In the Shadow of Katahdin

[Fitz]

Well, the website was down, so figured we might just as well go trippin'.

A few weeks ago we tripped through the lakes region south of Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Of course we picked a Northeaster to do it in!! We had heavy rains, snow, sleet, 75F and Sun, and wind driven rains all in the space of about 72 hours. That's Maine for ya. There were still patches of snow in the woods, Katahdin retained a topping, and the ice just left the lakes a couple of weeks before the trip.

Son Brendan, age 8, was a real trooper on this Death March, that involved ascending the swollen West Branch of the Penobscot, carrying around falls, portaging between lakes and serving as bow man in the driving rains.

(What mom doesn't know, won't hurt her )

The kid has developed a wicked draw and pry when needed.

Fellow Wooden Canoe Nut Steve, took a canoe he built from scratch. I had a Chestnut Canoe Co. Prospector that I restored.

Steve's Ride

Foul Weather

Steve Looking for Moose

Celestial Pair - Moon and Venus

Digging for Camp

Katahdin Front
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[F Harvey Bowley]

Shadow Of Katahdin

Looks Like Home Were You On Pemadumcook By Any Chance ?

 

[Fitz]

Yes

Yes, F. Harvey. We did a loop in the Debsconeag Lakes. Up the West Branch, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Debsconeags with a carry to Pemadumcook.

 

[Blue Viking]

That canoe that your friend built, was it a copy of a Chestnut and what model was it desgned after?.... It kinda looks like a Pal or a Deer....also did it have the 1 1/2 ihch ribs....Reason I am asking is it looks like one that I am restoring that has the sme 2 thwarts, and is a 16............ WAs the mold his or borrowed from someone!
Congratulations on that trip............I was up in the Eastport/Machias area with the WC Sebago boat but the weather wasnt condusive to trolling for the big ones!...SO we dug clams and had steamers at Cobscook....Our plan was to fish the Grand Lakes and a couple of others nearby...But....steamers seemed to be the better choice............Enjoy the black flies?

 

[Fitz]

Black Fly

I'm happy to report only one Black FLY. Yep, just one black fly spotted the whole trip. The trip was a few weeks ago. Around those parts of Maine, there are typically a few weeks in May or less between when the snow melts and the flies come out. That is when you launch your canoe and trip! Also around a late season good hard frost is something to look for. We even tripped once the first weekend in June and had no flies, but that was pure luck.

That is Steve Lapey's boat. He can elaborate, but he built a form based on a Peterborough design and built the canoe. It is a 16 footer.

We got skunked on fish. Son Brendan fished hard with no luck. He tried everything in his box. Even worms.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

photos

Fitz, that photo of the celestial pair is terrific. Hope you dont mind, using it for wallpaper for a while but there's no space for credit or a footnote. Makes me want to get back out but right about now the bugs at our camp are a little thirsty.