1, Agios Nikolaos / Church Island
This paddle covers a total distance of 3 kilometres. You can find parking near the old wooden bridge, from where you'll need to walk across with all your equipment. The best time to do this route is early in the morning when the winds are very light before they pick up later in the morning and continue to strengthen into a strong thermal wind in the afternoons, making it nearly impossible to paddle. We recommend landing on the sandy island next to the church island, making sure to secure your SUPs onto the beach before exploring. Be cautious as the water becomes very shallow when approaching the island, and take care not to fall or damage your fin. When visiting such beautiful and remote locations, we encourage visitors to never leave any rubbish and to collect any they find and bring it back to a bin. When it's time to leave, you can paddle along the inside of the outer reef and sometimes see bright red starfish and even some octopus if you're lucky! Be careful not to get too close to the reef/rocks, as they are VERY sharp and could puncture your SUP!
2, Ammoglossa beach /
Kastro beach / Gyra
Beginner / Intermediate route, this route is approximately 6 kilometres. We suggest the best time for this route is in the mornings as this area gets strong thermal winds from late morning building throughout the day. This route can begin at either end of the route, starting at Ammoglossa Beach opposite Santa Maria castle or starting at Gyra Beach, about 3km to the West where there's a small Kantina located. At the Ammoglossa end of this route, you must take care of boat traffic as this is the entrance to the Lefkas canal which gets busy on the hour most hours when the floating bridge opens to let boats pass. There is a small canal/moat behind the castle that is accessible and there is a small wreck which is interesting to explore around the castle. On the North side of Ammoglossa, you will see 3 yellow structures in the water, these are marking the end of 3 underwater rock walls there to protect the beach from erosion. You can paddle over these walls as they are deep enough for a SUP but not a boat. Heading west you will pass Kastro Beach, a popular beach for the locals to enjoy and is also a regular turtle nesting beach in the early summer months from May to July, before hatching around late July, August & September. From here, it's a paddle along the coast until you reach the Kantina on the beach to have a break before returning to the starting point.
3, Agios Ioannis beach / Kaminia beach
This beginner route is approximately 1.5 kilometres long and perfect for beginners due to its short distance. It is best to paddle in the mornings as the area experiences strong thermal winds from late morning onwards, which build throughout the day. When starting your paddle from the beach, be cautious when entering the water as the area can be rocky and slippery. The water in this area is very blue due to the sandy bottom, making it a beautiful location. Paddling northwest while keeping the coast on your left, you will encounter a house on a cliff and what appears to be a concrete bunker, remnants of the past. Shortly after, you will find Kryoneri Beach, a small beach that is not so secret, but if you're lucky, you might have it to yourself if you arrive early. Continuing along the coast, you will reach Kaminia Beach, where you can take a break and relax before heading back to your starting point.
