Anyone in the Haralson area looking for some local fun and a way to keep cool this summer need look no further than the Tallapoosa River and its new kayak and canoe provider: the Tallapoosa Paddling Company.

Last weekend, owner Eric Hughes officially opened the company for business and already had a full line up of visitors, some ready to take their first paddling plunge.

“A lot of people were brand new, they don’t realize how pretty this river is. It’s rated as Class 1, which is basically moving water, so you can feel comfortable bringing your children with you,” Hughes said. “We had our first full weekend last weekend, and we had a lot of customers who weren’t from here, some from Buckhead and Marietta.”

Hughes, who just returned from work overseas, said paddling has been a lifelong endeavor, though he originally wanted to start his company in the Florida Keys. Upon doing research on undeveloped and un-outfitted rivers however, he found the West Georgia region completely vacant of paddling companies and worked to remedy that absence.

“The river is real calm, and when people paddle it, they’re going to see all kinds of wildlife,” he said. “Right now, the wild azaleas still have blooms, it’s a real quiet, undeveloped river. You can see fish right now; the water’s pretty clear and there are a lot of Indian arrowheads around if you want to look.”

Hughes is one of four retailers of Jackson Coosa Kayaks in the state, and the only Jackson retailer in the West Georgia area. He also has Crescent Kayaks available, which he said are built in nearby Carrollton. The company offers rentals or sales, and has other supplies and services on hand as well.

“There are not many companies that offer a shuttle service and rentals and that are small-child friendly,” he said. “If you have your own boat, I’ll load it up and pick you up when you’re done. My trips run four to five hours depending on how much time you spend sitting on the bank or swimming.”

Hughes said he has sections of the river to accommodate various skill levels. For beginners, he said he has a two-mile stretch of river which takes about an hour and a half to paddle. There’s an intermediate section of four miles. The largest section, he said, is nine miles and takes the longest time.

“We have the smaller section for people who aren’t sure if they’re going to like it. I can take them back up if they do, it’s part of their $25 for the day,” he said. “There’s a distance to accommodate anybody, and I will also set up overnight trips for anyone who wants to paddle all day and stay out on the sandbar overnight.”

Hughes said that currently, he has enough boats to accommodate 22 to 25 people, though with additional interest, he’ll stock more. He said he’ll also offer classes to local youth if there is enough expressed interest. He offers canoe, kayak and double kayak rentals (for $35) to his customers.

“I’ve gotten a real, warm welcome in this community, they think it’s good to have some outdoor recreation here,” he said. “You’ve got a river right here in your backyard that you can spend the day on.”

He said he’s also looking to organize a kayak fishing tournament and river race, and he’ll be on hand with some of his boats at the Veterans Annual Car Show today.

The Tallapoosa Paddling Company is open Thursday through Monday with trips starting at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday by reservation. Hughes recommends calling in advance to schedule a time and reserve boats if necessary. For more information, call the Tallapoosa Paddling Company at 404-202-4882 or visit tallapoosapaddlingcompany.com