Delay of Paddle

I have been hoping to get on the water, but that won't be happening for six to eight weeks... I had surgery yesterday and won't be able to lift anything for a while... so... I am living vicariously through some of the online paddling groups I follow. 

I hope some of you are getting on the water & doing so safely... remember the water temps are cold! 

Church of the Double Bladed Paddle

Speaking of Social media... I have recently discovered a great group on facebook called Church of the Double Bladed Paddle.  If you are already on facebook, consider joining this group, click here for their page.

The page is a place where paddlers, worldwide, share their kayaking experiences.  It is amazing to see all of the beautiful places people are paddling. 

One reason I like it is that while I am not a religions person I do feel a feeling of spirituality while on the water and have often said that being out in nature, in my kayak, is my version of church.  So far my experience with the group people there have similar feelings.  They do refer to paddling as going to church, and refer to the other people in the group as the congregation or as brothers and sisters.  As a non-church goer I find this endearing...and feel like I found 'my people.!" 

They have these great decals that you can buy to put on your vehicles or on your kayak!  (the teal is the background, the stickers are not teal. 

Social Media

Hello Blog Friends!

It is the final weekend in February and I cannot lie, I am thrilled that winter is almost over.  Now, to be fair, this winter in Maine has been VERY mild.  My plow guy only came seven times (so far) and I think a couple of those days he was just itching to plow; the snow accumulation didn't necessarily require plowing!  But, I LOVE having a plow guy.  I am an outdoor kind of girl when it comes to being on the water in my kayak, but winter is my least favorite season.  I was extra worried about this season because it was the first winter I have spent as a home owner and on my list of preferred activities, shoveling has been at the bottom, even falling below doing dishes and emptying the litter box!  (Yes I hate it that much!)  This winter, again, probably because of its mildness (Is that even a word?)  gave little reason to shovel.  That, combined with the skills of my plow guy, meant that my shoveling requirements included shoveling my steps, a path for the oil delivery guy, and a couple of very small parts of my driveway... plus, I found a shovel that seems to work really well, so it was not as torturing as I anticipated!  No matter how non torturing it was, I would prefer to be paddling!  Don't get me wrong, I have felt bad..well bad may be a tad strong, but I have felt something for the people who really love winter, the ski bunnies and ice fisherpeople... I can see how they would feel that Mother Nature didn't give them what they hoped for, but... I have been more than okay with it!

So what does MaineKayakGirl do when she can't be paddling?  This winter has been busy.  I continue to settle into my house (I love being a home owner!), working -of course and socializing, and have used some of my creative juices to do some painting and am also doing some writing.  Kayaking is one of my favorite topics when I write and also find other topics interesting as well.  I have also spent some time perusing social media and have decided to take the plunge and join Twitter.  I have a lot to learn about tweeting and have been searching for some paddling and sporting goods tweeters to follow as well as some local eateries (After all, what's better than finding a great place to grab a bite after paddling all day??!!)

If you have suggestions of people/organizations who are on Twitter, and who you think I would enjoy 'following' I would love to hear from you.  (Comment here, shoot me an email at MaineKayakGirl@gmail.com, or find me on Twitter @mainekayakgirl , all lowercase letters!)

Since I always include photos in my posts, today I am going to include a picture of me and my mom.

 

In April, it will be seven years since losing her to cancer.   I miss her every day!  

