B’More SUP Opens Paddle Boarding Location at the Inner Harbor

B’More SUP, a Baltimore-based paddle board fitness brand, announced today it’s opening a location at the Inner Harbor Marina, which is in the same building as the Rusty Scupper at 402 E. Key Hwy. B’More SUP will offer small-group paddle experiences around the harbor.

“This has been a dream of mine for 10+ years,” said Jessie Benson, owner of B’More SUP, in a press release. “Our goal is to open people’s minds to what recreation opportunities are possible on Baltimore’s waterways. With small group paddle experiences we will be able to ensure everyone is a competent paddler and knows the proper skills to stay on the board while exploring our harbor by way of paddle board.”

B’More SUP will offer one-and-a-half-hour tours around the Inner Harbor on Saturday mornings at 8am, and one-hour tours at 6am on Wednesday mornings. There will also be many pop-up paddle boarding events throughout the summer.

Benson has been leading Inner Harbor paddle boarding tours for more than eight years, but this summer will be the first summer that her company has a permanent home at the Inner Harbor for the tours.

B’More Sup will not offer board rentals at its Inner Harbor location at this time.

Benson addressed the water quality of the Inner Harbor in a Q&A on B’More SUP’s blog:

Q: Is the water safe to recreate on? 
A: Absolutely! We have been paddling on the Inner Harbor for 9 years and the Canton Kayak Club has been operating their kayak club on the harbor since 1999. I personally have been paddling on the Harbor since 2000 (with the St. Paul’s School for Girls Crew Team!). We work closely with Blue Water Baltimore and the Healthy Harbor Initiative to keep track of current water quality. According to the 2020 HARBOR HEARTBEAT RESTORATION REPORT CARD the Inner Harbor is safer now for recreation than it has been in any other point in history. Water quality scores have improved significantly since 2010 and Inner Harbor monitoring sites now test safe for recreation the majority of the time.

Q: Are there any times when it is unsafe to paddle on the Inner Harbor? 
A: We do not recommend paddling with us if you have open wounds or a compromised immune system. Additionally, if there has been a heavy rainfall within 48 hours we may cancel our SUP tours. After a heavy rainfall pollution still washes off our city streets and into storm drains which flow unfiltered into our streams and the harbor. So, for now, the Harbor is still unsafe for recreation on the days following a large rainstorm.

Q: Do you monitor the water quality?
A: We do not, but Blue Water Baltimore does. Blue Water Baltimore and the Baltimore Harbor Water Keeper regularly collects data at 49 stations in the Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls and tidal Patapsco River. Their Baltimore Water Watch is our go-to source to view the current water health. We recommend you take a look as well!

B’More SUP also has locations at Sparrows Point Country Club and Sue Creek in Essex.

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