Childhood Friends Bring Paddle Boarding To Bouctouche Bay This Summer
MONCTON—From childhood friends playing football to starting their own outdoor activity business, founders Jon Jewett and Marc Savoie are bringing stand up paddle boarding to the Bouctouche Bay.
Jewett and Savoie’s new business venture, Still Water Paddle Stand, will take place on the Bouctouche Bay, offering eight-to-ten rigid paddle boards for people to explore the picturesque bay area.
“I’ve had a number of different business ideas that I thought could be successful in the Bouctouche area because it’s an area that’s underserved,” said Jewett.
He and Savoie started operating the business around three weeks ago, opening on Thursday and Friday evenings and all-day Saturday and Sunday.
Jewett said the road they operate from is busy and hundreds of cars drive by every day, many just to take in the coastal views. Being open the last three weeks has given them some exposure as those people drive by. June 25 will be their official launch day and, after that, they will be open seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., weather permitting.
As the business gets going they might adjust their hours of operation but Jewett said the sunrise and sunsets in the area are the most beautiful.
Jewett said while there are some outdoor activities to do in the area, like hiking and biking, there is nothing that sparks an experience.
There are a lot of campgrounds nearby so the two are hoping for a busy tourist season. Jewett chatted with some campground owners in the Bouctouche area and says if there were more tourist experiences nearby it would prompt people to stay longer.
“I’ve been wanting to find ways to really highlight the region and give people a way to experience the beauty the region has to offer,” said Jewett.
He and Savoie talked about starting this business a few years ago, discussing how they wanted to bring water sports to the region, either in Shediac or Bouctouche. After Jewett found a house and moved to Bouctouche, the two were prompted with the opportunity to buy the boards and a trailer as a package deal, and that fast-tracked their plan.
“I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur and getting involved in entrepreneurship can be financially risky,” said Savoie. “This was something that I’m passionate about [and] that I like doing.”
Savoie said the key to operating their start-up right now is creating a sustainable business model. Since these rentals are for short periods, they have to minimize their operating costs to come up above them.
Jewett said for the time being, it’s just the two of them working for the business but they are interested in hiring some students from the Bouctouche area.
“The barriers to getting some businesses going can be greater than others. This is a fairly low barrier to entry, low risk, because if things don’t pan out we can always sell off the equipment and recuperate most of our initial costs.”
Still Water Paddle Stand offers all the equipment customers need to paddle board, including the paddle, leash, and life jacket. However, they do recommend customers bring their own water shoes.
The business has an online booking system. Customers can book for half an hour, one-, two- or three-hour rentals. Jewett said a good amount of rental time for people to get used to the board and explore the area is two hours.
Savoie said having this paddle boarding business in the area is a nice addition to the other activities that are around, like the Saturday morning farmers market and the Bouctouche Dunes.
Jewett said with the new business venture, he wants to offer both to visitors and people who live in the area a unique way to experience the beauty that the bay offers.
“I would say [Bouctouche] is more picturesque,” said Jewett. “It’s very relaxed. It’s very peaceful. It’s very serene.”
Jessica Saulnier is a summer intern for Huddle. Send her your story tips: [email protected].