Kayaker Ken Gordon avoids a gnarly hole on First Wigwam Rapid. Ron Chase photos

On the second day of our Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society Machias River trip, four Chowderheads awoke to a welcome cold morning at Little Falls Campsite, arguably the finest site on the river. The temperature was sufficiently cold to freeze the water in one of my pots. I say welcome cold as it was a near guarantee blackflies would not be joining us on the river during the day.

We had acquired a remarkably good weather forecast prior to beginning the trip and it held for day two. The skies were perfectly clear and the temperature quickly rose into the 50s. Our outdoor gourmet, Rick Farnsworth, served a delicious breakfast. He baked biscuits in a reflector oven and cooked sausage gravy in a Dutch oven. It was a hearty meal but we anticipated burning lots of calories paddling four significant rapids called the Wigwams and completing a demanding carry around Holmes Falls.

Rick Farnsworth navigates his heavy canoe through a narrow channel on Third Wigwam Rapid.

Our group consisted of four solo paddlers. Rick and Morgan Baxter were in canoes while Ken Gordon and I paddled expedition kayaks. We had met a tandem canoe team on the river the day before. They would be the only other paddlers we would encounter on the trip.

Our quest to reach Holmes Falls by the end of the day began with a pleasant 5-mile stretch of flatwater to the confluence with Mopang Stream on the right. We were the beneficiaries of the rarest of all winds, a tailwind. A substantial number of eagle and osprey sightings were an entertaining part of the journey.

Wigwam Cabin is on the right around the bend from Mopang. The hut marks the beginning of the First Wigwam Rapid portage trail. We didn’t intend to portage but used the trail to scout the Class III high volume falls. Rick and Morgan carried some of their heavier gear.

The upper portion of lengthy First Wigwam consists of large waves pockmarked with gnarly, boat-flipping holes. After careful inspection, we decided to proceed along the left shore and ride a wave train that bypassed most of the holes before turning right into the easier lower sector. Our plan worked to perfection and everyone remained dry.

Following a serpentine series of easy rapids, we entered Second Wigwam right center. We maneuvered left of a ledge drop and then drove hard right into standing waves to avoid a second ledge.

A calm pool separates Second Wigwam from Third, a difficult rapid with a precipitous pitch at the finish. After careful scrutiny, we entered left center and proceeded far left through a narrow channel between two boulders in the final drop. A rocky beach at the bottom provided an excellent location for lunch.

Fourth Wigwam was next. Four Chowderheads paddled left center when entering and rode stimulating waves to a pool at the finish.

Morgan Baxter dodges boulders on Third Wigwam Rapid.

Several miles of flatwater brought us to Holmes Falls.

The Holmes Falls portage is on the left. The trail begins about 75 yards above a bridge. The dangerous falls is just below. The canoeists carried on the normal path. Ken and I opted to catch a micro-eddy next to the bridge in our kayaks, offering a somewhat shorter portage.

While not a long carry, the portage around the falls is a workout, especially for this arthritic senior citizen. The initial portion is gradually uphill, but the final half drops steeply downhill to calm water at the bottom of the falls.

The campsite at Holmes Falls is adequate but doesn’t compare with Little Falls. The food continued to be exceptional. Morgan took over as head chef and pan fried a scrumptious steak dinner. Rarely do paddlers gain weight on a river trip, but that could happen on this one.

We benefited from another cold night, almost ensuring a bug-free day of paddling. The sun was up and the skies clear when we arose the next morning, the precursor to another outstanding weather day.

Morgan continued serving exceptional culinary fare with bacon and cheese bagel sandwiches on the breakfast menu. While eating, plans were made for upcoming encounters with Little Holmes Falls and Great Falls, challenging complex descents.

My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” narrates six additional river trips in Maine, including an expedition down the entire Machias River beginning at Fifth Lake.

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.