A PADDLING EVENT

EVENT: "Paddle & Picnic"

WHEN: Saturday September 15th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: Presumpscot River, Gorham/Windham, Launching from Shaw Park.  (Click the Link for directions.) 

DETAILS: Join Kimberlee Bennett and Sandy Moore, co-authors of Paddling Southern Maine, and Shannon Bryan from FitMaine.com for a fun filled day on the water.  Paddlers will launch from Shaw Park on the banks of the Presumpscot Rivera 9:00 a.m. for a 2 hour (ish) paddle up to/under Babb's Bridge, one of Maine's iconic covered bridges.  After returning to Shaw Park everyone is invited to have a picnic.  (Bring your own food & beverage)  While we relax and enjoy our picnic participants can demo, for FREE, Hobie Eclipse pedalboards from Sebago Sailing and Watercraft.  (The paddle boards that have a handle to help you steer and you pedal instead of paddle!)  There MAY also be a Hobie kayak or two to try as well.  (Copies of Paddling Southern Maine will be available for purchase.)

(Screenshot of Shannon Bryan from Sebago Sailing & Watercraft video)

In return for a wonderful day we ask that everyone who attends donate food items that will be used to stock the Riot Rack, South Portland High School's food pantry/clothing closet.

What you need to bring:
- Food item(s) for donation
- Kayak/SUP/Canoe
- Paddle
- PFD (We ask everyone wear, not just bring, their PFD's!)
- Water
- Sunscreen
- Your food/beverage for lunch

Hope to see you there!   Thanks to Gorham Parks & Rec. Department for their support in hosting this event! 

**Please note paddlers will be launching at 9:00 a.m. please get there early enough to unload and get on the water by 9:00. 

** Bathrooms are not available, but there is a porta potty on site! 



 Additional Info -

This event is near and dear to my heart! I would LOVE to have a large turnout.

Why is this near and dear to my heart? Because we are asking everyone who comes to donate food (canned goods, rice, peanut butter, microwaveable food, etc.) to the food pantry at the school where I work, South Portland High School. I started the pantry, called The Riot Rack, a few years ago to help fulfill a need at our school. (We also have a clothing closet!) We always have kids in need! 

(And the kids are EXTREMELY grateful!)  

Great Falls Balloon Festival 2018

Paddling in the Androscoggin River as the balloons from the Great Falls Balloon Festival float above and dip into the water next to you is an incredible experience.  

Having this experience is unique.. not just because you get to float on the water while balloons float on the air... but because it really is something for which you feel like the stars have aligned!  

You have to get there early (to go at sunrise) and the weather conditions have to be perfect, no to little wind... and the wind that is blowing, needs to blow the balloons along the river... 

Today was that day!  Below, please enjoy the photos of this experience.  As I said in one of my instagram captions... when you are paddling during the festival, you aren't just watching the balloons... you are experiencing them... it's hard to explain.... the balloonists interact with the kayakers... 

For information about this location please see the links below. 

For directions to the launch site click here.

For photos from 2016 Click here. 

Stevens Pond, Liberty Maine

 Body Of Water: Stevens Pond [Maine Gazetteer Map 14 B1]

Directions: From  Portland, Take I -95 north to Exit 113, towards Augusta/Belfast.  Keep Right at the fork to be on Rt. 3 East for just over 28 miles, then turn right onto Rt 220 South for 1.8 miles, turn right onto 173/Stevens Pond Rd. Drive for 0.5 miles and the launch is on the right. 

Parking:There is space for up to 8-10 vehicles depending on vehicles and whether or not they have trailers. 

Bathroom: Porta Potty

Launch: Grooved Cement

Wildlife: Loons, Beaver, turtles, birds

Notes:
The launch area is right next to a swimming area, complete with a float for people to use.  The launch is also in front of a dam. 

After we got on the water the wind came up, so we didn't get to see all of the pond.  

We started out staying to the right shore, went around the western part of the pond then went over into  the other part of the lake.  Despite how it appears on the map... I could not paddle into the bigger part of the pond without backtracking towards the launch. 

It is a pretty area. 

Another Loon Family!  I was lucky to see a few families while in the Liberty area.  

I liked this picnic table... on a floating dock! 

This looks like it may be  paddle-able if water levels were higher, but there is a road there, so I would guess they try to keep the road dry and control the water levels with the dam...

Paddling back towards the bigger part of the pond... just around this corner...

 We didn't get far into the larger part of the pond because of the wind.  It looks like it would be a lot of fun to explore all of the nooks and crannies.  

Sorry for Gladys's ear getting in the shot! 

One of my favorite photos of my girl! 

Heading back to the launch. 

Sorry this is not as detailed as some of my other posts.  I think this could be a pretty spectacular place to explore.  I will come back here on a day, probably in the morning, where it is less windy. 

Even though I only saw part of this pond, I enjoyed it.  

Happy Paddling!