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Jun 11, 2023: Sebasticook River – Clinton, Mill Park to Benton Falls Dam, carry, on to Kennebec River

The Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society paddled the Sebasticook River
from Clinton to Benton Falls Dam and then from Benton Falls Dam to Fort
Halifax Part (Kennebec River) Sunday. Beautiful day, excellent water
level (3″ below last step at Mill Park), great people, amazing number of
eagles everywhere. There are more eagles (more than 40) on the section
below the dam than anywhere in the continental U.S. per Nate Gray at
Maine Marine Resources.

We had 9 boats and 10 people from Clinton to the Benton Falls Dam and
11 boats and 12 people from the dam to Fort Halifax Park (Kennebec River).

Bruce Weik, Pauline Boyce, Andrew McDowell, Emma McDowell, Ron Chase,
Nancy Chase, Kevin Morrissey, Beth Main, Shawn Main, Karin Eberhardt,
Loren Starcher, Allan Fuller

The eagles are there to eat the alewife (herring) that are migrating
up the Sebastocook River. There have been more than 5 million alewife
that have passed the Benton Falls Dam going up the river so far. That is
the biggest river migration on the whole east coast of the U.S. There
were schools of herring breaking water. They were being driven to the
surface by the stripper bass chasing them. The herring are food for all.
About 20% are netted and sent to Canada in refrigerated trucks to be
canned for human consumption.

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Jun 10, 2023: Sebasticook River from Clinton to Benton, 2.7 miles

Matt Sanborn and I paddled from Clinton, Mill Park to my farm takeout in Benton after the whitewater.  We were checking the water level and potential problems we should be aware of for the paddle the next day on Sunday June 11th.  The water level was about 3 inches below the last granite step going to the river at Mill Park.  The white level was high enough for a good paddle in all areas including the whitewater.  It was not too low to cause rocks to be showing and not too high to be a challenge in the whitewater.  We saw about 5 eagles, one osprey, and one great blue heron.

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Jun 3-4, 2023: Dead 4000 & 2400

Saturday – June 3 Participants:

K-1:  Brent Elwell, Devon Carter, Paul LeClerc, Charlie Berliant, Greg Winston and Ken Gordon

OC-1:  Kenny DeCoster

Inflatables:  Jeff Swett, Bryan and Alyssa Wolfe,  Ron and  Adam Chase

Sunday – June 4 Participants:

K-1:  Adam Chase, Ron Chase, Paul LeClerc, Ken Gordon

C-1:  Mason Galway

OC-2:  Peter and Iris Hubbard, Ryan Galway and Will

OC-1:  Kenny Decoster, Matt Briere, Dan House

Following two days of summer like weather the paddling weekend arrived wet, cold and windy but it didn’t deter the 19 boaters who showed up at The Forks for Saturday’s 4000 and Sunday’s 2400 releases.  Saturday’s 4000 provided great play opportunities and challenging big water rapids.  Weather conditions were good considering the windy and cool temperatures but the rapid pace of the trip kept everyone paddling and warm.  Other than a few occasional rolls all members had successful runs and thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Sunday’s 2400 started with a scare when the shuttle was cancelled due to a lack of passengers, but paddlers arriving without shuttle reservations filled the quota.  Adam Chase volunteered to drive the van and also secured a driver to bring it back out.  The man of the day for sure.  He even provided a moose sighting on the drive to the put in.  The threat of rain and colder temps convinced us to shorten the trip so we started at the gravel pit instead of going all the way to the top.  The water level was excellent and provided paddlers an opportunity to have a more technical run with very pushy water.  There were a couple swims but paddlers were quickly rescued; Will even got to do some solo OC-1 paddling when he help reunite a boat and paddler. And the rain held off until we arrived at the take out – another great weekend on the Dead.

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Apr 27-29, 2023: Machias River

As usual, the spring Machias River trip came with an assortment of logistical problems.  And, although several people expressed interest, only Ken Gordon and I could connect all of the dots.  Gate closings prevented access to upper portions and bad weather left only a 3-day window of opportunity.  Ken and I persevered and met at Airline Rapids to run a shuttle to complete a trip from 3rd Lake to Holmes Falls.  For the first time in the 45 years I’ve been running the Machias, the Holmes Falls Road was gated.  Undaunted, we pivoted to a 3-day trip from the Airline to Smith Landing.  Our determination paid off as we had an excellent trip.  The weather and water level were outstanding.  We met a great group of six canoeists on day one and camped and navigated rapids with them throughout.  Ken and I used expedition kayaks and everything went well – another wonderful Machias trip.

Participants:  Ken Gordon and Ron Chase, TC

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Apr 15, 2023: Souadabscook Stream

While much of the local paddling world was participating in the Kenduskeag Stream race, a few of us chose a quieter paddling venue for the day.  We had a sunny day and a cheerful group on the Sou, including some new members as well as some very experienced PPCSers.  The water level was low, but we still had plenty of surfing at all the usual spots and even a little excitement at the lip of the Emerson bridge rapid.  One kayaker got hung up in the midstream alders above the rapid and nearly flipped.  In the process of providing help, another kayaker did flip and then hit their combat roll before successfully running the rapid.  Although they were not needed today, it was good to know we had lots of excellent rescue skills at the ready.  We ran the full stretch of river down to the water works station and enjoyed some milling over munchies and beverages at the take out.  We’d parked our vehicles in a little group, including a few that were on the lawn; those cars had notes on their windshields requesting that we not park on the grass in the future. Ooops!  We’ll try not to do that again.

K-1 Tom Rutka, Jeff Bickford, Charlie Berliant, Devon Carter, Ron Chase, Franklin Jacoby, Millie Jacoby, Bud Gilbert, Gary Cole, Suzanne Cole.

IK-1 Erin-Kate Sousa

OC-1 Patti Rutka, Whit Whitney, Sean Kluttz, Kyle Duckworth, Helen Hess (TC)