When Coosa River Adventures had to shut its doors to the public, many local kayakers lost one of their favorite spots to get out on the water. Due to the latest stay-at-home order from Gov. Kay Ivey, the business was unable to do shuttle trips for kayakers looking for the perfect put-in point for a day on the Coosa.
However, many people are still making the most of the nice weather with some extra free time and they are independently going out on the water using take-out spots in Wetumpka and across the county.
“We had to close things on the river side so it’s hard for us to see but we’ve had a couple of people use ours already,” Coosa River Adventures owner Therese Carter said. “They can do that if they have their own equipment. And there are other options along the river to use.”
Steve Wadsworth, also known as Coosa River Steve, has not let the coronavirus pandemic stop him from getting outside and enjoying his passion.
“I kayak more than I do anything else,” Wadsworth said. “It’s a great way to stay active and to stay fit. I have kept everything relatively the same. I do have a major concern of what’s going on but you have to go on doing your daily routine to keep things as normal as you can.”
Wadsworth said he just took his first trip down the Coosa River of the year with a few of his friends but it was still easy to abide by the guidelines Ivey has set. For the people who go out all the time, the situation has not been too different.
“We know how to get from point A to point B,” Wadsworth said. “You’ll need two vehicles. One to take all of the equipment to the put-in point and another vehicle at take out. At the end of the day, you just run back up and get your main car. It’s a simple routine.”
While he still has a job considered essential, Wadsworth said he felt lucky to turn to kayaking to help keep a sense of normalcy right now. He is glad to have a physical activity he likes to help stay in shape but he also says it helps on the mental side of things too.
“To me, it’s very important,” Wadsworth said. “I would go stir crazy if I was locked up in the house. Luckily, outdoor activities is one of the things we’re allowed to do. Right here in our backyard, we have the Coosa River and the lakes. Social distancing is very easy to do in a kayak. It’s really the best thing we can do right now.”
As for Coosa River Adventures, Carter said they have not felt the full impact yet because their busier months are during the summer. They are hoping everything will be good to go by June so they can help people get back out and enjoy the river.
“It’s an odd time of year,” Carter said. “We usually don’t see a lot of people right now so it hasn’t been a huge impact on us. Weekends would be busier so yes, it’s painful but it’s not devastating fortunately.”
Carter said they may not be running regular trips right now but they are staying open to do boat sales for anyone that is looking to own their own equipment in order to get on the river right now.
For those looking to get out of the house, Wadsworth said kayaking is one of the best ways to stay active and he would encourage everyone to try it.
“Everybody I have seen doing something like fishing, hiking and kayaking, everyone is practicing that social distancing,” Wadsworth said. “Everybody stays far enough apart and taking every precaution we’re supposed. If you want to do any of that, just go for it.”