A kayaker approaches Hardwood Island northeast of Deer Island in New Brunswick, Canada. (Ron Chase photo) For the past two years, a group of friends and I have traveled to Campobello Island in New Brunswick for kayaking, biking and hiking adventures in August. After I wrote a couple of columns about our kayaking exploits, a […]
seniors
Dyer Long Pond in Jefferson is a serene hidden gem
A group of paddlers navigate north on Dyer Long Pond in Jefferson. (Ron Chase photos) I “discovered” Dyer Long Pond in Jefferson while studying my Delorme Maine Atlas for prospective lakes and ponds to explore in central Maine. A banana-shaped body of water with several inlets, coves and small peninsulas, the approximately 3-mile-long pond appeared […]
Paddlers explore the Georges Islands by kayak via Port Clyde
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Thrills and spills on the Millinocket X-Stream Canoe Race
I didn’t realize Millinocket Stream was a potential whitewater destination until a couple of years ago. In 2022, whitewater enthusiast and Millinocket local, Chris Howe, organized a race on the remote stream that begins at the outlet dam on Millinocket Lake and flows for several miles to the Penobscot River in Millinocket. The race required […]
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 […]
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 […]
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