Four of us were on the third day of a Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society Machias River expedition. We had just spent the night camping at Holmes Falls and were headed for Little Holmes Falls, a complex, challenging whitewater rapid. For the third consecutive day, we benefited from sunny skies and mild temperatures. While fishing […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Exciting Wigwam Rapids on the Machias River
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 […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Perfection on the Machias River
I started paddling multiday expeditions on the Machias River 45 years ago. In my opinion, it’s the finest river trip in Maine, arguably the eastern United States. About 20 years ago, I began organizing spring Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society trips on the Machias. I schedule them for late April or early May because my […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: An adventurous descent of Togus Stream
Togus Stream is one of the most unique paddling adventures in central Maine. Numerous easy rapids, two Class IV descents, three giant culverts, and several low-hanging bridges and trees are all part of the stimulating experience. I grew up playing along the tiny stream. Until I was an adult paddler, it never impressed me as […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: High water provides excitement on Kingsbury Stream
For about two decades, Kyle Duckworth has led an April Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society whitewater trip on Kingsbury Stream near Abbot. Organizing the trip entails evaluating a variety of possible spring conditions. Some years, ice and snow are problems. On other occasions, too little water is an issue. This spring, high water and windy, […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Chaotic paddling on the St. George River
I’ve been leading Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society whitewater paddling trips on the St. George River for many years. Organizing one this year wasn’t easy. My outing was originally scheduled for March 24, but that was canceled due to one of many March bad weather days. My second choice was March 30. Then I learned […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Whitewater paddling is a challenging rite of spring
I’ve been paddling Maine’s whitewater rivers and streams in the spring for almost 50 years. For me, the sport is a rite of spring. Over the years, I’ve managed to associate myself with many friends who have the same passion. Since the ’90s, I’ve done most of my whitewater boating with the Penobscot Paddle & […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Whitewater thrills on the Piscataquog River
Each fall, Horace Lake Dam in Weare, New Hampshire, releases copious amounts of water into the narrow North Branch of the Piscataquog River. The drawdown is usually scheduled for mid-October. The result is about 5 miles of Class III/IV whitewater that tumbles through a scenic rural environment. Participation in the recreational release has become an […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Whitewater follies on the New River
After an exciting paddle on the Gauley River on the first day of our Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society West Virginia whitewater trip, seven of us decided to descend the New River Gorge, another renowned West Virginia river. Trip leader Ryan Galway and I paddled a two-person inflatable craft called a shredder; two canoeists and […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Almost heavenly West Virginia whitewater
In my opinion, West Virginia has more outstanding whitewater than any state east of the Mississippi. For nearly two decades beginning in 1990, my friends and I traveled to West Virginia almost every spring and fall to challenge its steep rivers and creeks. Then we got old, some passed, and we stopped making the semi-annual […]