Whether you want a peaceful paddle on the river, or to experience the thrill of extreme watersports, Exmouth has plenty to offer.
Sailing
Situated close to the marina/harbour is the largest sailing club on the Exe: The Exe Sailing Club. The Club encourages all forms of sailing and has an active cruiser programme but has its roots in dinghy racing. It is therefore no surprise that the club has produced a steady stream of competitors, medallists, and champions, including Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes; the Exmouth duo that won the 2007 World Championships and finished ninth at the Beijing Olympics the following year.
Kitesurfing
Exmouth is home to Team Bridge, a family of elite-level kitesurfers that boast countless World and European titles between them. Mum (Steph) is a five-times Kite World Champion and is currently ranked number one in the world. When she is not competing, Steph and her husband Eric offer stand up paddle & kitesurfing lessons from their base at Edge Watersports. The Edge Race Cup, held each year, is an annual spectacle of wonder and inspiration.
Windsurfing
Exmouth Watersports offer windsurfing, kitesurfing, stand up paddleboarding and kayak lessons. They will also hire windsurf and kitesurf equipment from their estuary based centre, providing you can demonstrate that you have some experience behind you! Pop along to one of their fully equipped hire banks if you are looking to hire.
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Whether you know the sport as Paddleboarding, Paddlesurfing or Stand up paddlesurfing (SUP), this watersport has gained enormous popularity in recent years. Edge Watersports and Exmouth Watersports both offer taster sessions, SUP safaris and paddleboard rental if you want to give it a go. The annual EXE Hammer Paddle is a popular 12km Stand Up Paddleboard race/regatta with participants paddling between Topsham and Exmouth and is great for spectating.
Wakeboarding & Waterskiing
Exe Wake is an Exmouth based watersports school specialising in wakeboarding, waterskiing and inflatable rides. The school offers groups and individuals of all ages and abilities the chance to get out on the water and try, practise, or perfect a number of different watersports.
Kayaking
Kayaking is a great way to see some of the hidden beauty spots of our coastline. There are several companies in East Devon that offer guided kayaking tours of the Jurassic Coast and the Exeter Canoe Loops are a series of self-guided circular canoeing/kayaking trails that link the River Exe and Exeter Ship Canal between Exeter Quayside and the Exe Estuary. There are four loops which can be paddled from different access points and in different combinations, and the guide can be downloaded from the Exe Estuary Management’s website: www.exe-estuary.org Due to the strong tides in the area, extra care should be taken when kayaking in open sea, especially around rocky areas as conditions can change quickly.
Rowing
Exmouth Gig Rowing Club row traditional, thirty-four foot long, bright orange, Cornish pilot gig boats. They take a cox and six rowers, each with a thirteen-foot long oar. Used in the past to row pilots out to visiting ships off the rugged south west coast, the pilot that reached the ship first won the contract and so could pay his crew. These days you can see boats out on the estuary either just enjoying the exercise or training for the next regatta. The Gig Rowing Club hosts its own regatta in mid-June off the main beach and invites other Gig clubs from all along the Jurassic Coast to participate. It is always nice to see a collection of these beautiful boats, all in striking club colours and the crews preparing for the tough muscledraining competition. Exmouth is a thriving club that is growing fast, and enables people of all ages from the local community to experience this growing sport either competitively or recreationally.
Exmouth Rowing Club, formed in November 1993, is an inclusive community club which aims to bring the traditions and skills of estuary and sea rowing to the town, attracting enthusiastic rowers to form the competitive core of an amateur rowing club. On the beach, their boats attract a great deal of attention and provide the town with both a sporting and visual amenity. During training sessions, they row in stable 220kg offshore rowing boats. These allow new members to quickly and easily learn the rowing technique, as well as providing great resistance training. For members wishing to take rowing to the next level, the club participates in both fine boat river races (Olympic style rowing), and offshore rowing races in two FISA approved, faster, lighter offshore boats.