PLENTY OF PADDLING

Paddling the Tallapoosa River, Lake Martin’s feeder creeks or the lake itself is now easier than ever, as new canoe/kayak rental options are available around the lake.

Off the Beaten Path Alabama is now Tallapoosa Wilds and is owned by Craig Godwin and Elliott Jackson of Opelika, who have been fly fishing guides on the Tallapoosa River north of the lake for many seasons.

“We’ve both had a history with the river since elementary school. Craig has been with East Alabama Fly Fishing for about nine years now. We’re on the river constantly. We have floated the whole 41 miles of the river route – probably 80 to a hundred times last year alone,” Jackson said.

The pair used to take the Off the Beaten Path Alabama shuttle from their take-out point to a put-in point and when former owner Chuck Browne said he was thinking of selling his kayak rental and shuttle business, they leaped at the opportunity.

“We are always looking for another side hustle,” Jackson said. “Chuck was happy it went to guys who knew the river and loved the area as much as he did.

“It’s just easier if you get a shuttle. That way, you meet us at the take-out point and leave your car there,

Pand we take you to the put-in. When you are finished with your day on the river, all you have to do is load up and go home. Your car is already at the take-out point.” There are some operational changes with the new ownership, which will officially launch on May 7. For now, rentals are available only on Saturdays and Sundays. The owners hope to extend their hours to include Fridays and possibly Thursdays. The entire administrative process can be handled online, from booking to paying. Group rates are available for bachelor’s parties and other events, so check out the website at tallapoosawilds.com. Email Jackson and Godwin at tallapoosawilds@gmail.com or call them at 256-609-7073. Float Alabama on U.S. Route 280 in Dadeville is focused on high quality inflatable float products, from kayaks and canoes to big rafts and standup paddleboards. The company was started this year by Alex Carter, who has spent most of his adult life in Alaska but moved to the area with his wife, Lauren, who is originally from Phoenix City. In addition to rentals, Carter sells what he rents and makes warranty repairs on the equipment. “You can buy anything you want on the internet these

Off the Beaten Path Alabama has a new name and new owners, and there are additional water sports rental options at the lake this summer

New rental and outfitting options open at the lake this summer

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY KENNETH BOONE

days, but you’ll be hard pressed to find someone to service your products. We do all that in the shop here,” he said. “Our building is 3,750 square feet. Half of that is our showroom, and the other half is the service department.”

The beauty of good quality inflatables is that there is no need for a shuttle, and you can put in anywhere, Carter said.

“These are high-end inflatables. They’re not made out of shower curtains. They are expedition grade. You can roll them up and put them in the trunk of your car and go where you want – the lake, the river, the beach.”

A tandem kayak rents for $50 the first day and $40 for each additional day. A standup paddleboard rents for $40 the first day and $30 for each additional day. A 14-foot raft is $125 per day and is great fun for kids, he said.

“My kids call it the bouncy boat,” Carter said.

His hope is that renters will love his products so much they will come back to purchase them.

“I rent boats primarily because I want to sell them, so if someone rents and then wants to buy, the price of rental goes toward the price of the boat,” he said.

In addition to boats, paddles and flotation vests, Carter also sells sun gear, apparel, waterproof speakers, repair kits and dry bags.

Float Alabama is located at 16872 U.S. Route 280 in Dadeville. Visit the website at floatal.com or call 256-373-3004. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

Kayak rentals also are available at the Adventure Center at Russell Crossroads, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. Call 256-496-3677 for rental information.

Paddle boats, kayaks and canoes are available for rent at Creem at the Creek inside the gates at Wind Creek State Park, too. Call 256-786-2872 for hours and details.

On the south end of the lake, Lake Martin Kayak Rentals will deliver kayaks for renters for a $20 delivery fee plus $40 for the daily rental per boat. To make arrangements, call 334-415-5244 or visit the Facebook page.

So if you are looking for a great paddling experience at Lake Martin this summer, there are lots of options available all around the lake.

Lake Martin Watersports

STORY BY BETSY ILER

Lifelong Lake Martin part-timer Austin Bailey didn’t want to leave when summer ended last year, so he established Lake Martin Watersports LLC and obtained licenses and insurance to operate a flyboard and wake surfing business at the lake.

“My grandfather started coming to Lake Martin in the early ’70s, so my family has been here a long time. I’ve been coming to the lake my whole life. I’ve spent every Christmas here, ever summer here,” Bailey explained. “I grew up wakeboarding on the lake, and in the last few years got into wake surfing. Last year, I bought a 2021 Malibu wake boat. I love this. I didn’t want to leave.”

Bailey said he’s often thought about opening a flyboard business here, but this year, he put his investment where his heart is. He launched Lake Martin Watersports LLC a few weeks ago and now takes adventurers for flyboard rides and offers wake surfing lessons.

“Anyone 12 years or older who has reasonable physical strength and good balance can flyboard with me. For the first lesson, you might not go super high out of the water, but with a little practice, you’ll get better. It takes about five or 10 minutes to get down once you’re up there, so typically, a 40-minute lesson includes 30 minutes of fly time,” he said.

