Kiskiminetas River outfitters offer ways to get on the water

It's easy to find what floats your boat in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

River recreation is a daily pursuit for married couple Neill and Evelyn Andritz of Avonmore.

Both grew up along the 22-mile mark of the Kiskiminetas River in Avonmore, surrounded by water pursuits.

Avid kayakers, the couple, married 24 years, opened The River's Edge Canoe & Kayak in 2006.

Located along the Kiskiminetas River, a short distance upstream from Leechburg along River Road, the business offers canoe and kayak sales and a rental shop.

And if you meet a friendly cat at the door, give her a pat. That's Millie, their pet and feline ambassador.

“Millie commutes with us to the business, traveling back and forth from home, and is our greeter,” Evelyn says.

Customers may choose from a variety of trips at The River's Edge — with options for all skill levels.

Neill and Evelyn are always at the ready to help out novice adventurers when needed.

The Kiski River typically offers a safe and agreeable water depth, less than 5 feet, Evelyn says. “We like the low water levels and it rarely gets too deep on the Kiski,” she says.

Pick your mode of river transportation, whether tubing, kayaking or canoeing ­— and enjoy a shuttle service and boat launch.

Tubing is the newest float option for customers, added a few seasons ago.

“The feedback is always so great from customers,” Neill says.

Visitors traveling the Kiski love the wildlife viewing possibilities — offering a different perspective from the water's edge, the couple says.

Customers have reported sightings of bald eagles, osprey, deer, great blue herons, geese, ducks, fish and other wildlife.

The river lifestyle encourages fun, and Evelyn once had a fake customer, she says.

“We had a group come for a large family reunion and one of the aunts couldn't make the trip, so they made a cardboard cutout with her picture on it and they actually took it out on the river with them. They included it in all of their pictures so that she could be included in all the fun,” Evelyn says.

The Armstrong County Tourist Bureau even used the “fake” person in a promotional piece for River's Edge.

In the last decade, the couple has seen an uptick in kayak rentals and sales.

“More people are kayaking, instead of canoeing,” Neill says. “Tubing has also seen a pretty dramatic increase. A lot of our out-of-state customers are blown away by the Kiski River. ... Local people are grateful to have such a fun activity close to home.”

Joe Bocchi, a postal employee from Buffalo Township, is a regular River's Edge customer. He utilized the shuttle service three times last week to kayak and fish.

He and a fishing buddy enjoy catching small mouth bass, and Bocchi saw a bald eagle flying overhead this week, he says.

“I plan on going more this summer. Neill and Evelyn are the nicest couple, and I can't say enough good things about them,” Bocchi says. “I used to fish the Allegheny River but since the Kiski has been cleaned up the fishing is phenomenal.”

Neill says kayak fishing is showing amazing growth.

“It allows people to get off the bank and explore places power boats can't reach,” he says.

The couple credit their hard work and determination with their river recreation success more than a decade later.

“We believe in great customer service,” Neill says. “The river's beauty and charm sells itself, and brings people back time and time again. Being able to give our customers a break from the modern world so close to home makes it easy.”

River's Edge operates seasonally, seven days a week, April 1 through Labor Day.

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.