Water Experiences & Rentals

Take it to the Water

The island is an ideal place for world-class watersports like surfing, stand up paddleboarding, kayaking and wakeboarding along the sound, Intracoastal Waterway or oceanfront. Wrightsville Beach prides itself on making its active lifestyle accessible to everyone regardless of their level of skill with plenty of places to rent top-of-the-line equipment and take lessons with certified instructors, including Epic Excursions, WB Surf Camp, Wrightsville SUP and Soundside Adventures. Many of our surf shops also offer private instruction.

Let an experienced captain sail you around the iconic Wrightsville Beach shoreline with Wrightsville Performance Sailing on a day, sunset or night cruise. Or learn nautical terminology, sailing theory, basic knots, proper sailboat rigging, basic sailboat maneuvers and much more with the Blockade Runner’s Sailing School, one of only four ASA-certified sailing schools in the state.

Cast a Line

Interested in exploring what lies beneath Wrightsville Beach’s waterways from dry land or from the bow of a boat? Cast a line off the only concrete pier in North Carolina and an icon of Wrightsville Beach, Johnnie Mercers Pier. Located at the south end of the island, Crystal Pier also offers a spot for anglers to cast their lines. Beach access from the stairs at the base of the pier takes you to the fishing section of the beach strand to catch fish from the surf. Or venture further south to Jack Parker Beach Access where you can walk to the rock jetty to discover more fishing hot spots.

If you're itching to get out on the open sea, chartering a boat is a great option for anglers of all ages and experience levels. Choose from one of the many boats and experienced captains who will help you hook a fish inshore or in the deep sea from Spanish and king mackerel to mahi-mahi and sailfish. Feel Good Fishing Charters & Adventures offers half-, partial- and full-day options, as well as inshore, nearshore and fly fishing excursions. 

To Dive For

Just off the island shore and hidden beneath the waves are hundreds of sunken sites to explore. There is a wide variety of offshore reefs, ledges, shipwrecks and underwater habitats within a few miles of Wrightsville Beach, which is one of the few places in the world to find high concentrations of giant prehistoric Megalodon teeth. The Alexander Ramsey, a liberty ship purposefully sunk as an artificial reef, is popular with beginners. More advanced divers will find a day's worth of exploration at the Hyde and the Markham, two shipwrecks found a few hundred yards away from each other. Natural underwater oases, such as Lobster Ledge and Fossil Ledge, are popular for their abundant aquatic life, Megalodon teeth and beautiful reef structures. For a full-service experience, charter a boat with one of the area's diving companies, or hop aboard an area cruise to see Wrightsville Beach from above the water.