L“You start out on your stomach, and as the instructor begins to give you more power, you bend your knees and slowly push the flyboard underneath you. Slowly, it will lift way out of the water.” Wake surfing is easier than flyboarding for most people, said Bailey, whose passion is surfing behind the boat. Wake surfing lessons are an hour and a half, including 30 minutes of travel time out and back. Bailey teaches beginners how to get up and ride with the rope, progressing into dropping the handle and surfing without the rope; then, how to carve the waves and perform simple maneuvers. “I think wake surfing is more fun, and while only one person can go out to flyboard at a time, you can bring a group of people on the boat for wake surfing. I’ll take up to four people to an hour, so they can divide up the cost however they want,” Bailey explained. A 40-minute flyboard lesson through Lake Martin Watersports LLC is $175, and that can be extended to a full hour for an additional $75. A wake surfing lesson is $250. Add $200 for each additional hour. Book a watersports adventure by calling Bailey at 205-541-8053 or book through the website at lakemartinwatersports.co or on the Facebook page. Email Bailey at info@lakemartinwatersports.co.

Interior walls are fashioned from wood harvested on the property

40 LAKE MAY 2022 p IIn 38 years of dreaming and planning, Rhonda and Skip Courtney never thought their hospitality venture would include tents or Alabama, but after politely going along to view 100-plus acres of woods on Sandy Creek, they recognized heaven’s door and jumped in. The Courtneys have built a unique, upscale getaway on the banks above beautiful Sandy Creek outside of Dadeville, turning tent camping into “glamping” (glamorous camping) among picturesque hardwoods. Such well-appointed accommodations are one-of-akind in the Lake Martin area, and visitors would be hard pressed to find more comfortable surroundings for an escape. Each of The Destination’s glamorous getaways includes a kitchenette, bathrooms with tiled showers, heat and air conditioning, private bedrooms, dining options indoors and out and a six-person hot tub. There’s a grill on every deck, and each extravagant tent site includes a private stocked fire pit with Adirondack seating. The couple are no amateurs at providing top-notch hospitality. Before discovering this beautiful property in the shadow of Lake Martin, they owned The Music Loft, a renovated building that catered to music enthusiasts in downtown Nashville. They offered exclusive amenities and service to guests of their 2,760-square- o

Glamping tents are surrounded by picturesque woods and beautiful views Glamping STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER & JAKE ARTHUR foot loft but were looking for something more. “We were always thinking we would open a B&B or an inn. We talked about a hospitality venue in the country for years,” Rhonda Courtney said. “We were visiting Rhonda’s family here, and Rush Denson with Denson Group wanted to show us this property. We just went along to be polite. We didn’t have any intention of buying in the area. But when we saw this – it was paradise,” said Skip. They purchased 78 acres on the east side of Sandy Creek, as well as a 24-acre plot on the opposite bank, so they would have aesthetic control of the full 4,600foot waterfront. As research, they stayed at a glamping resort out West and deemed it a viable endeavor. “One night, I got out of bed and found Skip on the computer, looking at safari tents online. We found a distributor in Atlanta and realized this is an up-andcoming industry,” Courtney said. The first structure on the grounds was The Lodge, an entertainment venue, as well as the Courtneys’ home. Designed by architect Mark Stewart and built by Tim Moore, the lodge is tailor-made for entertainment. From the cascading floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a deck overlooking the bubbling creek to the downstairs wine cellar and guestrooms with wooded

MAY 2022 LAKE 41o views, the Courtneys staged their home with style. Next, they dotted the loop road at the end of a long, red clay gated driveway with tent platforms and erected ruggedly durable Bushtec Safari tents. Designed for permanent installation, the tents are well-anchored with built-out interiors, residential plumbing and electricity. The walls between beds, bath and living space inside the tents are fashioned from woods harvested on the property. Each glamorous camping safari tent is decorated with a theme representing one of the couple’s former residences. “It’s a unique escape without sacrificing the amenities,” said Skip. “We can commune with nature, but it’s convenient to activities and events going on around the lake.” The Music Loft tent, with its Nashville art, signed guitars and other music industry memorabilia, represents the Courtneys years in the 1899 building in the center of the Nashville music scene. With two queen bedrooms and a queen sleeper sofa, this 650-squarefoot glamp includes 1,450 square feet of deck with covered and open living space. Rhondapoosa, a one-bedroom cabin-style tent, also features a queen sleeper sofa and will accommodate four in the 370-square-foot Western themed décor. The Rhondapoosa’s outdoor space is defined with 240 square feet of flagstone patio. The Clearwater pays homage to the couple’s native Florida, and the eclectic beach décor follows suit. With two bedrooms and a queen sofa bed, the 650-squarefoot safari tent will sleep six guests, who can while away the days in style on the 1,450-square-foot deck. Moondance was the name of the Courtneys’ 46-foot motor yacht, where they stayed when guests occupied the Music Loft in Nashville. They honed in on the nautical theme to accommodate four guests. Windows in the tents are screened and can be opened to let the cool breeze drift through the rooms during the summer months or closed for privacy. Coffeemakers, microwaves, granite countertops and p

large showers are all part of the comfortable furnishings of the venue.

The one amenity missing at this premiere glamping resort is television. There are none, but guests are welcome to bring in their own large screens and stream football games and movies from personal cellular phones.

But the Courtneys hope their guests will take advantage of the serenity the setting offers by walking the mile-long Creekside Trail and admiring the wildflowers and the frothy fern undergrowth. Watching the wildlife or throwing out a line to catch stripers, bass or catfish for dinner; keeping cool on a hot summer day in the creek or sprinting over the bubbling creek in kayaks or canoes. Stop in at the lodge with a cocktail to enjoy a charcuterie board with their hosts; and then, lounge around the fire pits as night falls and retell the highlights of their magical escape to the luxurious glamping resort in the woods so close to Dadeville and Lake Martin.

Visit tdbsc.com for booking information, photos and more on The Destination.

Each tent site includes a spacious deck or patio