Paddling near Avon, NC

Avon sits on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks, flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the broad Pamlico Sound. The sound is the marquee paddling water here — a vast, shallow estuary where kayakers and SUP riders can cruise open water, duck into salt marsh creeks, and paddle the canals winding through the village itself. Canadian Hole, between Avon and Buxton, is a well-known launch point on the sound with ample parking and restrooms. OceanAir Sports operates directly on a creek in Avon, making sit-on-top rentals walkable to the water. Cape Hatteras National Seashore maintains the Haulover Sound Access, a public launch halfway between Avon and Buxton, and free ranger-led kayak tours run on Hatteras Island during summer months.