I owe my love of kayaking to my mother.  I remember when I was in college she called me one day and told me that she had gone kayaking with one of her friends and had loved it. She told me she couldn't wait to get her own kayak and one for my dad, and that she thought I would LOVE it.  I told her she was crazy!  I told her that, in case she had forgotten, my older sister loved trying to tip us over when we went canoeing and that I hated that feeling of being unsteady on the water.  Mom told me that I would not feel that way in a kayak.  I did not believe her.  I also told her I hated the idea of being trapped in a kayak.  She told me I wouldn't feel that way.  I was skeptical, but as the saying goes, "Mother knows Best!"  Mom and I went kayaking together and she was right, I loved it!  She and I would spend hours exploring the shores of the West Branch of the Penobscot River for years to come.  Our paddles became time I truly cherished with my mother.  Not only did we get to have amazing conversations, but got to experience nature up close and personal.  There was the time we had been out on the water for a long time, despite the forecast calling for afternoon showers, and as we were in one of our favorite offshoots we had named Tadpole Terrace we heard the rain coming down the river.  We looked at each other and looked around and started paddling for a large tree that was overhanging the water.  As we positioned ourselves, backs to the shore, facing the water we watched the sheets of rain come towards us.  It was so loud that we could not hear each other laughing as we got soaked!  We kept looking at each other, rain dripping from our hair and chins and just laughing.  The deluge didn't last long, but long enough to get us soaked and get a little rain in our boats.  The sun came back out and we kept paddling.  Dad had been worried about us after the rain had passed and came up the river in his fishing boat to make sure we were okay.  He shook his head when he saw us and told us we looked like drowned rats.  He asked if we were heading back to the campground and we told him we would be back in a while, but we had more exploring to do, and we did!  

Another favorite memory with my mom is that we had hand gestures to use if one of us saw a critter and wanted to stay quiet as to not scare the critter.  We did a lot of talking and sometimes singing as we paddled the river, but when we approached wildlife or entered offshoots we tried to be quiet so that we wouldn't scare off any animals.  One day we were paddling and decided to go into what mom had named "The Trickle."  The Trickle was a very narrow passage that led to a very small pond where we would usually find many frogs.  The Trickle was very narrow, barely enough room to use my paddle to maneuver, sometimes using my paddle to push on the reeds to continue moving forward.  Mom decided I should go in first, and as I carefully moved through one of the corners, Mom was extra chatty for some reason.  When I came around the corner where there is a small knoll, I froze.  Laying just behind the knoll in the very shallow water was a HUGE bull moose.  I didn't know what to do except freeze.  At that point Mom started asking why I had stopped and when I didn't answer, she kept asking... I SLOWLY turned my head and put one of my hands up to my ear with all five fingers spread out indicating there was a moose.  She stopped talking and the moose then stood up!  Oh my gosh!  At that point I was looking UP at a HUGE Moose.  From what I have read, moose do not have great eye sight, but I am sure he could see that something was there.  He looked down at me and slowly tilted his head back and forth and in my mind, I was convinced his antlers were about ten times their actual size!  I held my breath.  He stood for a minute and then walked away, towards the pond and as I exhaled I started moving backwards, as fast as I could. My eyes must have been pretty wide at that point.  Mom had seen him stand up and walk away and she just said something like, "Well, you won't forget that for a while!"  We decided to explore other areas and give that big guy his space.  For a few years after that I was very nervous to enter the trickle... but have done so.  I have seen a couple of other moose back there, not in that same spot or in that dramatic fashion!  

I loved getting time with Mom on the river.  Over the years it seemed we did more and more paddling when I was visiting my parents in the summers.  

When Mom died Dad gave me her kayak, her red kayak.  (What an amazing gift!)  I love having her boat to use as I go on my adventures.  (And rarely let other people paddle that kayak!)  

So... As I anticipate the start of the 2016 paddling season, I think of my mom and am grateful that she gave me the paddling bug which I am now able to share it with other people.  (I have a  second kayak for when I want to take someone with me who doesn't have one, or if someone I know wants to learn how to kayak.)  I am sure many of you have your stories of who inspired your love of being on the water.   Feel free to share them!  

I hope you are all doing well and hope to share many more adventures with you this season!  Remember, if you have a place you think I should visit, please email me! 

Happy New Year!

Hello out there!   What a fall we had!  I wish I had not put my kayak away when I did because I may have tried to get out on the water right before Christmas.  Who would think that Christmas in Maine would be kayaking weather? I have seen some  photos where people did get out in their boats and I was very jealous! 

As the cold settles in I find myself still thinking about kayaking.  I am spending time this winter researching many of the areas about which I have posted and am fascinated by what I am learning.  Maine is such an amazing place to live with such rich history!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and finds a winter activity to keep you busy as we pass the time until we can get our boats back on the water!!! 

