks.
Kids 6' SUP/Kayak Hybrid: The ultimate board for the little ones! This versatile 6-foot board allows kids to stand up and paddle, or sit down and use it like a kayak when their legs get tired.
Timing is Everything: Check the Tides!
When you are paddling the coastal marshes, the tide is your best friend—and your biggest obstacle! Paddling against a strong tidal current can be exhausting, and heading into the shallow creeks at dead-low tide might leave your board stuck on an oyster bed.
For the easiest, most enjoyable paddle, try to launch a couple of hours before high tide so you can ride the incoming current into the creeks, and then ride the outgoing current back to your launch spot. Bookmark our Mr. Beach Rentals Tide Chart Page to check the daily highs and lows and time your adventure perfectly!
Free Delivery Directly to Your Door
At Mr. Beach Rentals, we offer 100% FREE delivery and pickup on all of our paddleboards. We bring the gear directly to your vacation house, condo, or hotel so you have unrestricted access to it for the entire duration of your stay. Wake up for a sunrise paddle or head out for a sunset cruise whenever you want!
Paddle Stress-Free with Accident Damage Protection
The coastal marshes are beautiful, but they are also home to sharp oyster beds and hidden rocks that can easily scratch or ding a paddleboard.
We want you to explore the creeks without stressing about your rental gear. That is why we highly recommend adding our Accident Damage Protection (ADP) to your SUP rental at checkout. For just a few dollars, ADP covers you against accidental dings, foam slices, and minor damage, giving you total peace of mind while you focus on the beautiful scenery.
Ready to hit the water? Reserve your paddleboards today and let us deliver the adventure right to your door!