No chance of summer 'board'-dom with these river adventures

CANTON, Ga. - He’s a Kennesaw native who ended up traveling the world — but his love for adventure and passion for being near the water led him right back home to Georgia.

Michael Murphy is the founder of Murphs Surf, a business with a simple goal: getting people out on Georgia’s rivers and lakes. 

Murphy spent time as a firefighter and then as a medic overseas, and says it was while sitting on a paddleboard off the coast of Thailand that he got the sudden idea to open a business sharing his love of the water. Today, you’ll find Muphs Surf outposts in Acworth and Woodstock, both of which offer kayak and paddleboard rentals, but the company’s new home base and showroom is located in Canton at The Mill on Etowah. Inside the showroom there, Murphy and his team sell kayaks, boards, e-bikes, and accessories — and also rent out equipment for those looking to do some "rolling on the river."

Rentals available in Canton include tubes, rafts, and single and double-person kayaks — not to mention e-bikes, for those who’d rather experience the area by land. Float trips range from 2 to 3 hours or 6 to 7 hours, and all of them end at The Mill at Etowah. Shuttles transport renters to their "drop in" locations along the river — and then, it’s time to relax and enjoy the ride! Rentals and float trips are available on Saturdays and Sundays. 

To learn more about renting equipment and taking a trip on the Etowah River (or on Lake Allatoona in Woodstock and Acworth), click here. And click the video player in this article to check out our morning hanging out with Michael Murphy and enjoying some time in the water.