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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Final days on the Mopang Stream and Machias River expedition
Three of us awoke to the amenities of Wigwams Camp. Ken Gordon, Eggman DeCoster and I had reserved the cabin for the first night of our three-day trip on Mopang Stream and the Machias River. Owned by Downeast Salmon Federation, the cabin is located at the bottom of the first of four challenging whitewater rapids […]
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A day of adversity while canoeing and kayaking on Mopang Stream
Although Mopang Stream in Washington County is a significant tributary of the Machias River, it’s rarely paddled. Limited road access, obtaining a reliable description and determining an adequate water level make planning a trip complex. Another complication: Since it enters the Machias River some distance from dependable road access, an overnight trip is necessary. This […]
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Smalls to the Wall opens 2025 whitewater series with thrilling races
Kayakers braved icy conditions and rising waters at Smalls Falls for the season’s first Maine Whitewater Championship race.
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Exciting whitewater on the Contoocook River
Friends and I began paddling the Contoocook River near Henniker, New Hampshire, in the spring over three decades ago. In recent years, the renowned whitewater river has become a favorite with members of the Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society. The Contoocook is usually one of the earliest Maine or New Hampshire rivers to experience ice […]
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A rare descent of Upper St. George River
For many years, I’ve organized a Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society spring whitewater trip on the St. George River that flows through Waldo and Knox counties. The section chosen has been from Searsmont to North Appleton, the same route as the traditional downriver race held each March. Rarely paddled is a sector of the St. […]
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A challenging paddle on Crooked River
Paddling the Crooked River near East Waterford has been on my mind for decades. When my friend, Paul Plumer, suggested joining him and Eggman DeCoster for a trip down Crooked River in late March, I quickly agreed. Neither Eggman nor I had paddled Crooked, and Paul’s only experience was in the summer of 1990 at […]