I don't know this person and hope that he is okay with me posting this photo.  It is one of the pictures I saw posted on local media stations at Christmas.  This one was posted here, on wmtw's website on the ULocal section.  The Caption is: Craig Washburn in Christmas Boat Parade in Kayak in Conway NH... and was posted by DouglasKPoor... 

I don't know who you are Douglas, but I loved the photos you posted.  They made me smile! Thanks to Craig for glamming up his kayak for the holiday season and to you for sharing it!  I hope it's okay that I posted it here...

Happy Winter fellow paddlers! 

November on the Presumpscot

Regular visitors to my blog know that paddling the Presumpscot in Westbrook is one of my favorite places to paddle.  (Click link above for directions.)

We have had a pretty mild November so far and while I had put my kayak in my garage, I had not yet hung it up for the winter, hoping for a couple of more opportunities to get back on the water.  With temperatures in the upper 50's I thought it would be a good day to go.  

Because it is November and because water temperatures are lowering it is smart to paddle in places with which there is a lot of familiarity.  Also, because November in Maine means hunting season, I wore a florescent yellow safety vest.  

The day was a bit dreary, and I admit this time of year, after the beautiful foliage and before the snow flies, is difficult for me.  I do not like the shortness of daylight and the lack of vibrant colors...but I also believe there is always beauty to be found... and any day in my kayak is a wonderful day.  

There were so many leafs in the water... their color has faded since they have fallen from their branches...

There were plenty of ducks on the water...

These bright red berries were a welcome flash of color!  Had I thought to bring some gardening shears, I may have collected some of these for holiday decorating...

Ahhhh... my favorite part of this trip, the tunnel... 

I had been here in August and was able to paddle through the tunnel and explore a bit on the other side, but the beavers have been busy and have rebuilt a dam at the far end. 

The river currents pushed the leafs into cool shapes on the water.

My favorite tree...  she has survived for a long time, despite her center crack.. I hope she survives another Maine winter and I get to see her, upright and living, in the spring...

Herons... I love seeing herons.. this one was upriver ahead of me...and this was the only shot I got... one day I will get a beautiful photo of a heron taking/in flight...

Along part of the shore is a beautiful rock wall.  I am amazed at how these walls, part of New England history, have survived so long...

I heard them before I saw them...the cows were running around in the field and mooing loudly. 

The sun was very unique today... moonlike at times...

Cattails were shedding their seeds...

I was pleasantly surprised to see another dedicated paddler on the water... (Glad he was wearing hunter orange)

As I got closer to the end of my adventure I saw a large bird in the sky... and was so surprised and excited to see that it was an eagle.  It landed high in a pine tree...beautiful bird!

Not long after the eagle had landed my batteries needed to be changed and as I was changing them another eagle approached... there were a lot of vocalizations as the eagles fought for the branch on this tree... the more mature/dominant eagle won the battle and kept screaming at the other eagle for a few seconds after its victory...

After winning the battle for the branch, the eagle preened itself...

 

I paddled slowly back to the launch site, so grateful for my kayak and the opportunity it affords me to see such amazing things...

This may be the final flip flop/toe photo of the year!  It is gonna get cold out there!!  

Happy Paddling!  (Be Safe!)

Salmon Falls River, South Berwick, Maine/Rollinsford, New Hampshire

Body of Water: Salmon Falls River, Border of Maine/New Hampshire, between South Berwick, ME and Rollinsford, NH, [Maine Gazetteer, Map 1,  A3]

Directions: From Portland take 95 south to Exit 19 (Wells/Sanford), Turn RIGHT off the exit ramp ont Rt. 9 W for 0.6 miles.  Turn LEFT to stay on Rt. 9 West, for 6.5-7.0 miles, then turn LEFT onto Rt. 4 for about 6.5 miles, turn RIGHT onto Rt. 236 for 0.2 miles, then turn LEFT onto Main St.  (At the traffic island.)  Stay on Main St. for about 0.4 miles, as you cross the bridge, crossing the ME/NH border, you will take a slight right onto Scoutland Rd. and Bicentennial Park is on the Right.  (There is no sign for the park until you get towards the launch.) 

