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A grim anniversary indeed, Doug, but a good message and a good reminder of what a fire means for insurance. Inventory, and having certain documents and records kept safe from fire are so important. For those of us with old houses, it is also good to confirm with your insurance companies as to...

On local waters, it is pretty common for me to run into someone I know, or for a stranger to know of me (and as is often the case with paddlers, we become fast friends). I've occasionally run into paddling friends and acquaintances on trips out of state...and even if I don't know them, we very...

Picture this: A small group of high school kids gets a hold of a case of beer, and brings it late in the night to a remote picnic area in a National Park to enjoy it. They're quiet, but not quiet enough. A couple cans into their night, a big white Dodge Ram pulls into the picnic area. It has...

I used to be a Ford guy. My first two vehicles were Ford Rangers. Then they no longer offered any extra-cab options with a 4-cylinder engine. I couldn't find anything in a 4 cylinder that suited my purpose. I was willing to look at a hybrid Escape, but no one would sell me one for anything less...

I usually don't wear a helmet when poling unless I'm unfamiliar with a river and want to be prepared for the unexpected, or I am familiar with the river and know that it's degree of difficulty or density of rock cover warrants a little extra protection in case my cat-like reflexes and...

Winter really hasn't gotten a solid grip here in Southern New England. We had one decent "blizzard" of about 12-18 inches of snow a couple weeks ago, and that is now well on its way to melting away. There is some thin ice on the ponds, but not on the rivers for the most part, and local paddlers...

I'll be with Doug D and another friend doing the St John from Baker Lake to St. Francis. It'll be my first upper St. John trip as well (I've been on it from the Allagash to Fort Kent). I've also got an Adirondack trip planned in the Long Lake area, and tentative plans for a Lobster Lake to...

Thanks, YC! Funny, though, it isn't listed on boat launch lists provided by the Bureau of Parks and Lands. Well, too late to make alternate plans anyhow. And I doubt they'll pay to have us towed, lol! -rs

I know I have read here that there is public access to Chesuncook Lake from Graveyard Point in the village, which I am aware of (and have paddled past a few times), but it is not clear to me whether it is OK to park vehicles on the point there overnight. We are hoping to use that as the starting...

I wanted to complain that none of them were wearing PFD's, but...I can't.

We have a stretch of river here in RI that presents some similarly marsh-intensive paddling during the late summer. Always fun, especially when it is not really clear where the clearest channel is. We do a lot of standing in our boats for that trip. -rs

Like others here, I use a filter for my drinking water, and boil cooking water. I also take along extra gas or iodine tablets as a back-up to the filter ever since my previous filter experienced a catastrophic failure on day 2 of a 7 day trip. On that trip, we were very fortunate to be able to...

How quickly things change! It looks like this will be the year I take care of Mud Pond Carry as part of the Allagash Lake Loop trip; starting and ending at Graveyard Point on Chesuncook Lake. And yes, I'm pretty stoked about it. -rs

I was thinking that exact thing in reading the trip report. Shallow water, and rock dodging? Sounds like the perfect poling trip! I may have to check that one out. Nice pics, thanks for sharing the report, Jamie!

...keeping your car keys dry! I often formulate new canoe tripping rules based on the unfortunate experiences of other canoeing friends of mine. One recently had an experience that left me with a new Rule to live by. He recently completed a solo canoe trip in the North Maine Woods. He had left...

I've never been on Cranberry, and I don't fish, so I can't help you there. Little Tupper and Rock Pond is a fantastic area, as is Round Pond which is also connected to Little Tupper Lake. No motorboats allowed, and I hear the fishing is pretty good. It can get a lot of use on the weekends, but...

A nice peaceful lake in the area is Forked Lake, west of Long Lake. Not a big lake, but some really nice backcountry campsites. For something bigger, Raquette Lake also has some really nice sites, but you'll have to watch out for wind and motorboats. -rs

Nice write-up! That is one environment I have never canoe-camped in. I've paddled a few places in Florida in close proximity to 'gators and snakes (and some pretty impressive spiders too), but have not yet camped down there or anywhere on the quintessential "chickies". I think I prefer to camp...

The heat finally got to Rhode Island...only our second (or third?) day in the 90's, but with wicked humidity and a nasty heat index. I'll be leading a club paddle on a local river that is fed from the bottom of a big reservoir, so the water will be icy cold...perfect day for that. I'm betting we...

Nice report and pictures, Kim! It was a nice revisit to a favorite place. I've never been out to Gero Island (the wind has never cooperated the few times I have been there), and I have not yet had the opportunity to paddle down the length of Chesuncook, although I hope to do so one of these...