EAST COAST PADDLE ADVENTURES This local business makes thrilling summer activities convenient Island-wide
By Rebecca Spinner Photos Evan Ceretti
M atthew Doiron says his first a paddleboard was jaw- dropping. “The very second I stood up on that paddleboard, it was like one of those ‘eureka’ moments you see in a movie. I’d instantly fallen in love with it; I experience trying was smiling ear to ear,” he recounts. “Within the first five minutes, I had the idea of starting a paddleboard rental company in Eastern PEI.” Returning to the Island from Alberta and creating a business plan, Doiron founded East Coast Paddle Adventures (ECPA) in 2016. “My first season was just me, 12 paddleboards and a pickup truck,” laughs Doiron, who has subsequently trained as a certified instructor through Paddle Canada.
A Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) loan enabled Doiron to develop ECPA during subsequent summers. “At the time, I was eligible for the Youth Loan Program,” he explains. “It was a pleasure working with the Montague CBDC team--they were vital in helping me grow and expand my business.” ECPA is now based in a small building in Souris Beach Gateway Park, and operates in Basin Head and Naufrage according to customer demand. On the “adventures” front, they’ve diversified; in addition to paddleboard rentals, lessons, and tours for groups and individuals, ECPA now rents kayaks and bicycles. While ECPA has acquired a brick- and-mortar headquarters, the length, location, and even season for rentals
are still flexible. (Once the Souris Beach location closes in September, rentals can be arranged by contacting ECPA directly.) “We offer multiday and weekend rentals for cottage-goers and campers, and we’re mobile,” explains Doiron. “If you’re having a party--a family reunion, a bachelorette, a sports team event-- we can come to you!” It’s intriguing that this continually successful Island business was inspired by Doiron’s very first experience on a paddleboard. His immediate love for paddleboarding points to one of the activity’s most appealing qualities- -paddleboarding is thrilling even for beginners.
Generally, Doiron confirms, customers can paddleboard independently
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www.pei-living.ca SUMMER 2021
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