downeast lakes canoe trail and reading room trip€¦ · with mark before the trip, but when we...
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DowneastLakesWaterTrailandReadingRoom
Lastsummermy25yearolddaughterAnnaandIdida"canoetrip"ontheGrandLakes.Wepaddled,butnotforbraggingrights.Weweretheretoabsorbquiet,vistas,clearwater,solitude,andundistractedtimetoread.WehavehadplentyofcanoeingadventuresinMaineandCanada.Wedidn'tneedtheadrenalineofwhitewater,nottomentionthebotheroflongtravelandtheexpenseofoutfitters.Thistimewecamejusttowanderfromonelovelycampsitetoanother,tojumpinthewaterwheneverwefeltlikeit,andtoreadonthebeach.WedecidedtogotoGrandLakeStreambecausethatpartofMainewasaquadrantwedidn'tknow.IhadlearnedtheremarkablestoryofthelandconservationachievedbythissmalltownfromMarkBerry,ExecutiveDirectoroftheDowneastLakesLandTrust.Markcircledafewcampsitesonamapforme.Icouldn'tfindmuchinthepaddlingguidebooks,butIfoundapartialdescriptionofroutesinaveryoldcanoeingbookmoulderingonmybookshelf.StaringattheMaineGazetteerproducedavagueplan.Withnoreservationsrequired,andshortenoughdistanceswiththetimewehadtospend,wecouldimproviseourroutedaybyday.WedrovefromourhomeinsouthernMainetothetownofGrandLakeStream.IhadtoldAnnaallaboutthelandtrust,andthisgreatguywhodirectsit.Ihopedtointroducehertohim.Iwasn'tabletoconnectwithMarkbeforethetrip,butwhenwearrivedattheboatrampontoWestGrandLake,welearnedthatintrueMainestylewecouldfindMarkjustacrossthewateratthecook‐outfollowingthelandtrust'sannualcanoerace.Theonecanoeinthetwelve‐miledivisionwasjustthenpoweringin.Thetiredpaddlerstoldusaboutthewindwewouldsoonface. Weunloadedourgearandparkedintheboatramplot.AshortpaddletotheothershorebroughtusdirectlytoMarkandhislittleson,awatersprite.Wesaidaquickhelloandthenwavedgoodbyetothisidyllicsceneoffamiliescelebratinginthegoldenafternoon.OurcanoewasthegorgeousOldTownthatmyhusbandandIhadboughtinroughshapefromasummercamponDamariscottaLakethatwasgoingoutofbusinessthirtyyearsago.Wehadpainstakinglyrestoredtheoldboatoverawinterbeforewehadhadanychildren.
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Thelureofwhitewaterpaddlinginalltheyearssincemeantthatthiswoodandcanvasbeautyhadsatinthebarnunscratchedfordecades.Thislaketripputthebeautifulboatinitselement:travelingfast,trackingstraight,slicingthewaves.WemadequicktimetoLittleMayberryCovecampsiteanddecidedtokeepgoing.Wewonderedwhatwewouldfindwhenwewereoutoftheshelteroftheheadland.Soonweunderstoodwhymanypaddlersonthislakeoptforwind‐sheddingseakayaks.
Thewindandwaveswerejusttoohightogofurtherthatafternoon.Wesettledintoreadandswim.
Theafternoonturnedtoevening.Wewatchedthesunset.AtonepointinthenightIfrettedaboutthebrightlightthatacottageacrossthelakeseemedtobeshiningthroughourtentwall.ThenIrealizedthisbrightlightwasthemoon.
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ThenextdaywespentafunmorningjumpingintothewateroffofCaribouRock,abigboulderaquartermilefromshore.Aropetohelpwithclimbingupthesteepfacedangleddowntothewater.Welaughedtilithurtaboutourcowardiceinlaunchingoffthedropthefirsttime.Aftermultiplejumps,wepaddledontoMcLellanCoveatthenorthernendofthelake.Oneremarkableaspectofthecampsiteshereisthattheyarecleananduntrampled.Usuallycanoeroutecampsiteshavethemossscuffedaway,pathsworn,andallnearbydeadwoodallburnedupinthefirepit.Clearly,thesesiteshadhadlightuse.Theforestfloorstillhaditsbeautifulleaflitterundisturbed.Therewassomuchbeautytoenjoy,nottomentionbookstoread.
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Wehavebeenonmanycanoetripswherewespendsomuchtimecoveringmiles,makingcamp,cooking,andwashingthatwebarelyhavetimetogoforaswimorevensitdown.Onthistripweintendedtomakeshortworkofeverythingtakingawayfromenjoyingnatureandourbooks.Ifdinnertookmorethanfiveminutestocook,weweren'tinterested.
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Thenextdaywepaddledwest,roundedCoffinPoint,threadedTheThoroughfareintoPocumcusLake,andlandedatacampsitesowonderfulthatI'dliketokeepthesecret.Thebeachwassandyandsunny,thepicnictablewasshaded,theswimmingwaswarmandcalm,andtheoptionsforsittingwithyourbookwerehardtowinnow.
ThenextmorningwepaddledtowherethewaternarrowsandthenemptiesthroughculvertsintoWabassusLake.Thedirtroadfromtowncrosseshere.Wehauledoutthecanoeandputonoursneakers.Asixmilerunbacktoourcarwashotanddusty,butmuchthesimplestshuttleI'veeverdone.Wejumpedintothelakefromtheboatrampforacool‐down.
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It'salwaysfuntodriveagainafteramuscle‐poweredtrip.Wedrovethedustymilesbacktoourcanoeandloadedup.
NextcamesandwichesatthePineTreeStoreinGrandLakeStream.
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WefoundtheofficesofthelandtrustacrossthestreetandlearnedfromMarkaboutthenextchallengeforthelandtrust:acquiringthe21,870acresfortheWestGrandLakeCommunityForestasthelastcriticalsegmentofthe370,000acresconservationprojectthatispartofa1.4millionacrewildlifecorridorbetweenMaineandNewBrunswick.Wecanmarvelandtakeprideintheaccomplishmentofatinytown'slandtrustinprotectingaswathoflandofascopetogiveyouthefeelofwilderness.IntheeasternUnitedStates,itispreciousandworthyofheartfeltsupporttopreserveaplacewheretheonlylightshiningisthemoon.Visitingthisenclaveisfreetopaddlers,butthepriceisthehard‐foughtvision,theyearsofeffort,andthemillionsofdollarsfromgenerouspeoplewhocherishthenaturalworld.
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KarenHerold August2012