🤝 There is strength in community. Each month, we gather to paddle or surf and all are welcome. Join us for an upcoming social event. Events are held from 9:00am to 11:00am in California. Please RSVP to [email protected] to let us know you’re coming. See you there! Surf: May 16, 2026 | Huntington Beach Pier Paddle: May 24, 2026 | Newport Aquatic Center – Memorial Day Event (Register via Paddleguru in bio) Surf: June 6, 2026 | Huntington Beach Pier Paddle: June 20, 2026 | Newport Aquatic Center #OpenWater #socialevent #veterans #firstresponders #family

🙏🏼 May is a time to pause, reflect, and recognize the profound impact mental health has on us all, especially our first responders, active-duty military, veterans, and their families. Nearly 30% of first responders alone experience mental health conditions related to post‑traumatic stress and depression. These aren’t abstract statistics; they represent the people who stand between us and danger every day. 🇺🇸 This week and next, we also celebrate National Police Week and EMS week, as we honor all of the police officers and EMS workers protecting and serving our communities across the nation. We recognize the long shifts, the challenging calls, and the extraordinary lengths you go to keep us safe. Your hard work, sacrifice, and dedication do not go unnoticed. We celebrate those who are part of our OpenWater family and we thank them for everything they do. #PoliceWeek #EMSWeek #OpenWater #FirstResponders #Veterans

🙌🏼 A huge thank you to the Huntington Beach Fire Department for inviting us to their First Annual Wellness Fair. A special thank you to Kane Johnson for putting this together! 😎 Monday and Tuesday were full of awesome connections and included a special breath work workshop with Morgan Hoesterey, Tyler Dodge, and @waterlogged_adventures . 🇺🇸 We’ll be here all day Thursday, so swing by and say hi, HBFD! For those who enjoyed the sound bath experience, reach out to @artofholistichealing . @huntington_beach_fire @kaner50 @morganhoesterey @tyler_dodge107 @wild.nerd.whitney @adamharmeling #openwater #huntingtonbeach #firstresponders #breathwork #veterans

🇺🇸  Join us on May 24th, 2026 for our annual Memorial Day Paddle Race! This family-friendly event is open to all and will help us raise funds to support the health and wellness of every first responder, veteran, active military, and their families. This year, you can expect a few new details as we’re growing our event! The day will include: -Coffee and pastries -OpenWater merchandise sales -Post‑event community meal -Awards Most excitingly, we will be hosting a special canoe blessing for OpenWater’s brand‑new (second) canoe! We are adding another OC6 to our fleet, expanding opportunities for training, racing, fellowship, and community paddling. Thanks to ERC’s innovative new design, this canoe can be used as either a single hull or a double hull in partnership with the Newport Aquatic Center and their new canoe, giving OpenWater exceptional versatility on the water. Having a second canoe will make a meaningful difference for our OpenWater participants, allowing more paddlers to train consistently, develop skills, and share in the experience together. Buy tickets thru the link in our bio. See you there 😎 #OpenWater #MemorialDay #NewportBeach #veterans #firstresponders

“I’d be a different person without [OpenWater].” Kane is an active firefighter and an integral part of the OpenWater community. After multiple successful channel crossings, he shares his passion for the mission and the immense impact that community and nature can have on first responders, active-duty military, veterans, and their families. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonday #OpenWater #community #veterans #firstresponders

Isolation and trauma pull us away from joy and community. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. A month where we recognize the staggering effects of mental health on veterans, active-duty military, first responders, and their families. Nearly 30% of First Responders alone experience mental health conditions related to post-traumatic stress and depression. Our programs are specifically designed to support those who protect our community and our country. Being in nature, physical activity, service, breath-work, nutrition, and positive fellowship all play a crucial role in positively impacting mental health. This is at the heart of what we do – every day. If we haven’t met you yet, reach out and join us on the water. If we have, we can’t wait to see you at our next social event or the upcoming Memorial Day event on 05/24. Open hearts. Open arms. OpenWater. #OpenWater #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #May #Veterans #FirstResponders

🫶🏼 We love our volunteers! Last Saturday, we hosted Volunteer Appreciation Day to celebrate those who pour into OpenWater. They show up on early mornings, stay late to clean up after events on hot days, and always bring a smile. 🛶 We had 10 amazing volunteers come paddle with us on Saturday - we are so grateful for each of you! #openwater #community #volunteer #veterans #firstresponders

🌲 We live on a beautiful planet. Our love for nature is vast. It brings us life, joy, and peace. This Earth Day, we celebrate this beautiful creation that we get to live on, play on, and explore. Get outside and enjoy today, this weekend, and this summer. We’ll see you on the water. #OpenWater #EarthDay #explore

🌺 Year two of the Wild Buffalo Relay is officially in the books. On April 12, our women’s program completed the 36-mile open-ocean crossing from Catalina Island to Newport Beach. This year, the program welcomed six new members, continuing to grow a community that first launched just one year ago. Months of dedicated preparation, beginning in October, built the fitness, skill, and trust the team needed to take on this demanding paddle. 🛶 Beyond the miles, what made this crossing extraordinary was the fellowship forged along the way. Through months of training together, team members shared personal stories, embraced vulnerability, and built bonds that run far deeper than any single race. The connections created on the water are the true heart of this program. 🙏🏼 As the team looks ahead to next year, the momentum is already building. Please show your support and help us sustain this program by donating in our bio. 🙏🏼 Mahalo to our supporters: @inkwright_llc @ercanoes @xander_robertson @theruggedwest @megan_irl @newportaquaticcenter The McDaniel Family @pkkipp Captain Gordon @properkook @kimoblutarp #OpenWater #WomensProgram #Veterans #FirstResponders

👏 Last Saturday, we completed the 2nd Annual Lifeguard Lap, a prone paddle event that raises funds for the @avilabeachlifeguards and OpenWater. With over 100 people in attendance, this event benefits OpenWater’s programs, and we thank our partners on the Central Coast for this opportunity. 🎉 Congratulations to all participants who completed the 4 mile paddle! And, a huge thank you to our sponsors and partners! It was an amazing event 🌊🤙🏼 @centralcoastpronepaddlers @barkboards @midstatecontainers @futuresfins @merseasonthepier @ccsurf @surftechusa @kiapasorobles @toyotasanluisobispo @jenmartinag @SCI SpecialtyConstruction @avilabeachoceansafaris #OpenWater #LifeguardLap #CentralCoast #veterans #firstresponders

Six months. Early mornings. Cold breeze. Steady and consistent. These ladies have outdone themselves. We are just a day away from the Wild Buffalo Relay, where the Women’s Team paddle over 32-miles from Avalon to Newport Beach. We are incredibly proud of them and stoked to watch them accomplish this major feat. Show your support and donate today! Link in bio. 📸 @megan_irl

🌊 Meet Crystal, OpenWater Participant, Navy Veteran 💙  “I came in struggling with anxiety and depression, especially in groups, and this program has helped reduce that anxiety. Learning OC-6 and working closely with other women gave me camaraderie and a sense of accomplishment. The support here matters. This program is doing exactly what it set out to do!” 🛶 We are days away from the Wild Buffalo Relay, where these ladies will be paddling from Avalon to Newport Beach. If you’d like to keep this program going, give today: /event/owwbr2026. #WildBuffaloRelay #OpenWater #womensprogram #CatalinaChannelCrossing #navyveteran