The Witching Hour: SUP “Witches Paddles” are a Growing Trend on the Bay
By Bay Bulletin
It’s an arresting sight to behold on the Bay: the silhouette of a couple dozen pointy hats, billowing black clothes, and what appear to be broomsticks paddling through the water in late October. It is the famous witches’ paddle, and it seems to be a growing trend in our waters.
Origins of the Paddle
Where did it come from? Why do they do it? Answers may vary, but mainly organizers say it’s just a fun and harmless stunt for paddlers to get into the spirit of spooky season. This year, there are at least five different witches’ paddles on the Chesapeake Bay, not including smaller and private events.
For the most part, witches and warlocks alike are welcome, and paddlecraft can extend beyond SUPs to kayaks and canoes as well. Often, there are fun shoreside festivities afterwards.
One of the first towns in our region to pick up the witches’ paddle was a small group of women in Annapolis. In 2019, about five of them launched from a public ramp, paddled down Spa Creek under the bridge, and arrived at Ego Alley where they surprised City Dock tourists with the unexpected spectacle.
One of the organizers, Sally Claggett, got the idea from a witch paddle she read about in Oregon while visiting there. The organizer of the first Oregon paddle got the idea from an event in Morro Bay on the California coast, according to this local news article. That witch paddle began back in 2013, and has now grown to include several hundred witches.
Claggett says of her inspiration, “I knew my hometown of Annapolis had the perfect place to do a witch paddle.” It was a last-minute idea, and the witches ended up doing their paddle on Nov. 1, just one day too late for Halloween. She and her fellow witches joked to the tourists, ‘We did our work and now we’re just leaving town… heading south with the rest of the boats!”
Annapolis Tradition Grows
The event has grown organically each year as an Annapolis tradition, and has no official organization behind it. It’s just a group of about 300 individuals in a Facebook group. This year, the witches will launch on Sunday, Oct. 26 (rain date: Oct. 30), at 3 p.m. from Truxtun Park. Spectators are likely to catch a glimpse of the witches at the Spa Creek bridge around 3:30, and at Ego Alley closer to 4 p.m. The paddle will go on as long as the conditions are safe. “We’ve had waves, we’ve had cold, we’ve had hot… a couple of witches always go into the water accidentally,” Claggett admits.
Rock Hall’s Witch Weekend
In the upper Eastern Shore town of Rock Hall, they devote a whole weekend to witches. Laurie Walters, president of the nonprofit Main Street Rock Hall, says the two-day Witches Weekend festival began during the 2020 lockdown. “Everyone was tired of being locked up, so some of the ladies decided to dress up as a witch and go about their regular day. There were a handful of people going around town dressed as witches. We said, ‘We needed to make more out of this!'”
Expanding to a weekend of witchy festivities made sense for Rock Hall, whose economy relies heavily on tourism and boaters. “In shoulder seasons, everything starts to slack off, so we thought this was a great way to bring people to town,” Walters explains.
The paddle portion of the weekend takes place Friday evening, Oct. 25, 5-8 p.m. Witches will gather at Haven Harbour South Marina, where the sunset is a showstopper. Those who don’t have their own paddlecraft will be able to borrow a kayak and tool around the harbor. When they arrive back on shore at dusk, Haven Harbour will have fire pits, a dj, and a drum circle
At Haven Harbour there are fire pits, a dj and a drum circle. Witches will practice the viral “witch dance” that originated in Germany, preparing for a performance in the streets on Saturday. Witches are encouraged to shop and eat in town during the weekend, and several bars and restaurants are offering specialty cocktails.
Along with a tourism boost for local businesses, there is a charity component, too. The festival will raise funds for an advanced new MRI machine at the Chester River Health Foundation in Chestertown. “Witches Weekend brings a couple hundred people together,” Walters says. “We’re just a bunch of witches out for a good time.”
New Fundraiser Events
New for 2025, a witch paddle is being staged at The Oaks Waterfront Hotel between St. Michaels and Oxford. It’s a fundraiser for breast cancer research on Wednesday, Oct. 15. As they watch about 50 witches take to the water, spectators can enjoy the spooky sights, popcorn, s’mores, and pumpkin painting.
Organizers say the witch paddle felt like a natural fit “as witches are often seen as female healers, which ties beautifully” to the cause. Proceeds will benefit both Breastcancer.org and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center’s efforts to buy their own Faxitron machine, which could speed up diagnosis and allow for more procedures to be scheduled.
Other Witches’ Paddles This Season
Witch paddles are also popping up in Virginia and Washington, D.C., waters. See our list below, and please email [email protected] if you know of any witch paddles we may have missed!
Anyone who wants to participate in a paddle needs no more than a pointy hat and cape, Claggett tells us. “If you get those two things, it doesn’t matter what else follows. You could add a wetsuit or whatever you want. Hopefully the wind is whipping your cape in the right direction.”
Ultimately, witches’ paddles are for the spectacle. “You kind of do it for the attention and the crowds,” Claggett confesses. “People enjoy both being in it and watching it.”
2nd Annual Witches & Warlocks on the Water, Virginia Beach. Join Coastal Virginia Paddlers for a free event on Sunday, Oct. 26, for the second annual event. You must provide your own gear and have a life preserver on your board to participate. Paddlers will head towards the Virginia Aquarium to be photographed!
Paddle The DMV’s 3rd Annual Witches & Warlocks Paddle, Georgetown Waterfront, D.C. Join Paddle The DMV on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can rent or launch your own craft from Thompson Boat Center. For this self-supported paddle, participants will likely encounter boat traffic and slight currents. Paddlers must have a PFD and a whistle. Immediately after the paddle, meet for lunch and drinks at Island Time Bar & Grill.
