Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race photos can be found online as follows:
Click here to read “Swimming in 38 Degree Water” — one blogger’s description of what seems to have been a fairly typical experience of this year’s race.
In something of an upset, a two-person canoe paddled by Jeff Owen and Steve Woodard (1:52.30) had the fastest time in last Saturday’s 16.5 mile Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race. This canoe win marked the first time in 19 years that a canoe, rather than a kayak, was first across the line. Canoes claimed 7 of the top 10 times of the day. Several time winner Trevor Maclean, paddling a K1-long was second overall with a time of 1:53.30. More on the race in today’s Bangor Daily News.
I was happy with my own race. Finished 3rd among kayaks and 7th overall with a time of 2:04.54. Based on my goal of a top 3 finish (among kayakers) and a time under 2:15, I had a lot to feel good about. I lost time on the portages (draining isssues, bow stuck in the trees, stern stuck in the spectator rope, paddle stuck in the stern) and handled the whitewater more tenatively than I will next time. In retrospect, it was only the 4th time I had paddled the Ruahine Swallow (or anything of similarly slender) in whitewater and maybe only the third time using a wing paddle in whitewater — so I had reason to be tentative.
Started well but not too fast, felt strong over the first 10 miles of mostly flatwater, portaged Six Mile Falls, then survived the sections of standing waves, the portages (thought those were supposed to be much easier with a 30 lb. rather than a 60 lb. boat), the rapids at Shopping Cart, and even the 3 – 4 foot standing waves in the Bangor canal just short of the finish. No lie — just as the quote in the newspaper article says, the canal may have been the most challenging section of the river for those who finished at around 11:00 AM (approximately mid-tide). By noon, an hour later, the standing waves in the canal had calmed down considerably. The 6 mile section south of Six Mile Falls was notable for it’s absence of rocks or other obstructions, but interspersed with gleaming white fields of standing waves (I’ll be seeing them in my dreams for weeks). You just had to take a deep breath and pound down through.
Next year, I’ll aim to trust the boat more, crash the whitewater with more gusto, and be more efficient on the portages.
Theories on why canoes did so well in this years race:
1. the absence of kayakers Kenny Cushman and Jeff Sands (among others)
2. multi-person craft may have had an advantage in maintaining their momentum and pushing through the sections of standing waves
3. just plain good paddling! (I am in awe of anyone who can go that fast in a canoe).
4. take-outs at portages were muddy, slippery, steep — maybe easier to handle with a 2-person canoe.
5. paddling Six-Mile Falls? All of the first 3 kayaks portaged it. Not sure about the canoes.
Look out next year canoeists! I’ll be gunning for ya!
That’s me setting up for the drop. A canoe is capsized just ahead.
Michael Alden’s photos of this years Kenduskeag Stream
Canoe Race are online at kenduskeagstreamcanoerace.com/
High water won’t stop Kenduskeag according to an article in today’s Bangor Daily News. Discussion on the MACKRO board speculates about possible changes in the number and length of mandatory portages in order to avoid sending paddlers through danger spots such as the rapids at Shopping Cart.
Mike Alden’s blog includes several very recent photos of the 6 Mile Falls area of the Kenduskeag. See
Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race News + Updates
I may be one of the few people in Maine thrilled to see the snow coming down — and happy as pie about the “rain / snow /wind” forecast for now through Tuesday. Better yet, Weather.com calls for more showers Wednesday through Friday. Best of all, Saturday, the day of the Kenduskeag Stream Canoe race is anticipated to be sunny with a high of 51 degrees.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. And let it all melt and go rushing down the river on Saturday!
Upwards of 500 kayaks and canoes. 16.5 miles. 10 miles of flatwater, 6.5 miles of whitewater. 2 mandatory portages. 10,260 strokes. 900+ calories burned. 1:50.08 all-time record (held by Robert Lang of New Brunswick. Date: Saturday, April 21.
I’m gunning for a time of 2:15.00, which would be a 20 minute improvement of my previous time. I’m counting on the fact of having a faster boat (straight-keeled, 19 inch beam 17.5 foot, 30 lb. Ruanhine Swallow multisport racer over a rockered, 22 inch beam, 16 foot, 60 lb. VCP Avocet sea kayak) will cut most of that 20 minutes . . . with maybe better conditioning and technique counting for a five minute improvement. ‘Course times are highly dependent on water levels . . . the flow was pretty good in 2004 when I last ran the ‘Keag. I’m counting on having a good ride this year.
Photo from Maine Wildwater (2006).
Paddled the Souadabscook with Jeff Sands yesterday afternoon. Jeff describes the current level on the Sou as “medium low.” Course that could change in a hurry if the Thursday / Friday storm includes ample amounts of rain. I had never done the Sou before — and was a little too busy to take any photos.
It’s a fun and challenging river — and I certainly was glad to have an experienced paddler to guide me down through. Jeff paddled a 13′ inflatable kayak. I paddled a 16 foot sea kayak. We made an unlikely pair, I suppose, but he bulled his way through the ponds and flatwater at a good pace — and sped up going through the rapids.
For those who haven’t paddled the Sou, it has a number of drops that are Class III plus — I definitely recommend scouting the river throroughly and having someone to guide you on your first trip down through. (And remember to kiss the tree on the Emerson Mill drop on the way by). The Avocet sea kayak handled the whitewater and drops just fine. A very smooth trip overall, thanks to Jeff’s able leadership.