Lake Hartwell Kayak Rental and Delivery

07/08/2026

Paddleboards are popping off right now, have we mentioned??

If there's a silver lining to this extended lake drought, it's that the muddy, rocky beach is gradually giving way to comfier grass and plants. 🌺

We are still embroiled in our obligations over at The Sandbar, despite that the Broad River is at least as thirsty as Lake Hartwell right now, but if you need us REACH OUT. Don't be dismayed if you go to book kayaks and your preferred date isn't available. Hit us up. I bet we can make something work for ya.

Call us. Text us. Get to the lake. We'll do the rest.

06/25/2026

Standup paddleboards are in high demand these days so we increased our boat load! 🤙
These new SUPs are the prettiest we've ever gotten. I want to keep them instead of renting them out but since we're notoriously nice our guests will be taking them on their maiden voyage soon.
Quick reminder that we're tied up with The Sandbar and a bit less free this year. But if you try to book online and your preferred date is unavailable, call or text us! We may be able to accommodate you.

06/01/2026

Tons of kayaks for sale! Good condition, especially for lake paddling!

Are we shooting ourselves in the foot by making you aware of cheap kayaks you can buy versus renting ours? Maybe. Especially rental home owners / managers. But The Sandbar is our big sister and just like Vin Diesel, we take care of our family.

05/22/2026

We took some kayaks to Twin Lakes Campground in Anderson on a recent, gray day. This sort of trip - a 40+ minute drive from Hartwell - will be harder to pull off for us as the summer progresses due to our obligations at the Sandbar on the Broad River but always reach out and ask rather than assuming we can't!

We like Twin Lakes Campground, even if it was Dr. Seuss who planned the roads in that park. They have a stash of old Christmas trees near the boat ramp that they'll presumably toss in the lake to act as fish condos. While there we met Captain Nathan of Shad Slinger Fishing Charters. We were discussing the low lake levels and he assured me that fishing is not affected by it. I reckon stripers gonna stripe!

05/14/2026

Big thanks to for renting one of our canoes (again!) for an island camping adventure! Awesome guy with a thriving business and excellent advice - - and I am lucky to catch a bit of his wisdom each time we talk. 💪👊

The lake may be low, but that only makes for more beaches. 🏖😎. If you want to island camp, 70 degree weather is an excellent time to do it.

And, as I'll be mentioning frequently during the summer of '26, if you're looking for an exciting trip down the nearby Broad River book a trip with where you can also catch our smiling faces! 😃

05/05/2026

The fleet got washed up over the weekend in preparation of our busiest months. Lake kayaks experience very little wear to their hulls. A regular pressure wash can give them a like-new sparkle. 💅✨

On the other hand, river kayaks take a beating but offer more excitement! 🛶
Go check out our sister-business - The Sandbar - who offers kayaking excursions down a 5-mile stretch of the Broad River in Bowman GA, about 25 minutes southwest of Hartwell GA.

We are tied to both businesses this summer so it is more important than ever that you BOOK IN ADVANCE!

To book kayak deliveries on Lake Hartwell go to https://hartwellkayak.com/
To book kayak excursions on the Broad River go to https://thesandbarbroadriver.com/

04/28/2026

We are so very honored for Natalie to trust us with her family's legacy and we'll do our very best to bring the same experience you know and love to the summer of 2026!!

After 20 beautiful summers running the Sandbar side by side with my dad—and walking through the past two years without him, which have truly been the hardest—I’ve made the decision to step back and spend some much-needed time with my family.

The cabins will continue to rent as usual, so you can still enjoy the place we’ve all come to love. And for your time on the water, Lake Hartwell Kayaking will now be managing your Broad River float adventures. I couldn’t feel better about leaving you in the hands of two people who know this place so well—my former employees, Bray and David List.

The Sandbar has always been more than just a place—it’s been a community, a collection of memories, a piece of my heart and more than anything else my dad’s, legacy. I’m so grateful for every single one of you who has supported us over the years.

I hope you’ll continue to love and support the Sandbar and Lake Hartwell Kayaking on the Broad River. And from the bottom of my heart… thank you for being part of this journey with me. 🤍

04/27/2026

Hola Yakkers

We're wildly excited to announce that we are returning to our kayaking roots on the Broad River by managing the Sandbar in Bowman GA for the summer of 2026!

Lake Hartwell Kayak will continue with its regular activities but it's more important than ever that you book in advance!

Follow us and The Sandbar for news and opening dates

- David List & Bray List

04/26/2026

The busier we are, the less we're able to swing by here to bring you beauteous imagery of Lake Hartwell, but we do what we can!

pics 1-3: We had the rare opportunity to provide a family with a kayak to go have a look at Cemetery Island, where they have actual family buried. They enjoyed their time but reported that there are fallen trees from Hurricane Helene still lying across some of the headstones and burial sites out there. A good day of chainsawing would improve things. Also, hello .

pic 4: Payne's Creek Campground has mounted bird houses on the road signs in the park and that just seems like an awesome way to compensate the the ecosystem for our presence.

04/14/2026

April showers...
Or does it?
Either way we'll be here. And we'll chase the shoreline as far below sea level as it goes just to stick our kayaks in the water. It'll be worth it.