Paddlers hit the South Saskatchewan River last weekend with Redcliff's namesake geographical feature in the background.--PHOTO COURTESY OUTDOOR XCAPE RENTALS
Cooling off on a sunny, hot southeastern Alberta afternoon by floating down the South Saskatchewan River has long been a favourite pastime of locals and visitors alike. Now a new business in the Hat is opening up the opportunities for those who don’t have a boat.
Three weeks into the launch of kayak rental outfit Outdoor Xcape Rentals, it’s proving to be a lucrative business opportunity for owners Chris Humphries and Teresa McMullan.
The top feedback Humphries says he’s heard is Hatters “can’t believe they waited this long to try it.”
The second thing people say is, “They never saw the city from the river point of view,” according to Humphries.
And it’s a labour of love for the business owners that “blossoms from my love of kayaking on the river,” said Humphries.
The timing of having a business that gives people a healthy activity to do during a time when a global pandemic has created a dearth of things to do hasn’t hurt. But Humphries says judging from being booked up over the first three weekends of the season along with the positive feedback and the ease of use of the latest generation of kayaks, paddling the river is an activity likely to stick around.
And the business model is set up to help grow the sport, says Humphries, adding it gives people the opportunity to try it out themselves before laying out $1,000 or more for a new kayak.
He added the business’s tandem kayaks are also proving popular for paddlers looking to introduce their children to the activity.
As for transportation, Humphries says his outfit will drop off kayaks at Echo Dale and pick them up at the Strathcona Park boat launch.
The kayaks are also available to be used on other local waterways.
Humphries says the outfit is already planning on expanding its fleet of six kayaks.
More information on Outdoor Xcape Rentals can be found on its Facebook page, by calling 403-928-2454 or emailing mhoutdoorxcape@gmail.com.
