Wave Maker

From her earliest summers spent on her father’s sailboat, ANGELA MARSHALL felt an undeniable pull toward the water and marine life.  

“At a very young age, I was on the boat with him quite often, in the Calibogue Sound of Hilton Head Island or on one of our Atlantic Ocean journeys,” says Marshall, who particularly recalls once seeing dolphins and one of their babies playing in the wake. “This memory and memories of the water were imprinted in my mind.”  

Marshall eventually became an avid kayaker. Following a 312-mile kayak expedition of the North Carolina coast that began in Virginia Beach and finished in Carolina Beach, she founded Kayak Carolina 1998.  

The tour company has grown over the decades to bring together kayakers, from across the nation and around the world, who are united by a common mission to observe, conserve, and preserve local marine habitats.  

Marshall says the tours combine learning and practicing new skills in a low-stress environment. “The nature around us becomes the focus, and in doing so, individuals begin incorporating the newly learned skills without even realizing it, being engrossed in the moment,” she says.   

Kayak Carolina is dedicated to preserving the delicate coastal environment and inspiring efforts toward preservation. To minimize its impact, kayaks are launched from various locations, and everything brought along is removed at the end of each trip. Guides also collect any trash they see, and they observe coastal organisms without disturbing them.  

Kayak Carolina covers the Cape Fear region, including Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wilmington. Tours explore Zeke’s Island, Fort Fisher, Shark Tooth Island, Masonboro Island, Sugarloaf Dune, Bald Head Island, and more. Tours for kayakers of all skill levels take place from March through November, although Marshall says that some years, tours are available in December.  

“Our kayak tours are both an introduction and an overview of basic kayaking skills, along with a guided nature tour led by a trained interpretive naturalist guide,” Marshall says.  

Kayak Carolina employs a team of guides, many graduate students from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. These guides are trained naturalists and certified instructors recognized by the American Canoe Association. Kayak Carolina offers a certification program that Marshall developed, including Wilderness First Aid and CPR training.  

“Many of our guides are college students, and we have had many go on to do amazing things for our community and apply their skills to new ventures,” she says.  

“I moved out West for the ski season and came home to lead kayak tours in the summer,” Marshall says. “That began my career in the outdoor industry and kayaking. I did not go back to school until much later and jumped headfirst into the outdoors, skiing and kayaking mainly. I have been doing it ever since. This is my thirty-fifth-year teaching kayaking and guiding.”  

Marshall aspires to impart a sense of wonder for nature in others through her business.  

“I love the fact that we can share creek space with a great egret who is fishing,” she says, “and that (a) dolphin can come in the shallow waters to strand feed, a loggerhead sea turtle’s head can pop up as he is swimming by, a spotted eagle ray can jump and soar through the air, a pair of eagles can stop for a rest within feet of you, hundreds of cormorants can come land in the bay before migrating north.”   

Her kayaking business allows her to share her passion for nature with international vacationers and local group outings. Kayak Carolina provides experiences for everyone, including schools, scouting troops, church groups, corporate tours, and individuals who want to explore the water and appreciate the beauty of nature. It’s an adventure suitable for all ages, she says.  

“I never know what I am going to see or experience out there,” says Marshall. “And I love being able to share this with people, families, kids – little ones and grown ones. I like to see their happy expressions in awe of the world around them, all from the front row seat of your kayak.”

To view more of photographer Aris Harding’s work, go to arisharding.com.

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