Tucked away not far off of Hardy-McManus Road, you’ll find Outdoor Augusta, and according to owner Andy Colbert, “It’s the raddest little kayak shack on the planet!”
What started as an outing for Andy and his wife, Amy, turned into a fun family business. “We were out here doing a sunset paddle, and we both looked at each other said, ‘Why don’t we open something out here?’ because it’s an amazing spot,” remembers Andy. “Now, we do tours together,” adds Amy.
“We do sunset tours from Betty’s Branch. Once you hit the Savannah River, there are train tracks, and the sunsets there never disappoint,” says Andy. “It’s fun to see people’s faces if they’ve never seen that sort of thing before.”
They also offer full moon paddles that either follow a route up the Little River and around Germany Island or start at the lake dam and end at Betty’s Branch. “We load people with free glow gear for the full moon paddles,” says Amy. “People are doused in glow paint, glow sticks, glow necklaces. The full moon paddles are really fun because they are so different.”
Outdoor Augusta also offers tours down the Savannah River, into North Augusta, and to Stallings Island.
“We do tours as community events,” explains Andy. “There is always someone who needs to rent a boat, so we of course let them do that, but we do things more for the community. So, if you’ve got your own boat, come out and be part of it for free.”
One of Amy’s favorites, paddle board yoga, has really taken off this year. “The teachers keep it pretty low to the board,” says Amy, “so it’s really a beginner level, and you get to turn it into whatever you want it to be. I like that you don’t have to be a kayaker and that you can go for just an hour.” There’s a $5 fee to give to the instructor, but you can bring your own board or rent one.
Although paddling lessons are available, Andy says, "Most of the people want to go out by themselves, and I’ve made laminated maps that are super easy to understand.” He adds, “Something really awesome about this place is that you can paddle up the Little River and either float back the same way, or you can go around Germany Island and float back down the Savannah River, then come back to our location.”
Adventures can last a few hours or all day. “About half-way up our paddle route is a sandbar, and that’s where a majority of people go,” says Amy. “They paddle an hour up the water, anchor their boats, and hang out all day. Then they paddle back at sunset.”
Having Outdoor Augusta so close to the heart of Evans means quick access to the outdoors, including summer camp for kids! Amy says, “I love that you can be doing your daily life, and then 5 minutes down the road, you can go do something outside for 2 hours.”
Outdoor Augusta rents paddle boards, single & double kayaks, and canoes for individual use or to use during their guided tours. Call 706-399-4037 or visit OARiverside.com for information on hours, tours, events, and summer camp. They’ve recently launched OutdoorAugusta.com, an online outdoor magazine for the entire community.