As you enter NH...just after the bridge...

As you cross the ME/NH bridge you will see this on the right.  You will be launching above the dam. 

Right after the bridge, turn right into this park.

Go under the bridge to the launch/parking area

Boat Launch: Gradual slope gravel/grass/ some pavement

Parking:  There are several places to park along the road into the launch as well as a bigger parking area on the left. 

Bathroom: No

Wildlife: Turtles and birds

Notes: A couple of years ago, one of my blog readers suggested I explore the Salmon Falls River.  He said it was a slow moving river, unique because of its status as a river that defines the border between Maine and New Hampshire.  The paddle was worth the trip and as silly as it is, I admit that as I paddled from shore to shore, I would think, 'I'm in Maine'... 'Now I'm in NH!"  It was fun...

This is the view to the right just after putting in, towards the dam.  Obviously you need to paddle to the left, AWAY from the dam. 

Before coming to this river I had googled it to see what I could find... I found a post (maybe from the blog reader who suggested this river) that said there was a territorial swan in the area and to bring bread to feed it... I brought the bread, but didn't find the swan.  I was a bit sad about that, but there were a lot of other endearing elements of this trip.  When I first put in, the river was pretty wide but narrowed soon and there are several places, smaller offshoots to explore... loyal blog readers know I prefer the offshoots to the wide open areas, so that's where I spent most of my time.

I did this trip on Labor Day, so there was still plenty of greenery and several white lilies. 

One part of this trip that bothered me was the amount of milfoil in the river.   In this photo you can see the milfoil in the water. 

The milfoil was thick and in every offshoot of the river.  a reminder to clean your boat between trips!

This is a good picture to show the wider part of the river. 

I like the variety of vegetation along the river.  I think that may be one reason I prefer rivers to lakes/ponds. 

If you look closely, you can see turtles on that log...

more milfoil...

I really liked the secluded areas off the river.  They were very peaceful. 

The offshoots also provided some appreciated shade to escape the heat!

This turtle is shedding it's shell.  From what I have read this is normal.  The shells are like bone and grow from the inside out, and the outer layers peel off.  (The New Hampshire turtles seemed quicker to abandon their logs as I paddled by... the Maine turtles seemed a bit more brave... but then again, I could be biased!) 

I paddled beneath a bridge (which I thought would mark the end of the trip as it looked, at first, like a dam...but I was able to keep going)  and saw this view.  I had to choose to go left or right, I chose the right...

In this upper part of the trip, there were several tires in the water... cleaning this river would be a great project for an environmental group. 

I paddled as far as I could up this offshoot.  It was a beautiful spot. 

At one point there had been a bridge here.  I thought I could keep going beyond this spot and reconnect with the other part of the river, but it was too shallow.  So I returned to the area where I had to choose which way to go... and went up the other branch...

It is hard to see, but this is a very large snapping turtle...I was trying to get some other pics, but some other paddlers came through and I had to move to get out of their way and when I moved back he was gone. 

After going up the other branch of the river it ended with this... it was very pretty...

Pretty except for this giant piece of metal in the water... it looks like an old culvert... and I am surprised it is still in the water, looks like it has been there for a long time. 

Love the sparkles in the water!  And a decent plug for Old Town Canoe/Kayak! 

I paddled slowly back to the launch site...

There were a lot of people using the river this day... I saw a tandem kayak team, a canoe with a family of three, another kayaker and his young child who was giggling about being on the water... and there were several people at the park who were swimming and spending time on the shore.  It seems to be a well used park.

The draw, I think, of this river, would be that it is a border between Maine and New Hampshire.  I would imagine that in the fall, once the colors start coming, it would be a wonderful place to explore.

I cannot say that this is one of my favorite spots...only because of the large amounts of milfoil and the tires and metal in the water... but I really enjoyed the many off shoots to explore!