200 witches cackle and paddle around Morro Bay Harbor

The cackling could be heard all around Morro Bay Harbor Friday afternoon.



About 200 witches on stand-up paddleboards, canoes and kayaks participated in the annual Witches Paddle, a Morro Bay tradition going on for about 10 years now. The paddlers — including men witches — shoved off at Coleman Beach and paddle south to the marina.



One of co-founders, Annette Ausseresses of Los Osos, said about 100 participated in the 2020 annual paddle last year when the pandemic hit.

“The smiles of everybody faces are priceless,” Ausseresses said, “even the smiles on faces on shore.”

This year’s paddle was a fundraiser for the South Bay Women’s Network.

This story was originally published October 30, 2021 at 12:48 PM.