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 bad weather days that month.
My second choice was March 30. Then I learned that was the date of the St. George River Race. Actually, that revelation really wasn’t a disappointment because another cold windy day was forecast.
The following day had more favorable weather predicted so that was my final decision. When I posted a club trip, I noted the water level was high.
“High” was an understatement. On the day of the race, a club member who participated reported that 42 of 96 boats that entered did not finish due to the highest water in about 40 years.
As many as 22 kayaks and canoes were pinned in the river.
The racer’s report was sobering. That was particularly true for me because I flipped and swam on the Sheepscot River for the first time in decades on my initial outing of the year.
Although I had practiced my unreliable kayak roll in the interim, I wasn’t feeling confident. After consulting with the other four participants, who were all strong paddlers, we decided to complete the trip but approach it conservatively.
Two Chowderheads, Ryan and Shweta Galway, were paddling a small raft providing an additional level of safety.
When the five of us met at the takeout on Route 105 in Appleton, a game warden informed us that based on reports he had received, there were several boats pinned in the rapids that might pose hazards.
We promised to remain alert and report our findings.
After leaving my vehicle for the return shuttle, we drove about five miles north to the put-in on Route 131 in Searsmont. Although we had paddled the St. George many times and the difficulty level even at high water is no more than Class III, the ominous reports left us with a sense of trepidation.
The St. George begins with a long stretch of flatwater; the calm before the storm. A huge boulder in the middle of the river marks the start of the first rapid. On this occasion, it was almost submerged.
We entered the lengthy Ghent Bridge Rapid on the left. The waves were unusually large but we found routes around several menacing holes. We all caught an eddy on the left at the bottom.
The game warden, who was observing from the bridge above, pointed out a pinned boat just below. That was the first of many.
From there, rapids were continuous for about a mile. We rode a succession of feisty waves around an S-Turn bend while carefully avoiding gnarly eddy lines and watching for boats broached in unexpected places.
After the turn, the river was fairly straightforward for an extended period. Fortunately, no boats blocked the main channels, but we saw several wrapped in debris or rocks along the shore.
Near the end of the sustained whitewater, a green Old Town Canoe was lodged upside down against the left bank. Closer inspection indicated it was caught on something underwater and couldn’t be safely extricated. The raft team collected paddles and several articles of equipment as we progressed.
Downriver, we encountered several battered abandoned boats. One red canoe was broken in half and twisted around a tree in the middle of the swollen river.
Following a serpentine stretch of flatwater, we approached the steepest falls of the day, Magog Chute. The high water flushed out much of the descent and left standing waves that were cautiously negotiated.
Below, a white hull was spotted upside down on the right shore, the remains of a racing kayak. We hoisted it onto the raft and Shweta and Ryan transported it out.
We passed more badly damaged boats during our remaining paddle to the takeout.
The game warden was waiting to gather what we salvaged and he thoughtfully helped us carry boats up the steep embankment.
Our chaotic escapade was one of the most remarkable paddling endeavors in recent memory.
My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine” narrates nine more exciting whitewater exploits around the state.
