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Maine canoe community is awesome

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Sep 18, 2022
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Location
Camden, Maine
On Friday, I exercised the poorest of judgment by trying to run my Esquif Echo down the St. George River (Maine) in flood stage. By the third wave in the wave train my canoe was full of water and, well, I went swimming for about a 1/4 mile of rapids before I could get to shore. I was exhausted, bruised and banged up from bouncing off of rocks, and I abandoned all thoughts of trying to track down the boat. I assumed it, my paddles and everything else I had in the canoe was going to end up in someone else's garage.

With little hope of recovering my stuff, I nevertheless drove to the launch the next morning and posted a "Lost Canoe" poster and then put another at the takeout.

Well ...

That same day I received a call from someone who came across my canoe when they themsevles upset. We met at Moody's Diner and I had my ride back and a potential new paddle partner. Then a call came from someone who came across one of my paddles and they agreed to leave it for me at The Fraternity Store in Searsmont, which graciously agreed to hold for it until my arrival. Finally, a call came in from a couple who found my second paddle on shore while they were hiking. I met them this morning at their business, Walker Flooring, to retrieve the paddle and to say thank you.

What an amazing community of paddlers.
 
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I saw this this morning on Facebook, our local community's facebook page. Is this your canoe and paddle?

Facebook page:
Appleton, MAINE Helping Appleton, MAINE

Anyone loose a canoe?

345296441_158332320537377_947247414907035537_n.jpg
 
I saw this this morning on Facebook, our local community's facebook page. Is this your canoe and paddle?

Facebook page:
Appleton, MAINE Helping Appleton, MAINE

Anyone loose a canoe?

345296441_158332320537377_947247414907035537_n.jpg
That was mine, yes. I just replied to the post on the Appleton board and to let everyone know the boat has been recovered and graciously returned.
 
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A good reminder to have your name and number on your boat. Which I've been pretty lax about lately. Haven't seen any of those orange stickers made for that purpose lately. Anyone got a hack? Electrical tape and a sharpie?
 
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A good reminder to have your name and number on your boat. Which I've been pretty lax about lately. Haven't seen any of those orange stickers made for that purpose lately. Anyone got a hack? Electrical tape and a sharpie?
Get a set of golf club labels. Waterproof, durable, they usually come 20 to a sheet. Great for your paddles.
 
I got some orange id info stickers from the Coast Guard, I wonder where they are? A timely reminder to put some info on my new boat.
Jim
Found them.
C4103B8A-B0A2-4B01-BCE6-CDFD9873A503.jpeg
I can probably get more if anyone is interested. Just let me know.
 
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I ordered some of the Coast Guard stickers from Pnet (now paddling.com). There might be other/cheaper ways to get them...like asking Boatman53.
 
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