Several years ago, I launched with a group of kayakers from Port Clyde. Parking was a significant problem, so I wrote it off as a starting point for kayak trips despite the presence of a couple of exceptional paddling opportunities in the area. In June, I met a kayak guide who reported that Port Clyde […]
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Posted inTimes Record
Kayakers explore Lower Togus Pond in Augusta
For several years, I’ve organized Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society spring whitewater trips on Togus Stream from Chelsea to Randolph where it joins the Kennebec River. Those adventures recently motivated me to investigate the source of the stream, Togus Pond in Augusta. My research indicated Togus Pond is separated into two distinct bodies of water […]
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Searching for sturgeons on the Kennebec River
“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 […]
Posted inOutdoors, Times Record
Nequasset Lake in Woolwich a prime location for peaceful kayaking
About 25 years ago, my wife, Nancy, and I completed a sea kayak instruction and safety course on Nequasset Lake in Woolwich. The training was so absorbing we didn’t pay much attention to the surrounding lake. In recent years, we’ve been exploring small lakes and ponds in kayaks. After driving over the southern end of […]
Posted inOutdoors, Times Record
Excitement abounds on the Dead River Throwback Cruise
The Dead River near West Forks always offers a thrilling whitewater adventure. When relatively inexperienced paddlers take on the turbulent river navigating old-style boats, added excitement is guaranteed. That’s precisely what the Dead River Throwback Cruise recently delivered. A celebration of old-time boats and gear, the Throwback Cruise has become an annual tradition for my […]
Posted inTimes Record
Trues Pond in Liberty an entertaining paddling excursion
In late May, while kayaking on Stevens Pond in Liberty, I met two kayakers who highly recommended a similar trip on nearby Trues Pond, also in Liberty. I was only vaguely aware of Trues Pond and had never considered it a paddling destination. Always on the lookout for a new paddling opportunity, their glowing report […]
Posted inTimes Record
Perfect weather day makes for serene kayaking on Stevens Pond in Liberty
Over the past few years, my wife, Nancy, and I have explored some of central Maine’s finest small ponds and lakes in kayaks. We’ve found them to be an entertaining alternative to sea kayaking on the ocean and whitewater paddling in rivers and streams. While sea kayaking offers the challenges of open water navigation coupled […]
Posted inTimes Record
Eagles abound on Central Maine’s Sebasticook River
“You’ll see lots of eagles,” Eggman Decoster promised when he invited my wife, Nancy, and me for a paddle trip on the Sebasticook River. That was all the incentive we needed to join him and others for a 6-mile outing between Benton Falls and the Kennebec River in Winslow. Eagles haven’t always been plentiful on […]
Posted inTimes Record
Unexpected adventures were had on the South Branch of the Dead River
When my friend, Brent Elwell, invited me to kayak the lower section of South Branch of the Dead River near Stratton in mid-May, I readily accepted. Although we had both paddled the challenging upper South Branch several times, neither of us had experienced the lower. Based on a conversation he had with a lower South […]
Posted inTimes Record
Heavy rains bring exciting whitewater in Western Maine
A major, two-day rainstorm in early May had members of the Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society studying river gauges for paddling opportunities. As rivers and streams rose during the second day of steady rain, plans were formulated. Eggman DeCoster announced a mountain stream descent in the North Conway, New Hampshire, area. Another group, organized by […]