“The sturgeons are jumping,” my friend, Brent Elwell, reported. He was referring to a recent trip he had taken on the Kennebec River. Paddling the Kennebec is always a pleasure, but doing so while watching the sturgeons jump is an exceptional experience.

When I remarked that I’d like to complete a trip on the river while the sturgeons were still running, he suggested an upcoming hot, sunny July day. We had a plan. Emails to the usual suspects resulted in six friends responding in the affirmative.

The sturgeons have been coming to Maine for at least several thousand years, probably much longer since fossils date them as far back as 100 million years. They were a source of food for Native Americans and early European settlers who began commercially harvesting them in the 1600s.

Overharvesting, poor water quality and dams likely caused their significant decline, and they were declared an endangered species. In recent years, that has changed on the Kennebec River. Improved water quality and removal of the Edwards Dam in Augusta in 1999 have contributed to a substantial resurgence of the sturgeon population.

Our preferred sector of the Kennebec to paddle is an 9-mile stretch from Sidney to Augusta. There is a quality boat ramp in Sidney at the end of Recreation Drive with ample parking and an excellent takeout at East Side Boat Landing Park in Augusta.

Eight of us met at the boat landing in Augusta on a hot, steamy morning. We left a vehicle to shuttle drivers at the end of the day and drove to the Sidney facility.

The sky was clear and winds nonexistent when we launched in calm water in a wide part of the river. Our entourage consisted of three solo kayaks, a solo canoe and two tandem canoes. Shortly after embarking, a sturgeon jumped out of the water about 30 yards downriver. The search was on.

One of the first things that many paddlers notice when launching in Sidney is that most of the shoreline is undeveloped until reaching the outskirts of Augusta. The contrast with the takeout in downtown Augusta is striking.

Based on my experience, watching for the sturgeons to leap is a potentially frustrating process. When you’re alert and waiting, nothing happens. However, when distracted while in conversation with a fellow paddler, a huge sturgeon often jumps high out of the water and crashes back a few feet away. History repeated itself on this day.

Getting a photo of a sturgeon while still in the air is an even more exasperating undertaking. I’ve been trying for several years and have yet to even come close. That failure held true on this trip. I’ve resolved to take lots of photos and eventually one will jump into the picture — maybe.

Our sturgeon sightings continued as we progressed south past logging booms that are remnants of a bygone era when millions of logs were transported downriver. Birdlife abounds on this sector of the river. During our voyage, we enjoyed multiple sightings of eagles, hawks, herons, ospreys and ducks. Their presence is likely the result of a plentiful fish supply.

However, the most impressive and stimulating sightings were the perhaps two dozen leaping sturgeons we observed. The primitive-appearing fish, many 5–7 feet in length, blast completely clear of the water and land with an explosive crash.

Why sturgeons leap out of the water is an interesting question. Some recent research indicates they may jump to regulate their bladder pressure or to communicate with other sturgeon. Whatever the reason, they put on a spectacular show.

As we approached Augusta, the towering Route 3 bridge materialized on the horizon high above the river. We stopped on exposed rocks on the left shore just above the bridge for lunch.

Soon after, while sturgeons were seen jumping in the area, we passed the remnants of Edwards Dam and paddled under the rusted remains of a no-longer-operating railroad bridge.

An outgoing tide increased the downstream current entering Augusta where we disembarked at the landing, completing a very entertaining day of paddling. Several sturgeon watchers were gathered along the shore.

My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” narrates 17 exciting trips on Maine’s wonderful rivers and streams.

Ron Chase resides in Topsham. His latest book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine” is available at northcountrypress.com/maine-al-fresco or in bookstores and through online retailers. His previous books are “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals – New England.” Visit his website at ronchaseoutdoors.com or he can be reached at ronchaseoutdoors@comcast.net.