LOCALadk Magazine

Fall 2015 LOCALadk Magazine 37 LOCALadk not much over 45, and we were not wearing wetsuits or drysuits. The Boys were still yukking it up, catching waves and getting good surfs in the Phoenix, until a particularly well-formed set of dark, uniform waves locked them into a terminal surf. The water ran over the gun- wales and into the canoe about six inches on either end. The Phoenix quickly took on water until she was half full and too heavy to surf anymore, sitting quite low and unstable in the water. Bailing was of no use because the waves continued to break over the sides, so a sprint to shore and a battle with the lee shore breakers ensued. The Boys skillfully managed to thread the needle between the rocks to land and empty out, but the re- launch was just as treacherous. They managed to get away from shore, but none of us could navigate across the lee side of the lake. We managed to stay offshore just long enough to get to a summer cottage with a small beach, where we what was safer, but still technically a surf landing, in two to three foot breaking seas. Once we were all safely ashore, we hurried for shelter from the wind and eventually managed to connect up to the carry. We continued to battle the wind, but the trail wasn't done with us yet. We still had to take on the infamous Mud Pond carry, one and three quarter miles of the most challenging carry I have ever seen. This carry was originally built for horses, to haul, huge cast metal parts for a log tram-way. The Allagash watershed, on the north side of the carry, had virgin timber in 1900 when they built this road. But all the mills were on the south side of the carry, in the Penobscot watershed. So overland they went, just like us. The log tram-way was replaced in 1925 with a railroad to move the logs from one drainage to the other. When they finished cutting this area over, they abandoned ev- erything. At times, we were knee deep in slime and mud strewn with hidden rocks and logs, not to mention the downed trees across the trough. I had been dreading this carry, and for good reason. Hauling the boat and all my gear in one pass was, at times, close to my physical lim- itations. Setting an easy pace, stopping when necessary, changing up boat hauling techniques, and just making fun of the whole silly mess is what got us across. The treacherous Mud Pond carry had put us in the last watershed of our journey, and the start of the downriver glide. The Alllagash Wil- derness Waterway actually felt more civilized than many of parts of the trail. Campsites are the kind you pay for, well-maintained by a team of rangers, with luxuries like toilet paper in the spotless out- houses. We didn't see many moose along the way, because the bugs were not bad enough to force them out of the woods yet, but we did see our second newborn of the trip. It was still wet, and so weak it was barely able to stand. Its mother just watched us paddle by. On this last leg of our trip we were joined by my wife, Jennie and Mike's daughter Mauve. We rented an extra canoe and they were shut- tled to the interior. They got to join us for our reward: to be whisked along to our destination with the current, not against it. They also got to feel the start of bug season and the most violent thunderstorm of the trip, and they got to paddle in the early morning fog. With the girls along, Mike and I were ready to kick back and savor the last miles to Fort Kent. The Boys had their own idea of savor, though, which was to go out at full speed. Starting early on day 27, they pad- dled from Croque Brook campsite to Allagash Falls for breakfast, sat out a violent thunderstorm under a tarp, and still managed to paddle the remaining 58 miles to Fort Kent before dark, finishing the trip in 27 days. We spent one more night on the river, finishing in 28 days. Looking back. Everybody asks me, would you do it again, and what's my best advice for someone who wants to do the trip? I was lucky this trip, good weather, good friends who were excellent paddlers, strong willed, and fast and efficient haulers, made for a very strong team. For another try, the new partners would all need gold stars, before I would even consider it. If I were in that situation, I would make sure my partners had a gung-ho attitude, and they practiced good group behavior, it's a long trip. As for gear, don't skimp on the wheels, and don't haul along anything you really, really need. Don't cheat your feet because good footwear is crucial. You'll need solid water shoes, good walking shoes, and something comfy for camp.

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