A scenes from last year's Witches on the Water fundraising paddle. FILE PHOTO

CHATHAM – Traditionally, witches have had a fraught relationship with water. According to some folklore, witches can't cross running water. And we all know what happened to the Wicked Witch of the West.

But this is Cape Cod, where witches take to water more readily than to broomsticks.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, a coven of self-proclaimed witches will climb onto their stand-up paddleboards and cross the waters of Oyster Pond to raise money for the Cape Wellness Collaborative.

“To see everyone show up in their goofy costumes, it's just hilarious,” said Witches on the Water secretary and co-founder Susan Price.

Last year's inaugural paddle raised $21,000 for the Family Pantry of Cape Cod, and the witches hope to top that amount. As of early this week, 36 paddlers – mostly witches but, for the first time, a few warlocks – had paid the $50 registration fee and agreed to raise at least $250 for the Collaborative, Price said. “We'd like to get to 50” participants, she added. Last year, 38 paddlers participated.

Criteria for participating is simple. Register, raise the minimum contribution, dress up as a witch and bring your paddleboard. Prizes are awarded for the best costumes and most money raised. Details and registration information can be found at witchesonthewater.org. The event, which is free to spectators, runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oyster Pond Beach and includes music, food raffles. The witches are expected to head out to the water at about 11:15.

Witches on the Water (WOW for short) began organically, in keeping with the natural roots of witchcraft. Back in 2019, Price and the non-profit organization's president, Jo-Ellen Erickson, decided to dress up as witches and paddle around in Town Cove in Orleans.

“We invited some friends to join us, and the public became very fascinated and interested,” said Price, a Brewster resident. People started to reach out, asking what they were doing, who they were raising money for, and how they could get involved.

“It seemed obvious that we had to do something with the idea,” she said.

Then COVID struck, and plans were shelved until last fall, when the group held its first fundraising paddle.

To choose a beneficiary for this year's event, the group's seven board of directors met in January and each wrote the name of a local nonprofit on a slip of paper. “We literally dropped them in a cauldron,” Price said. One slip was drawn by a “non-biased” person, and the Cape Wellness Collaborative became this year's beneficiary.

“It makes it witchy,” she said of the process. “And democratic.”

Local businesses chipped in with sponsorships and donations for raffles, which include a stand-up paddleboard, a witch-themed handmade quilt and several gift baskets. Two food trucks will be at the Oyster Pond for the event, and the Mike Dumas Band will play for the apres-paddle party.

Price offered a few tips for potential paddlers. Remember, you'll be on the water, so wear something that can get wet; don't wear a mask that restricts your field of vision; there will be lots of witches paddling along with you, so you need to be able to know where you are on the water and who's around you. A life vest and leash are required. And finally, secure your hat so it doesn't fly off in the wind. Conditions were very windy last year, whipping up some surf and making the paddle a challenge – especially in witch regalia.

“We're hoping for better weather and calmer waters this year,” Price said.

Most of all, the goal is to have fun.

“It's just goofy,” she said. “Jo-Ellen and I said from the very beginning if it ever turns not fun, we're not going to do it anymore.”

There seems little doubt of such a curse happening anytime soon.

A float in the 2003 Harwich Cranberry Festival Parade marked the 50th anniversary of the Harwich Historical Society. The society’s museum was a school for many years, though it’s not clear if they actually used a dunce cap for unruly students. FILE PHOTO

The Cape Cod Chronicle is an independent weekly newspaper covering the towns of Chatham, Harwich and Orleans, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.

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